Email Validator offers three ways to verify addresses. They all use the same SMTP verification engine — the difference is workflow, volume, and where verification fits in your stack.
Same Engine, Three Surfaces
| Method | Best for | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Single Check | Ad-hoc checks, sales reps, QA | 1 at a time |
| Bulk upload | List cleaning, quarterly hygiene | 1,000 – 100,000+ |
| REST API | Signup forms, CRM sync, automation | Real-time + batch |
Status results are identical: valid, invalid, catch_all, over_quota, risky, unknown, etc. Billing rules match — valid, invalid, and over_quota consume credits; inconclusive statuses are free.
Single Check — Manual & Instant
Use when:
- A sales rep wants to verify one prospect before a call
- You're debugging a specific bounce
- Company Finder Verify button (same pipeline)
Access: Dashboard → Single Check
Pros: Immediate feedback, typo suggestions, optional quality scoring
Cons: Not scalable for large lists
Bulk Upload — Spreadsheet In, Color-Coded Excel Out
Use when:
- Cleaning a Mailchimp/Klaviyo export
- Quarterly list hygiene
- Processing a conference attendee CSV
Access: Bulk upload
Pros:
- Handles massive files with resume support
- Color-coded Excel with legend sheet
- Auto-retries unknown / error rows
- Never exposes internal rate_limited — maps to unknown
Cons: Not real-time at signup (use API for that)
REST API — Embed Anywhere
Use when:
- Validating at registration (POST /api/v1/verify)
- Batch endpoint for up to 50 emails synchronously
- Webhook callbacks on completion
Access: API integration guide
curl -X POST https://email-validaton.com/api/v1/verify \
-H "X-API-Key: ev_your_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"email": "hello@agency.com"}'
Pros: Programmatic, Zapier/Make compatible, same statuses as web
Cons: Requires developer setup
Company Finder — Fourth Option (Search + Verify)
Not a replacement for bulk — a prospecting tool:
- Search companies by niche
- Scrape public emails
- Verify in-place
- Save to lists
Pairs well with bulk: export a list, run bulk re-verify before a big send.
Decision Flowchart
Need one email now? → Single Check
Have a CSV of 500+? → Bulk upload
Building signup validation? → API
Finding new B2B prospects? → Company Finder
Credit Usage Summary
| Status | Credits? |
|---|---|
| valid | 1 |
| invalid | 1 |
| over_quota | 1 |
| catch_all, risky, unknown, disposable, error | Free |
Pick your path — Create free account →
Related: API Integration in 10 Minutes · Statuses Explained