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DeBounce alternative: when ContactLint fits and when it does not

Facts checked October 18, 2026

DeBounce and ContactLint answer different questions. DeBounce checks whether a mailbox exists. ContactLint checks whether an address is worth saving: is the syntax right, does the domain accept mail, is it a throwaway or role inbox, and is it a typo of a big provider. That smaller check is why it costs less.

The short answer

Stay with DeBounce if you need list validation with catch-all checks, data enrichment, list monitoring or a Google Sheets add-on.
Choose ContactLint if you want email and phone checks on one key, a hosted MCP server for AI agents, or 100 free checks every month instead of a one-time free allowance.

DeBounce gives 100 free credits with no card, says pay as you go credits never expire, prices catch-all validation at 10 credits per address and advertises prices "from $0.00045 per check" at its largest volumes; its calculator starts at 5,000 credits. ContactLint lists 5,000 checks for $9 and gives 100 free checks per key every month. DeBounce validates mailboxes; ContactLint stops at DNS.

Side by side

	ContactLint	DeBounce
Confirms the mailbox exists (SMTP)	No. Syntax, DNS/MX, disposable, role and typo checks only; no SMTP connection, no catch-all detection	Sold as email validation; catch-all validation costs 10 credits per address (source)
Smallest purchase	5,000 checks for $9	Calculator starts at 5K credits; the page says "From $0.00045 per Check" at volume (source)
5,000 checks	$9	Not listed
25,000 checks	$35	Not listed
100,000 checks	$99	Not listed
Free to start	100 checks every month, no card	100 free credits, no card required (source)
Unknown results	Not charged: any check whose DNS lookup fails is given back	Not listed
Credits expire?	No expiry in our terms; unused credits refundable within 14 days	Never on pay as you go (source)
Typo suggestions	Yes, did_you_mean for major providers (gmial.com to gmail.com)	Yes, a did_you_mean field in the API response (source)
MCP server for AI agents	Hosted remote server at /mcp, nothing to install	Not listed on the pages we read
Phone validation	Yes, same key and same credits	Not listed

Competitor facts read from each vendor's public pages on October 18, 2026 and linked in each cell. Prices change; follow the links for current terms. "Not listed" means the page we read did not state it, not that the vendor lacks it.

What switching looks like

Create a free key at /signup.
Replace one HTTP call: POST /v1/email/validate with {"email": "..."}, or /v1/email/validate/batch for up to 50 addresses.
Map verdicts: invalid reject, risky ask the user or review (show did_you_mean when set), valid accept, unknown accept or retry later.

curl -X POST https://contactlint.com/v1/email/validate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_KEY" -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"jane@gmial.com"}'

Guides: server-side check on form submit, drop-in typo widget, email validation for AI agents.

Questions

Is ContactLint a full replacement for DeBounce?

Only if you do not need mailbox verification. DeBounce tests whether the mailbox exists; ContactLint checks syntax, DNS/MX, disposable domains, role addresses and typos, and never connects to mail servers.

Can I use ContactLint and DeBounce together?

Yes. A common split is ContactLint at the signup form or inside an AI agent, where volume is steady and a fast cheap check is enough, and a mailbox verifier for occasional deep cleans of an old list.

How do I try ContactLint?

Create a free key at contactlint.com/signup (100 checks per month, no card), or run a live check on the home page without a key.

How we made this page

Written by the ContactLint team. DeBounce facts were read from its public pages on October 18, 2026 and are linked in each table cell; we did not test its API. ContactLint facts come from our pricing and API spec. Spot something out of date? Email support@contactlint.com and we will fix it.

Get a free API key. 100 checks per month, no card required. Or try a live check first.