MX Lookup | WhoisXML API
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WHOIS / WHOIS History

Provide current and historical ownership information on domains / IPs. Identify all connections between domains, registrants, registrars, and DNS servers.

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DNS / DNS History

Look into all current and historical DNS / IP connections between domains and A, MX, NS, and other records. Monitor suspicious changes to DNS records.

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IP Geolocation / IP Netblocks

Get detailed context on an IP address, including its user’s geolocation, time zone, connected domains, connection type, IP range, ASN, and other network ownership details.

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Domain Research Suite (DRS)

Access our web-based solution to dig into and monitor all domain events of interest.

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Domain Research Suite (DRS)

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Internet Infrastructure

Unlock integrated intelligence on Internet properties and their ownership, infrastructure, and other attributes.

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Enterprise API Packages

Our complete set of domain, IP, and DNS intelligence available via API calls as an annual subscription with predictable pricing.

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Security Intelligence (SI) Suite

Offers complete access to WHOIS, IP, DNS, and subdomain data for product enrichment, threat hunting and more.

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MX Lookup

Use this free tool to retrieve the MX records of any domain.

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50 Billion+Domains and subdomains
116 Billion+DNS records
52,000+Satisfied customers
15+Years of data crawling

WhoisXML API Current DNS Product Line

Gain access to other types of DNS records. Get deep and accurate DNS data from our market-leading Internet infrastructure intelligence repositories.

  • DNS Database Download

    DNS Database Download

    Access a leading repository of historical DNS data, featuring the highest number of unique FQDNs across diverse DNS record types.

    Explore Database
  • DNS Lookup API

    DNS Lookup API

    Integrate our DNS Lookup API into existing systems and workflows to add essential context like IP addresses and MX, NS, and TXT records.

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  • DNS Lookup

    DNS Lookup

    Instantly view a domain's DNS configuration—including IP address and MX, NS, and TXT records—using our intuitive web tool.

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  • DNS Chronicle API

    DNS Chronicle API

    Retrieve historical A/AAAA records for any FQDN with a forward search or list associated FQDNs for an IP with a reverse search using our API.

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  • DNS Chronicle Lookup

    DNS Chronicle Lookup

    Find all A/AAAA records historically linked to an FQDN or discover FQDNs that resolved to an IP address using our web tool.

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DNS Lookup API | WhoisXML API

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a DNS MX record?

An MX record or mail exchange record, is a type of DNS record that specifies which mail servers are responsible for accepting email messages for a domain. They are essential for email delivery, as they direct incoming emails to the correct servers depending on the email service provider (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, etc.). A domain can have multiple MX records, each with a different “priority” value.

How does an MX record work?

When an email is sent, the sender’s mail server doesn’t know where to deliver it, so it queries the DNS for the recipient’s domain name (e.g., gmail.com) to find its MX record. The authoritative DNS server for that domain responds with a list of designated mail servers, each accompanied by a numerical priority value.

The sending mail server then attempts to connect to the recipient's mail server with the lowest priority number first (actually the highest priority value). If the server is unavailable, it systematically tries the next lowest-priority server until a connection is established. This system of multiple records with priorities ensures that email can still be delivered even if one mail server is down.

Why is an MX record lookup important?

Checking a domain’s MX record is essential because an MX record enables reliable email delivery. It helps detect and prevent misconfigurations that could prevent users from receiving emails.

Who controls my MX record?

The domain owner has control over MX records, but they are managed through interfaces provided by the DNS hosting service provider.

How can I check the other DNS records of a domain?

You may use DNS Lookup API or our lookup tool, which returns TXT, NS, and other DNS record types. If you only want to look up a specific record type, you can use these tools for free: