If you’re a SaaS business owner, IT manager, or email security professional, you’ve probably run into the frustrating 10 DNS lookup limit in SPF records. The moment your SaaS stack grows—adding tools for marketing, CRM, support, or billing—your SPF record starts breaking, email deliverability suffers, and your domain risks failing DMARC checks.
That’s where SPF management tools like AutoSPF, DynamicSPF by Dmarcduty, and Unlimited SPF for SaaS come into play. Each promises to simplify SPF record management, but they approach the problem in very different ways.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into:
- Why SaaS companies struggle with SPF limits
- The core features of AutoSPF, DynamicSPF, and Unlimited SPF
- Their pricing, integrations, and ease of use
- Real-world scenarios where each solution makes sense
- Alternatives worth considering
Let’s break it down.
Why SPF Management is Critical for SaaS
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is one of the three pillars of email authentication (alongside DKIM and DMARC). It tells receiving mail servers which IP addresses and services are authorized to send on behalf of your domain.
For SaaS businesses, the challenge is volume and variety of services:
- You send marketing emails via HubSpot, Mailchimp, or SendGrid.
- Transactional emails run through AWS SES or Postmark.
- Customer support is powered by Zendesk or Freshdesk.
- CRM and sales automation is handled via Salesforce or Outreach.
Each of these providers requires entries in your SPF record. Add too many, and you’ll hit the 10-lookup cap imposed by DNS standards. Once that happens, your SPF record fails—leading to:
❌ Emails landing in spam folders
❌ DMARC failures
❌ Lost trust with customers and partners
SPF flattening and automated management tools solve this problem by consolidating, updating, and maintaining your SPF record automatically.
AutoSPF vs DynamicSPF vs Unlimited SPF: At a Glance
| Feature | AutoSPF ✅ | DynamicSPF by Dmarcduty ❖ | Unlimited SPF ⬤ |
| SPF Flattening | Fully Automated | Semi-Automated, DNS-based | Not required (lookup-free) |
| SaaS Integrations Supported | Unlimited | Limited (manual setup needed) | Unlimited |
| Ease of Use | Very High | Moderate (requires DNS edits) | High |
| Best For | Fast-scaling SaaS | Smaller teams with DNS control | Enterprise compliance-heavy orgs |
| Pricing | Affordable, transparent | Mid-range, pay-as-you-grow | Premium, custom |
| DMARC Alignment | Always Enforced | Requires manual checks | Enforced by design |
AutoSPF: Scalable, Automated SPF for SaaS
AutoSPF is purpose-built for SaaS businesses that can’t afford email downtime. It takes the pain out of SPF by automating flattening, refreshing, and monitoring—all while staying within DNS limits.
Key Features
- Automatic SPF Flattening → Consolidates all your email providers into a single, compliant SPF record.
- Unlimited SaaS Integrations → Works with every major SaaS tool—Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk, Mailchimp, and more.
- Dynamic Updates → Providers change IP addresses constantly; AutoSPF updates automatically to prevent silent failures.
- DMARC-Ready → Designed to keep SPF aligned with DMARC enforcement, avoiding false positives.
- Simple Dashboard → No more manual DNS edits. Everything is visual and automated.
Who It’s Best For
- Fast-growing SaaS startups that add new tools frequently.
- IT/security teams who want automation without babysitting DNS records.
- Global enterprises managing dozens of sending sources.
Verdict: AutoSPF is the “set it and forget it” SPF solution.
DynamicSPF by Dmarcduty: DNS-Based Flexibility with Manual Effort
DynamicSPF from Dmarcduty takes a different approach. It updates SPF dynamically at the DNS level, reducing the need for constant manual edits. However, it’s less automated than AutoSPF and often requires more hands-on configuration.
Key Features
- Dynamic DNS Records → Pulls updated records via DNS queries.
- Lookup Reduction → Helps avoid the 10-lookup limit but may still require flattening.
- Custom Setup → Works best for smaller organizations with predictable email infrastructure.
Limitations
- More manual DNS work compared to AutoSPF.
- Less SaaS-native—scales poorly when your toolset grows rapidly.
- Monitoring and error prevention is less proactive.
Who It’s Best For
- Smaller companies with basic email stacks.
- Teams comfortable with manual DNS management.
- Organizations with stable, low-change infrastructure.
Verdict: DynamicSPF works, but it’s less SaaS-friendly than AutoSPF.
Unlimited SPF for SaaS: The Enterprise-Grade Option
Some providers now offer Unlimited SPF, effectively removing the 10-lookup cap altogether. Instead of flattening, they bypass SPF’s design limits using proprietary architectures.
Key Features
- No Lookup Limit → Forget about flattening or DNS errors.
- Enterprise-Ready → Designed for companies with highly complex infrastructures.
- Vendor-Lock Risk → Once you adopt Unlimited SPF, migrating away can be harder.
Downsides
- Premium Pricing → Usually enterprise-only.
- Overkill for Small SaaS → Most startups don’t need this level of complexity.
Verdict: Unlimited SPF is powerful but only worth it for large-scale, compliance-heavy enterprises.
Pricing Comparison
AutoSPF: Affordable and Transparent
- Free Plan → Basic SPF flattening for small teams.
- Business Plan → Unlimited integrations, automatic updates, monitoring.
- Enterprise Plan → SLA-backed, compliance-ready, advanced reporting.
DynamicSPF by Dmarcduty: Mid-Range
- Pricing scales with domains and usage.
- More affordable than Unlimited SPF, but manual effort adds indirect costs.
Unlimited SPF: Premium
- Custom enterprise contracts.
- Usually bundled with other compliance/security services.
User Experience: SaaS Team Perspective
- AutoSPF → Clean, SaaS-native, automated. Perfect for velocity-driven environments.
- DynamicSPF → Reliable, but requires ongoing attention and DNS literacy.
- Unlimited SPF → Easy once deployed, but comes with vendor lock-in and high cost.
Integrations: Who Plays Nicely with SaaS?
- AutoSPF: Built for SaaS stacks—integrates instantly with tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, and SendGrid.
- DynamicSPF: Works with common services, but each requires DNS adjustments.
- Unlimited SPF: Supports everything but ties you into a vendor ecosystem.
Alternatives Worth Exploring
If AutoSPF, DynamicSPF, and Unlimited SPF don’t fit your needs, here are other options:
- EasySPF → Lightweight flattening, best for simple setups.
- SPF-Tools (Open Source) → Great for technical teams willing to DIY.
- Managed DMARC Providers (Valimail, Proofpoint) → Offer SPF flattening as part of full DMARC compliance suites.
Final Verdict: Which SPF Solution Wins?
- AutoSPF → ✅ Best for SaaS businesses. Automation, unlimited integrations, and affordability make it the clear winner.
- DynamicSPF by Dmarcduty → ❖ A decent mid-range choice for teams with smaller, stable stacks.
- Unlimited SPF → ⬤ Overpowered (and overpriced) unless you’re a compliance-heavy enterprise.
👉 Recommendation: For 95% of SaaS companies, AutoSPF is the smarter choice. It eliminates DNS headaches, keeps DMARC compliant, and scales as fast as your SaaS stack grows.