Managing SPF records has quietly become one of the most frustrating pain points for digital agencies. If you’re responsible for ensuring your clients’ email campaigns land in the inbox—and not the spam folder—you already know how messy SPF records can get.
But here’s the good news: you don’t have to spend your days firefighting DNS errors anymore. Tools like AutoSPF (by AutoSPF), PowerSPF (by PowerDMARC), and UniversalSPF (by Fraudmarc) are designed to fix SPF headaches automatically.
The real question is: Which one is best for agencies?
This guide delivers a deep-dive comparison, so you can make the right call for your agency and your clients.
Why Agencies Can’t Ignore SPF
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is one of the oldest and most widely used email authentication standards. It tells receiving mail servers which IP addresses or third-party services are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain.
For agencies, SPF issues show up in three painful ways:
- Emails going to spam or bouncing – when SPF checks fail.
- Angry clients – when email deliverability tanks and campaigns underperform.
- Lost productivity – when staff spend hours editing DNS records for multiple clients.
The real kicker? SPF records are fragile by design. Agencies managing 20, 50, or 100+ domains are constantly battling:
- The 10-DNS-lookup limit, which breaks SPF records once too many services are added.
- SaaS platforms (like HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk, Mailchimp) that frequently update their sending infrastructure, requiring SPF updates.
- Clients who unknowingly create multiple SPF records, leading to outright failures.
👉 Without a management tool, SPF quickly becomes unmanageable.
The Three Main SPF Fixing Tools for Agencies
Here’s a snapshot of the three platforms we’re comparing:
- AutoSPF (DuoCircle) – A fully automated SPF management platform built for agencies managing multiple clients.
- PowerSPF (PowerDMARC) – An enterprise-oriented SPF flattening tool with granular controls.
- UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc) – A lightweight SPF consolidation tool for smaller organizations.
AutoSPF vs PowerSPF vs UniversalSPF: At-a-Glance Comparison
| Category | AutoSPF (DuoCircle) | PowerSPF (PowerDMARC) | UniversalSPF (Fraudmarc) |
| Automation | 100% automated SPF detection & updates | Semi-automated, requires manual rule management | Limited automation |
| Agency Multi-Domain Support | Yes, dashboards for 5–500+ clients | Limited; enterprise focus | Not optimized for agencies |
| Ease of Use | Intuitive, non-technical UI | Steeper learning curve | Basic and simple |
| Error Prevention | Auto-prevents >10 DNS lookups | Requires careful setup | Limited protection |
| Integrations | Works seamlessly with all SaaS mail senders | Best inside PowerDMARC suite | Narrower scope |
| Pricing | Flexible, agency-friendly tiers | Enterprise pricing | Budget-friendly |
| Best Fit | Agencies managing multiple domains | Enterprises with IT/security staff | Small businesses managing a single domain |
Deep Dive: Feature-by-Feature Comparison
AutoSPF: The “Set It and Forget It” SPF Fix for Agencies
AutoSPF is the only SPF management tool designed specifically for digital agencies. Instead of just flattening SPF records once, it continuously monitors and updates them in real time.
Key Features:
- Dynamic Automation – Detects new sending services (e.g., when a client adds a new ESP) and updates SPF instantly.
- Centralized Multi-Client Dashboard – Manage all your clients’ domains from a single control panel.
- Error-Proof Design – Guarantees SPF records stay within the 10-lookup limit.
- Scalability – Works just as well for 5 domains as it does for 500+.
Example Use Case:
A digital agency onboarded a new client who uses HubSpot, Google Workspace, Mailchimp, and Salesforce. Normally, that would break SPF due to too many lookups. With AutoSPF, the record is automatically flattened and optimized—no manual intervention required.
📌 Best For: Agencies that want to eliminate manual DNS edits and provide deliverability assurance as part of their client services.
PowerSPF: Enterprise-Level Customization with Complexity
PowerSPF is a powerful tool inside the broader PowerDMARC ecosystem. It’s built for organizations that need strict control over which IPs and services are authorized.
Key Features:
- Granular Whitelisting – Manually choose which services and IPs get included.
- Tight Ecosystem Integration – Works seamlessly with PowerDMARC’s DMARC monitoring tools.
- Security-Centric – More focused on compliance and threat visibility than pure automation.
Drawbacks for Agencies:
- Requires manual oversight, which is difficult to scale across dozens of client domains.
- Higher pricing tiers target enterprises, not digital agencies.
📌 Best For: Enterprise IT/security teams with dedicated staff—not lean digital agencies.
UniversalSPF: Lightweight SPF Record Consolidation
UniversalSPF takes a simpler approach: it focuses on flattening SPF records into a single, consolidated entry.
Key Features:
- SPF Flattening via API – Reduces DNS lookups by merging records.
- Quick Setup – Easier than PowerSPF, but far less automated than AutoSPF.
- Budget-Friendly – Lower cost option, but fewer features.
Limitations:
- Lacks agency dashboards or multi-client views.
- No automatic detection of new services—requires manual updates.
📌 Best For: Small businesses managing a single domain with limited complexity.
Why SPF Is Hard for Agencies (And How Tools Solve It)
Agencies face unique SPF challenges that internal IT teams don’t:
- Client Variety – Each client uses a different mix of tools.
- Rapid Change – Marketing tech stacks change frequently.
- High Volume – Agencies may manage 50+ domains at once.
- Limited Technical Bandwidth – Account managers can’t be DNS experts.
How Tools Help:
- AutoSPF – Solves all four problems with automation and dashboards.
- PowerSPF – Solves some but requires technical staff.
- UniversalSPF – Helps with lookup errors but not scale or automation.
Pricing Breakdown
AutoSPF: Scales with Agencies
- Domain-Based Pricing – Pay per domain, with discounts at higher volumes.
- Agency-Friendly Tiers – Designed to support growth as agencies onboard more clients.
PowerSPF: Enterprise-Oriented
- Custom Enterprise Pricing – Contracts are tailored for large organizations.
- Not Transparent – Agencies may struggle with cost justification.
UniversalSPF: Budget-Friendly
- Low Cost, Low Features – Works for one domain but quickly becomes inadequate at scale.
User Experience and Interface
- AutoSPF: Clean UI, dashboards built for non-technical agency staff.
- PowerSPF: Complex interface suited for IT/security experts.
- UniversalSPF: Minimalistic, but lacks scalability features.
Alternatives Beyond AutoSPF, PowerSPF, and UniversalSPF
While these three are the most prominent, other tools exist:
- MxToolbox SPF Generator – Free but manual, not agency-ready.
- Dmarcian SPF Surveyor – Diagnostic tool, not a management solution.
- SPF-Record.com Flattening Tool – Free, one-time fix only.
Final Verdict: Which SPF Solution Should Agencies Choose?
- Choose AutoSPF if you’re a digital agency managing multiple client domains. Its automation, dashboards, and scalability make it the clear winner.
- Choose PowerSPF if you’re an enterprise IT/security team that needs control and already uses PowerDMARC.
- Choose UniversalSPF if you’re a small business with one domain and want a simple fix.
👉 For agencies, the winner is obvious: AutoSPF.
It’s the only SPF record management tool that:
- Prevents errors automatically.
- Updates SPF records dynamically.
- Scales across dozens or hundreds of domains
- Saves agencies countless hours of DNS troubleshooting.
Ready to deliver better email results for your clients?
Start with AutoSPF today—because fixing SPF manually is a battle you don’t need to keep fighting.