At a glance
- What it does — Captures one email address and optionally validates it before the respondent continues.
- Where it fits — Early or mid-flow on any path; pairs well with Send email, webhooks, and branch logic.
- Outputs — Full address, domain, whether the domain is a free provider, and (when enabled) a deliverability outcome you can use in branches and integrations.
Feature overview
When you enable multiple checks, they run in the order listed below. If an earlier check fails, later checks are skipped — for example, an invalid domain extension is rejected before deliverability runs.| Feature | What it does | Best for | Plan | When it runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid domain extension | Rejects addresses whose top-level domain is not in the list of ~1,400+ active extensions (e.g. .com, .co.uk) | Catching typos like .con or fake extensions | Included (always on) | After the field loses focus |
| Block free email providers | Rejects addresses from common free and disposable providers (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) | B2B lead gen, work-email-only funnels | Included | After a passing domain-extension check |
| Flag domain typos | Suggests a correction when the domain looks like a typo of a major provider (e.g. gmial.com → gmail.com) | Reducing accidental typos on popular providers | Pro | While typing (debounced) |
| Check deliverability | Verifies the mailbox is real and accepting mail via a third-party verification API | High-stakes lists, paid traffic, CRM sync where bounces hurt sender reputation | Pro | When the respondent clicks Continue |
Block free email providers is optional and off by default. Valid domain extension is always enabled for email steps — it cannot be turned off.
Common workflows
B2B lead capture
B2B lead capture
Enable Block free email providers so respondents must use a work address. Optionally add Check deliverability on Pro to stop dead mailboxes before they reach your CRM.
Newsletter or community signup
Newsletter or community signup
High-intent paid traffic
High-intent paid traffic
Turn on Flag domain typos and Check deliverability with Stricter or Strictest strictness so typos and risky addresses are caught before you pay to follow up.
Branch on email quality
Branch on email quality
Use module outputs (especially Deliverability outcome and Is free provider) in branch conditions to route risky addresses to a confirmation step or alternate path.
Respondent experience
Respondents see a standard single-line email field. As they type, the address is normalised to lowercase and invalid characters are stripped.- Domain extension errors and free provider blocks appear under the field after it loses focus.
- Typo suggestions appear as an underlined correction the respondent can click to apply. If they continue with a suspected typo, they may see a short confirmation screen: Possible typo detected with options to accept the suggestion or keep what they typed.
- Deliverability runs when they click Continue. The button shows a loading state while verification runs. If the address is blocked, an error appears under the field.
Configuration
Open the step inspector after selecting an Email module on the canvas.Set the question
Add a Field label (required) and optional Message below it for extra context (formatting and variables supported).
Choose validation features
Under Field options, toggle the checks you need. Features with a settings cog open a dialog for custom error copy or deliverability strictness.
Configure navigation
Customise the Continue button label and icon. Optionally allow respondents to skip the question.
Block free email providers
Who it’s for: Teams that only want business or organisational addresses. What it adds: Rejects domains on a maintained list of free and common disposable email providers (~10,000+ domains). Customisation: Open the settings cog to override the default error message shown under the field.Flag domain typos
Who it’s for: Any form where a typo on Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, or similar providers would otherwise create a lead you cannot reach. What it adds: After the respondent pauses typing, xform compares the domain to known provider names. Close matches show a Did you mean …? suggestion. Continuing with an active suggestion opens a confirmation step so the respondent can fix or confirm their address. Limitations: Matching is limited to major providers in the list — custom company domains are not auto-corrected.Check deliverability
Who it’s for: Marketers and ops teams sending leads to sales tools or email sequences where bounces damage domain reputation. What it adds: Before advancing, xform asks a verification service whether the mailbox exists and can receive mail. The outcome is stored on the answer so you can inspect it in submissions or use it in branches. Strictness levels (settings cog):| Level | Blocks | If verification fails (timeout / API error) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Undeliverable addresses only | Respondent can continue |
| Stricter | Undeliverable and risky addresses | Respondent can continue |
| Strictest | Undeliverable, risky, and unknown | Respondent is blocked |
Outputs and downstream use
Each email step exposes variables you can reference in branches, AI prompts, webhooks, Send email, and redirects:| Output | Type | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Email address | Text | Personalisation, Send email recipient |
| Domain | Text | Branch: only allow certain domains |
| Is free provider | True / False | Route consumer vs work addresses |
| Deliverability outcome | Choice | Route risky or undeliverable to manual review |
deliverable, risky, unknown, undeliverable, or error. When deliverability is disabled or the question was skipped, this output is empty.
Limitations and good to know
- Only one email address per step.
- Checks run in the order shown in the feature table — configure with that pipeline in mind.
- Valid domain extension and Block free email providers require a small validation list to load in the respondent’s browser; Continue may stay disabled briefly on first visit while that loads.
- Deliverability verification typically completes within a few seconds; very slow responses follow your chosen strictness rules.
- Skipping the question stores a skip sentinel — validation outputs are empty and Is skipped is true.
Pro features on Email
- Flag domain typos
- Check deliverability (including strictness settings)
Related
- Phone — collect and optionally verify mobile numbers with SMS OTP (Pro)
- Send email — notify yourself or the respondent when the flow reaches an action step
- Branches — route respondents based on deliverability outcome or domain