If you’re a digital agency, you already know how critical email deliverability is. Your campaigns depend on landing in the inbox, not the spam folder. But as more brands adopt DMARC, SPF, and DKIM standards, agencies face growing complexity in managing multiple client domains, third-party marketing platforms, and evolving compliance requirements.
That’s where tools like PowerSPF by Powerdmarc, UniversalSPF by Fraudmarc, and AutoSPF come in. Each offers a way to simplify Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record management, ensure DMARC alignment, and reduce the risk of broken email authentication.
In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive into each solution, compare features, and show which platform is best suited for agencies managing multiple clients. Spoiler: if you want automation, compliance, and scale, you’ll see why AutoSPF stands out.
Why SPF and DMARC Compliance Is a Non-Negotiable for Agencies
Email is still the #1 channel for client campaigns, newsletters, and outreach, but it’s also the #1 target for phishing and spoofing. That’s why domain owners are required to publish SPF records—DNS entries that specify which servers are authorized to send on their behalf.
The catch? SPF comes with strict limits:
- Only 10 DNS lookups are allowed per record.
- Misconfigured or oversized SPF records lead to permanent email delivery failures.
- Agencies managing multiple SaaS tools (HubSpot, Mailchimp, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, etc.) often break this limit without realizing it.
Pair this with DMARC—the enforcement policy that checks alignment between SPF/DKIM results and the domain in the “From:” address—and you’ve got a high-stakes challenge. If SPF is broken, DMARC fails. If DMARC fails, your agency’s or client’s campaigns land in spam or get rejected outright.
That’s why agencies turn to SPF management tools. They remove guesswork, handle flattening, and ensure compliance—so your campaigns are protected and deliverability stays high.
At a Glance: PowerSPF vs UniversalSPF vs AutoSPF
Here’s a side-by-side overview before we go deeper:
| Tool | Best For | Key Advantage | Limitations |
| AutoSPF | Agencies managing many client domains | Fully automated SPF flattening & DMARC alignment | New player, but designed agency-first |
| PowerSPF by Powerdmarc | Large enterprises with in-house IT teams | Dashboard visibility & Powerdmarc suite integrations | More manual steps, higher learning curve |
| UniversalSPF by Fraudmarc | Security teams focused on monitoring | Strong compliance reporting & alerts | No automation, manual DNS updates required |
AutoSPF: Agency-First SPF & DMARC Automation
Solving the SPF Lookup Limit
AutoSPF automatically flattens SPF records, consolidating all DNS lookups into a clean, optimized record. This guarantees compliance with the 10-lookup limit while preserving every authorized sender. Agencies no longer need to worry about client senders being dropped or misaligned.
Always Aligned with DMARC
Unlike most SPF tools that focus only on records, AutoSPF ensures that every SPF change maintains perfect alignment with DMARC. This is crucial for agencies handling multiple senders per client domain, where even a small misconfiguration can cause campaign-wide deliverability issues.
“Set and Forget” Automation
AutoSPF continuously monitors DNS records and automatically rebuilds SPF files as clients add or remove sending platforms. Agencies don’t have to log into DNS consoles, manually flatten records, or worry about misalignment.
Ideal for Agencies
- Manage dozens of domains in one dashboard.
- Delegate SPF/DMARC compliance to account managers, not just IT teams.
- Scale without worrying about breaking SPF every time a new client SaaS platform is onboarded.
Bottom line: AutoSPF is built for the pace of agency life—where new campaigns, tools, and senders are added every week.
PowerSPF by Powerdmarc: Visibility with Manual Effort
Overview
PowerSPF is part of Powerdmarc’s enterprise-grade email security suite. It helps organizations visualize their SPF record health and provides recommendations for optimization.
Strengths
- Comes with access to Powerdmarc’s wider compliance ecosystem (DMARC analytics, BIMI, etc.).
- Useful for large enterprises with dedicated security teams.
- Provides a centralized dashboard to view record status and alerts.
Limitations
- Semi-automated: admins must still edit DNS records manually.
- Best suited for corporate IT teams, not fast-moving agencies.
- Less flexible if you only want SPF management without adopting Powerdmarc’s full platform.
Bottom line: PowerSPF works well in enterprise settings, but for agencies it can feel heavy, slower, and manual compared to AutoSPF.
UniversalSPF by Fraudmarc: Compliance Visibility, Not Automation
Overview
UniversalSPF emphasizes compliance monitoring. It flags misconfigurations, provides alerts, and generates reports agencies can share with clients.
Strengths
- Great for teams that want reporting & visibility into SPF/DMARC health.
- Helps agencies demonstrate compliance progress to clients.
- Works well as a monitoring layer in a broader security stack.
Limitations
- No automation: DNS updates and flattening are still manual.
- Not agency-specific—better for security-conscious organizations that can dedicate staff to record updates.
- The risk of human error persists.
Bottom line: UniversalSPF is strong in monitoring but weak in solving the actual operational pain agencies face—manual SPF management.
Pricing and ROI for Agencies
While providers don’t always publish standard pricing, here’s how they compare in real-world agency use cases:
- AutoSPF → Flexible, usage-based pricing built for agencies managing many client domains. ROI is immediate because automation saves hours of manual DNS work.
- PowerSPF → Higher cost since it’s bundled with Powerdmarc’s suite. Agencies may end up paying for features they don’t need.
- UniversalSPF → Lower cost for monitoring alone, but hidden costs emerge when agencies spend billable hours fixing SPF records manually.
User Experience: Ease of Use for Busy Agencies
- AutoSPF: Simple, modern dashboard. Agencies can set policies once and let automation handle updates. Zero DNS guesswork.
- PowerSPF: Professional dashboards, but requires training and technical DNS familiarity.
- UniversalSPF: Reporting is clear but still demands hands-on DNS edits.
For agencies with non-technical account managers handling multiple clients, AutoSPF is clearly the most user-friendly option.
Integrations and Ecosystem Fit
- AutoSPF: Works independently with any DMARC provider (Valimail, Agari, EasyDMARC, Powerdmarc, etc.), giving agencies flexibility.
- PowerSPF: Tight integration with Powerdmarc’s platform—good if you’re already invested, restrictive if not.
- UniversalSPF: Primarily a reporting layer, with fewer automation or ecosystem features.
Alternatives to Consider
If you’re looking beyond these three, here are some alternatives agencies sometimes evaluate:
- Valimail Enforce – robust automation, but enterprise-focused and expensive.
- EasyDMARC – user-friendly, good for SMBs, but weaker on automation.
- DMARCLY – focused on monitoring and reporting, less so on operational SPF fixes.
Compared to these, AutoSPF is the only solution that combines automation, compliance, and agency scalability in one tool.
Final Verdict: Which SPF Tool Should Agencies Choose?
- AutoSPF → Best for digital agencies managing multiple clients. Fully automated SPF flattening, guaranteed DMARC alignment, and scalable pricing.
- PowerSPF → Best for large enterprises with dedicated IT/security teams that want integration with Powerdmarc’s suite.
- UniversalSPF → Best for security teams focused on compliance reporting, but not ideal for agencies that need speed and automation.
👉 For agencies balancing speed, compliance, and client deliverability, AutoSPF is the clear winner. It removes manual DNS burdens, prevents costly email failures, and ensures your campaigns remain compliant and deliverable at scale.