MX Lookup API
Overview
To use MX Lookup, you need an API key. You can get one by creating a free account and visiting your dashboard.
GET Endpoint
https://api.apiverve.com/v1/mxlookupExample
How to call the MX Lookup API in different programming languages.
curl -X GET \
"https://api.apiverve.com/v1/mxlookup?domain=yahoo.com" \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here"const response = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/mxlookup?domain=yahoo.com', {
method: 'GET',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);import requests
headers = {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
response = requests.get('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/mxlookup?domain=yahoo.com', headers=headers)
data = response.json()
print(data)package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
)
func main() {
req, _ := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/mxlookup?domain=yahoo.com", nil)
req.Header.Set("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here")
req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
client := &http.Client{}
resp, err := client.Do(req)
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}{
"status": "ok",
"error": null,
"data": {
"domain": "yahoo.com",
"mx": [
{
"priority": 1,
"exchange": "mta7.am0.yahoodns.net"
},
{
"priority": 1,
"exchange": "mta6.am0.yahoodns.net"
},
{
"priority": 1,
"exchange": "mta5.am0.yahoodns.net"
}
]
}
}Authentication
The MX Lookup API requires authentication via API key. Include your API key in the request header:
X-API-Key: your_api_key_hereInteractive API Playground
Test the MX Lookup API directly in your browser with live requests and responses.
Parameters
The following parameters are available for the MX Lookup API:
Get MX Records
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
domain | string | required | The domain you want to get the MX records for (e.g. yahoo.com) Format: domain (e.g., yahoo.com) | - |
Response
The MX Lookup API returns responses in JSON, XML, YAML, and CSV formats. The JSON response is shown in the Example section above; alternative formats below.
Other Response Formats
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
<status>ok</status>
<error xsi:nil="true" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"/>
<data>
<domain>yahoo.com</domain>
<mx>
<item>
<priority>1</priority>
<exchange>mta7.am0.yahoodns.net</exchange>
</item>
<item>
<priority>1</priority>
<exchange>mta6.am0.yahoodns.net</exchange>
</item>
<item>
<priority>1</priority>
<exchange>mta5.am0.yahoodns.net</exchange>
</item>
</mx>
</data>
</response>
status: ok
error: null
data:
domain: yahoo.com
mx:
- priority: 1
exchange: mta7.am0.yahoodns.net
- priority: 1
exchange: mta6.am0.yahoodns.net
- priority: 1
exchange: mta5.am0.yahoodns.net
| key | value |
|---|---|
| domain | yahoo.com |
| mx | [{priority:1,exchange:mta7.am0.yahoodns.net},{priority:1,exchange:mta6.am0.yahoodns.net},{priority:1,exchange:mta5.am0.yahoodns.net}] |
Response Structure
All API responses follow a consistent structure with the following fields:
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
status | string | Indicates whether the request was successful ("ok") or failed ("error") | ok |
error | string | null | Contains error message if status is "error", otherwise null | null |
data | object | null | Contains the API response data if successful, otherwise null | {...} |
Learn more about response formats →
Response Data Fields
When the request is successful, the data object contains the following fields:
| Field | Type | Sample Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
domain | string | The domain name that was queried for MX records | |
| [ ] Array items: | array[3] | Array of MX records for the domain | |
â”” priority | number | Priority value of the MX record for routing | |
â”” exchange | string | Mail exchange server hostname for receiving emails |
Headers
Only X-API-Key is required. Optional headers include Accept for response format negotiation (JSON, XML, or YAML), User-Agent, and X-Request-ID for request tracing. See all request headers →
GraphQL AccessALPHA
Access MX Lookup through GraphQL to combine it with other API calls in a single request. Query only the mx lookup data you need with precise field selection, and orchestrate complex data fetching workflows.
Credit Cost: Each API called in your GraphQL query consumes its standard credit cost.
POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/graphqlquery {
mxlookup(
input: {
domain: "yahoo.com"
}
) {
domain
mx
}
}Note: Authentication is handled via the x-api-key header in your GraphQL request, not as a query parameter.
CORS Support
The MX Lookup API accepts cross-origin requests from any origin, so it can be called directly from browser-based applications without a proxy. See CORS support →
Rate Limiting
MX Lookup requests are throttled per minute on the Free plan and unthrottled on paid plans. Exceeding the limit returns 429 Too Many Requests; rate-limit usage is reported in the X-RateLimit-Limit, X-RateLimit-Remaining, and X-RateLimit-Reset response headers. See per-plan limits and best practices →
Error Codes
The MX Lookup API uses standard HTTP status codes — 200 on success, 400 for invalid parameters, 401 for missing or invalid keys, 403 for insufficient credits, 429 for rate-limit exhaustion, and 500/503 for server-side issues. Each error response includes an X-Request-ID header you can quote when contacting support. See full error handling guide →
SDKs for MX Lookup
Official MX Lookup packages on npm, PyPI, NuGet, and JitPack — plus a Postman collection and an OpenAPI spec. See the SDK guide →
No-Code Integrations
MX Lookup works with Zapier, Make, Pipedream, n8n, and Power Automate using the same API key. See setup guides →
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an API key for MX Lookup?
How many credits does MX Lookup cost?
Each successful MX Lookup API call consumes credits based on plan tier. Check the pricing section above for the exact credit cost. Failed requests and errors don't consume credits, so you only pay for successful mx lookup lookups.
Can I use MX Lookup in production?
The free plan is for testing and development only. For production use of MX Lookup, upgrade to a paid plan (Starter, Pro, or Mega) which includes commercial use rights, no attribution requirements, and guaranteed uptime SLAs. All paid plans are production-ready.
Can I use MX Lookup from a browser?
What happens if I exceed my MX Lookup credit limit?
When you reach your monthly credit limit, MX Lookup API requests will return an error until you upgrade your plan or wait for the next billing cycle. You'll receive notifications at 80% and 95% usage to give you time to upgrade if needed.








