# Frequently Asked Questions — MailValid > Answers about MailValid email verification, list cleaning, free credits, pricing, accuracy, no-code uploads, API access, and MCP automation. > HTML version: https://mailvalid.io/faq ## General ### How does email verification work? Our verification process uses a multi-step approach: First, we validate the email syntax against RFC 5322 standards. Then, we check if the domain exists and has valid MX (mail exchange) records. Finally, we perform an SMTP handshake with the mail server to confirm the mailbox exists — all without sending an actual email. ### What is a disposable email? Disposable emails (also called temporary or throwaway emails) are addresses from services like Mailinator, 10MinuteMail, or Guerrilla Mail that users create for one-time use. They're often used to bypass signup requirements and typically become invalid within hours. Our API detects these to help you maintain list quality. ### What is a catch-all domain? A catch-all domain is configured to accept emails sent to any address @domain.com, even if that specific mailbox doesn't exist. This makes SMTP verification inconclusive. We flag these domains so you can decide whether to accept them based on your risk tolerance — they may be valid, but we can't confirm the specific mailbox. ### What is a role-based email? Role-based emails are addresses like info@, support@, sales@, or admin@ that represent a function or department rather than an individual. They often have multiple recipients or are managed by different people over time. We flag these because they may have higher bounce rates or lower engagement for personal outreach. ## Pricing & Credits ### Do credits expire? No, credits never expire. Whether they come from a MailValid Plus monthly renewal, a one-time pay-as-you-go pack, or a top-up, they remain in your account until you use them. That suits projects with variable verification needs — buy credits when you need them, use them at your own pace. ### How much does MailValid cost? MailValid Plus is one monthly subscription with six tiers: 10,000 credits for $29/month, 50,000 for $79, 100,000 for $129, 250,000 for $299, 500,000 for $499, and 1,000,000 for $799 ($0.0008/email). It renews monthly until you cancel. If you'd rather not subscribe, pay-as-you-go packs are one-time purchases with no auto-renew, from 2,000 credits for $8 to 1,000,000 credits for $899, and anyone can buy them. For 250,000+ emails a month, Enterprise offers custom pricing. MailValid Plus is billed monthly only. Full details: https://mailvalid.io/pricing ### Can I add credits in the middle of the month? Yes. Active MailValid Plus subscribers can buy a one-time top-up (the pay-as-you-go packs and prices from 5,000 credits for $19 up) without changing plan. Top-up credits never expire. ### What counts as one verification credit? A completed result uses 1 credit, and cached repeat checks are billed the same as fresh ones. Invalid addresses are billable because they are completed checks that help you avoid bounces. Duplicate emails in the same bulk upload and inconclusive (unknown) checks are free. ### Are all email verifications charged? No. MailValid only deducts a credit when a verification returns a final, actionable result: **valid**, **invalid**, **catch_all**, or **do_not_mail**. If a verification returns **unknown**, no credit is deducted. Unknown results are automatically skipped in both single and bulk verification, so you only pay for verifications that produce a usable result. ### How many free credits do I get? Every new account gets 100 free credits. These credits never expire and let you fully test the API before purchasing more. No credit card required to sign up. ## API & Technical ### Is there a rate limit? Yes. On **Free**, requests are limited to 10 per minute per API key (60 reads per minute), and bulk jobs to 100 emails each. **Every paid plan** — MailValid Plus at any tier, pay-as-you-go, and grandfathered legacy plans — gets the same limits: 200 requests per minute, 800 reads per minute, and up to 10,000 emails per bulk job. For higher limits, Enterprise offers custom rate limits — contact us to discuss your needs. ### What's the average API response time? Our average response time is under 500ms for single email verifications. Most verifications complete in 200-400ms. SMTP verification may take longer for some domains depending on their mail server response times. ### What accuracy can I expect? We guarantee 99% accuracy for deliverable/undeliverable determinations. Some limitations exist: catch-all domains can't be definitively verified, and some corporate mail servers block SMTP verification. We clearly flag these cases in the API response. --- Still have questions? Contact support: sachin@mailvalid.io - Sign up (100 free credits): https://mailvalid.io/register - Pricing: https://mailvalid.io/pricing - API docs: https://mailvalid.io/docs