AutoSPF vs UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc): In-Depth SPF Flattening Showdown for SMBs

Struggling to decide between AutoSPF or UniversalSPF (by Fraudmarc) for managing your SPF records? You’re not alone. As email authentication becomes a top priority for businesses of all sizes, choosing the right SPF flattening solution can directly impact your deliverability, security, and IT workload.

In this detailed comparison, we’ll break down how AutoSPF and UniversalSPF approach SPF flattening, dynamic record management, pricing, integrations, and ease of use. Whether you’re running a lean startup, scaling an SMB, or managing IT for a mid-sized enterprise, this analysis will guide you to the best choice for your organization.

Why SPF Flattening Matters for SMBs

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is one of the core building blocks of email authentication, alongside DKIM and DMARC. It ensures that only authorized servers can send email on behalf of your domain, protecting your brand from spoofing and phishing attacks.

Here’s the problem: SPF has a built-in limit of 10 DNS lookups. This quickly becomes an issue when your business relies on multiple third-party providers—such as:

Each of these services adds DNS “includes” to your SPF record. Very quickly, you exceed the 10-lookup limit, causing SPF authentication to fail. And when SPF fails, your legitimate email can be marked as spam or outright rejected.

That’s where SPF flattening solutions come in. By consolidating and dynamically updating your SPF record, they ensure you stay within RFC limits while keeping your emails secure and deliverable.

Both AutoSPF and UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc) solve this problem, but they take very different approaches—especially when it comes to SMB usability, automation, and cost.

AutoSPF vs UniversalSPF: Key Features Breakdown

AutoSPF (Your Brand)

AutoSPF was built with SMBs in mind. It provides fully dynamic SPF flattening, meaning your SPF record is continuously updated in real-time as your providers change their sending infrastructure.

Key highlights:

  • Set-and-forget automation – No more manually updating DNS records.
  • Real-time dynamic updates – If Google, Microsoft, or your ESP updates IPs, your SPF record reflects it instantly.
  • Redundancy and fail-safes – Built-in reliability ensures your SPF record never goes stale.
  • Ease of onboarding – Simple setup that doesn’t require deep DNS expertise.
  • Affordable SMB pricing – Predictable costs that fit small business budgets.

UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc)

UniversalSPF, developed by Fraudmarc, is a more enterprise-focused SPF management solution. It offers both static and semi-automated flattening approaches. While it can handle SPF record length issues, it’s less automated than AutoSPF.

Key highlights:

  • Static flattening – Periodically reduces SPF lookups, but records may need re-flattening over time.
  • Enterprise reporting – Provides insights into DNS and SPF record status, helpful for larger teams.
  • Complexity in setup – Requires more technical expertise to configure and maintain.
  • Less SMB-friendly – More suited for enterprises with security teams, not lean SMBs.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

AutoSPF: Automation and Reliability at Its Core

Unlike static flattening tools, AutoSPF is truly dynamic. This means you’re protected even if your providers make sudden changes. For example, if Microsoft 365 shifts email servers, AutoSPF automatically adapts, without you ever touching DNS again.

Benefits for SMBs:

  • Eliminates the risk of accidental SPF failures.
  • Saves IT teams from constant DNS updates.
  • Provides peace of mind knowing your records are always compliant.

UniversalSPF: Effective but More Hands-On

Fraudmarc’s UniversalSPF can reduce SPF lookups, but its static model means that records can become outdated unless you manually refresh them or schedule updates. For SMBs without a dedicated IT staff, this can be a burden.

Benefits for enterprises:

  • Works well if you already have a team monitoring DNS daily.
  • Provides extra reporting and compliance features.
  • Suitable for businesses with stricter internal IT policies.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing is often a deciding factor for SMBs.

  • AutoSPF: Transparent, affordable monthly plans designed for small-to-medium businesses. Includes a free trial so you can test functionality before committing.
  • UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc): Enterprise-tier pricing, less transparent, and often bundled with additional services that SMBs may not need. Costs can quickly climb beyond what’s reasonable for lean IT budgets.

For SMBs, AutoSPF offers the best value, since you pay for exactly what you need: reliable, automated SPF flattening.

User Experience

AutoSPF: Simplicity First

AutoSPF’s dashboard is designed for IT generalists, not specialists. Setup is straightforward: publish a single DNS entry, and AutoSPF manages the rest. No ongoing intervention is required.

  • Learning curve: Minimal.
  • Maintenance: None.
  • Peace of mind: Maximum.

UniversalSPF: More Complex for SMBs

UniversalSPF offers useful reporting, but SMBs may find it overwhelming. Setup can require more DNS expertise, and ongoing monitoring is often needed to ensure your SPF record stays compliant.

  • Learning curve: Moderate to steep.
  • Maintenance: Regular.
  • Peace of mind: Depends on IT resources available.

Integrations

SPF flattening tools don’t “integrate” in the same way as SaaS apps—but their ability to handle common providers is critical.

  • AutoSPF: Fully compatible with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zendesk, and virtually all major email senders. Works out of the box.
  • UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc): Also compatible, but often requires more manual DNS updates and technical oversight.

Alternative SPF Flattening Tools

If you’re exploring beyond AutoSPF and UniversalSPF, here are other options worth noting:

  • SPF-Record.com – Free tool to flatten SPF records, but entirely static. Requires frequent manual re-flattening.
  • Dmarcian SPF Surveyor – Excellent for diagnostics, but not a long-term automated solution.
  • PowerDMARC – Enterprise-grade DMARC platform with SPF flattening included. Strong, but expensive for SMBs.
  • Netcore Email Authentication – Comprehensive authentication suite with SPF management, targeted at larger organizations.

Final Verdict: AutoSPF vs UniversalSPF

Both AutoSPF and UniversalSPF solve the SPF lookup problem, but their target users are very different.

  • AutoSPF is designed for SMBs that want automation, affordability, and zero maintenance. It’s the ultimate set-and-forget solution, ensuring your SPF records are always accurate and your email always deliverable.
  • UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc) is better suited for enterprises with dedicated IT/security teams that want reporting alongside SPF flattening and don’t mind handling DNS more manually.

👉 For SMBs, AutoSPF is the clear winner. It delivers everything you need—automation, compliance, and peace of mind—without unnecessary complexity or cost.

Pro Tip:

If you’re currently managing SPF manually or using static flattening, test AutoSPF’s free trial. Within minutes, you’ll see how effortless dynamic SPF flattening can be—and your IT team will thank you.