Invalid vs Risky vs Valid Emails: What's the Difference?
When you verify a list, you'll see three main email validation results — valid, invalid, and risky.
But what do these terms actually mean?
Understanding them helps you make smarter decisions and send emails that truly reach real people.
Let's break it down.
✅ Valid Emails
A valid email is safe to send to.
It passed every check — syntax, domain, and mailbox — and the mail server confirmed it can receive messages.
These are your best contacts:
- Active users
- Real domains
- Deliverable inboxes
Tip: Valid emails are your "go-to" list. They should make up most of your sends for high deliverability and engagement.
⚠️ Risky Emails
A risky email isn't necessarily fake — but it might cause problems.
Here's what risky email meaning covers:
Catch-all domains: The mail server accepts all addresses, even if some don't exist.
Temporary or disposable emails: Often used for one-time signups and likely to bounce later.
Full or inactive inboxes: The account exists but may reject messages soon.
You can email risky addresses, but it's better to do it carefully — or segment them from your main campaigns.
Tip: Run risky emails through PureMail again after a few days or weeks to confirm if they're still active.
❌ Invalid Emails
An invalid email failed verification.
It might have:
- A typo in the address
- A domain that doesn't exist
- A mailbox that was deleted
Sending to invalid emails hurts your sender reputation and increases bounce rates — which can lead to your emails going to spam.
Tip: Always remove invalid addresses before sending.
How to Use Email Validation Results
✅ Keep and prioritize valid emails.
❌ Clean out invalid ones immediately.
⚠️ Handle risky emails with care — recheck or send low-priority messages.
By understanding your results, you'll protect your sender reputation and improve your deliverability.
PureMail Makes It Clear
PureMail doesn't just mark emails as "bad" or "good."
It shows why each one failed or was marked risky — so you can take the right action every time.
- Real-time and bulk verification
- Clear result categories
- Transparent reporting
The Takeaway
Understanding your email validation results is key to sending smarter.
Knowing the difference between invalid, risky, and valid helps you keep your campaigns clean, accurate, and effective.
Stop guessing — start knowing.