Choosing the right SPF record flattening solution can be a game-changer for digital agencies. With so many email providers, SaaS tools, and marketing platforms in use, most agencies run into the dreaded SPF 10 DNS lookup limit sooner rather than later.
If you’re deciding between PowerSPF by PowerDMARC, UniversalSPF by Fraudmarc, and AutoSPF, this article will give you a clear, side-by-side comparison of their features, pricing, user experience, and integrations.
Whether you manage email deliverability for small clients or oversee enterprise-scale authentication across hundreds of domains, this breakdown will help you choose the SPF flattening solution that keeps client emails out of spam and simplifies your team’s workflow.
Why SPF Management is Critical for Agencies
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a core standard in email authentication. It allows a domain owner to specify which servers are authorized to send emails on its behalf. While essential, SPF comes with a technical roadblock:
- SPF records are limited to 10 DNS lookups.
- Each third-party service (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, CRMs, etc.) consumes lookups.
- Agencies managing multiple services per client quickly exceed this limit, causing SPF to break silently.
The result? Emails fail authentication and land in spam or bounce outright.
For agencies juggling dozens of client domains, manually managing SPF is unsustainable. This is where SPF flattening solutions like AutoSPF, PowerSPF, and UniversalSPF come in. They collapse multiple lookups into a single record, keeping authentication intact and reducing DNS maintenance.
SPF Flattening Solutions: Head-to-Head
🔹 AutoSPF (by AutoSPF.io)
The fully automated, agency-first solution.
AutoSPF is purpose-built for digital agencies and MSPs managing multiple client domains. Instead of static flattening, AutoSPF continuously updates SPF records in real time.
Key Features:
- Set-and-Forget Automation: Once connected, AutoSPF handles all SPF changes. No manual DNS edits are required, ever.
- Real-Time Updates: When a provider updates IPs (for example, Google or Mailchimp changes infrastructure), AutoSPF automatically refreshes the SPF record.
- Centralized Dashboard: Manage unlimited domains from one agency-friendly interface. Perfect for scaling across clients.
- Error Prevention: No more broken SPF records or hidden deliverability issues.
- Unlimited Senders: Supports as many third-party services as needed, without fear of hitting lookup limits.
👉 AutoSPF is the hands-free, scalable solution for agencies that don’t want SPF upkeep consuming valuable billable hours.
🔹 PowerSPF (by PowerDMARC)
Powerful but more manual.
PowerSPF is part of the PowerDMARC suite, a broad email authentication platform. It gives agencies detailed control over SPF flattening but requires more effort to configure and maintain.
Key Features:
- Semi-Automated Flattening: Simplifies SPF records, though ongoing DNS changes may still be required.
- Granular Controls: Useful for teams that need to enforce strict SPF policies.
- DMARC Ecosystem Integration: Works best if you’re already using PowerDMARC’s monitoring and reporting tools.
- Enterprise Fit: Designed more for in-house IT teams than agencies handling dozens of separate clients.
👉 PowerSPF is strong if your agency already relies on PowerDMARC, but can feel heavy for standalone SPF management.
🔹 UniversalSPF (by Fraudmarc)
Simple but less dynamic.
UniversalSPF is a straightforward SPF flattening solution from Fraudmarc, best suited for teams that need basic flattening without extra bells and whistles.
Key Features:
- Consolidation Only: Reduces SPF lookups but lacks proactive automation.
- Manual Updates Needed: Agencies must still adjust DNS when providers change.
- Part of Fraudmarc’s Suite: Integrates best if you’re using Fraudmarc for DMARC reporting or fraud monitoring.
👉 UniversalSPF works fine for small teams or businesses, but agencies may find the lack of automation a bottleneck as client needs scale.
Pricing Comparison
AutoSPF
- Transparent Pricing: Plans scale based on the number of client domains.
- Included Features: Unlimited updates, unlimited senders, monitoring, and automation.
- Agency Focus: No hidden costs — built to be predictable for agencies managing multiple accounts.
PowerSPF
- Bundled Pricing: Typically sold as part of the broader PowerDMARC suite.
- Scales Quickly: May become expensive for smaller agencies who only want SPF flattening.
UniversalSPF
- Budget-Friendly: Low upfront cost.
- Tradeoff: Manual upkeep means higher long-term overhead for agencies.
User Experience & Ease of Use
AutoSPF
- Designed for Agencies: Minimal setup, single dashboard, no ongoing manual work.
- Ease of Use: Highly intuitive and designed to save time.
PowerSPF
- Feature-Rich but Complex: Great for IT admins, but agencies may find it overengineered.
- Learning Curve: More DNS management required.
UniversalSPF
- Simple Interface: Easy to get started.
- Ongoing Burden: Lack of automation means more manual DNS edits long term.
Integrations & Ecosystem
- AutoSPF: Works with any provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, HubSpot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Amazon SES, etc.). Not tied to any ecosystem.
- PowerSPF: Best integrated with PowerDMARC’s reporting and compliance tools.
- UniversalSPF: Integrated with Fraudmarc’s anti-fraud services, but limited standalone functionality.
Alternatives to SPF Flattening Tools
If none of these solutions are a fit, agencies sometimes resort to:
- Manual Flattening Scripts: Risky, requires constant upkeep.
- Macro SPF: Technical workaround but fragile and not recommended at scale.
- Enterprise Deliverability Platforms: Overkill if SPF flattening is your primary issue.
For most agencies, a dedicated solution like AutoSPF offers the best balance of automation, reliability, and cost.
Final Verdict: Which One Wins?
- AutoSPF → Best for digital agencies that want fully automated SPF management with zero maintenance.
- PowerSPF → Best for enterprises already invested in the PowerDMARC ecosystem.
- UniversalSPF → Best for small businesses okay with manual upkeep.
👉 Winner: AutoSPF. For agencies managing multiple domains, AutoSPF provides the most scalable, reliable, and automated approach to solving SPF limits.
FAQs: SPF Flattening for Agencies
Q1: What is SPF flattening and why do agencies need it?
SPF flattening consolidates multiple DNS lookups into a single SPF record, solving the 10-lookup limit. Agencies need it because they manage multiple domains and providers, which easily exceed this limit.
Q2: Why is AutoSPF better for agencies than manual SPF management?
Manual SPF requires constant DNS updates whenever providers change IPs. AutoSPF eliminates this by automatically refreshing records in real time, preventing errors and reducing maintenance.
Q3: How does PowerSPF differ from AutoSPF?
PowerSPF is part of PowerDMARC’s larger authentication platform and offers more manual controls, while AutoSPF focuses on hands-free automation and agency scalability.
Q4: Is UniversalSPF enough for small teams?
Yes, UniversalSPF works well for small businesses, but agencies will find the lack of automation inefficient when managing multiple domains.
Q5: Does SPF flattening improve deliverability?
Yes. Without flattening, exceeding the SPF 10-lookup limit causes legitimate emails to fail authentication, often landing in spam. Flattening ensures all authorized senders pass SPF checks, improving inbox placement.