DMARC Visualizer vs Palisade in 2026
DMARC Visualizer is an open-source Docker stack that parses DMARC reports with parsedmarc, stores aggregated data in Elasticsearch, and displays it through Grafana. Palisade is a hosted, agentic workflow that investigates senders, drafts authentication fixes, and proposes each policy step for your approval.
Our verdict: Pick DMARC Visualizer if you want to own the report pipeline, storage, and dashboard infrastructure. Pick Palisade if you want a managed path where an AI agent carries the investigation and configuration work while your team approves each change before it ships.
1 domain free up to 1,000 emails/month


Palisade is free for one domain, up to 1,000 emails a month. Paid IT-team plans are sized by email volume. Start a 15-day full-product trial with no credit card.
Which one is right for you?
Best for Teams with engineering time to run the stack
Best for MSPs and IT teams responsible for multiple domains
- You have the engineering time to run Docker, Elasticsearch, Grafana, and the report-ingestion pipeline yourself.
- You want the project files and storage path inside infrastructure that your team controls.
- Your immediate need is report visibility and raw evidence, and you are comfortable building alerting, ownership notes, and remediation steps around it.
- You want an AI agent to investigate every sender, draft SPF and DKIM fixes, and propose the policy progression toward p=reject.
- You want hosted records on redundant managed DNS and Smart DNS Deployment through your DNS provider, with every change reviewed before it ships.
- You manage internal or client domains and want a product workflow instead of maintaining the parser, datastore, dashboards, and operating runbook yourself.
Free for one domain, up to 1,000 emails a month. Paid IT-team plans are sized by email volume. Start a 15-day full-product trial with no credit card.
Where the day-to-day work actually differs
| Feature | DMARC Visualizer | Palisade |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting and visualization | ||
| DMARC aggregate report parsingWhether incoming aggregate reports become readable sender data.The README identifies parsedmarc as the component used for parsing DMARC reports (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | parsedmarc parsing | Agent analyzes reports |
| Aggregated report data stored in ElasticsearchWhether aggregated report data is retained in a searchable datastore.The README says Elasticsearch stores aggregated DMARC data (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Elasticsearch storage | Agent analyzes reports |
| Grafana visualization of aggregated reportsWhether aggregated report data can be explored through dashboards.The README names Grafana as the visualization layer for aggregated reports (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Grafana dashboards | Agent analyzes reports |
| Deployment and operations | ||
| Self-hosted Docker Compose deploymentWhether the software stack can run in infrastructure your team operates.The public repository includes a Docker Compose stack for parsedmarc, Elasticsearch, and Grafana, with local volumes and a Grafana port exposed (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Docker Compose stack | Not self-hosted |
| Open-source project licenseWhether project source code is published under an open-source license.GitHub identifies the repository as Apache-2.0 licensed (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Apache-2.0 license | Not open source |
| Enforcement workflow | ||
| AI agent that investigates senders, drafts authentication fixes, and proposes each policy stepWhether an agent prepares sender fixes and policy steps for approval.The project's public README and Docker Compose deployment describe report parsing, storage, and visualization; they do not advertise an AI enforcement agent that drafts SPF/DKIM work or proposes policy steps (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26) | Not advertised | Agent drafts and proposes |
| Hosted records and DNS | ||
| Hosted DMARC, SPF, and MTA-STS recordsWhether the service can host DMARC, SPF, and MTA-STS records.The public repository describes a report-visualization stack and does not advertise hosted DNS records or a managed DNS service (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Not advertised | Hosted on managed DNS |
| SPF flatteningWhether SPF lookup chains are reduced before records are published.The README and deployment files do not advertise SPF flattening or lookup-limit management (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26) | Not advertised | Hosted SPF flattening |
| Alerts and integrations | ||
| Packaged alerts for new senders or authentication changesWhether new senders or authentication changes generate operational alerts.The public project files describe report ingestion and dashboards but do not advertise packaged operational alerts (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Not advertised | Agent flags issues |
| Native ConnectWise, HaloPSA, and Autotask integrationsWhether the named PSA systems connect directly to the workflow.The public repository does not advertise ConnectWise, HaloPSA, or Autotask integrations (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) | Not advertised | Native PSA integrations |
| Service model | ||
| Managed multi-tenant client managementWhether one service can manage work separately for multiple clients.The public repository describes a self-hosted stack and does not advertise a managed multi-tenant client portal or white-label workflow (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26) | Not advertised | Multi-tenant MSP workflows |
| AI and automation access | ||
| Documented REST or GraphQL product APIWhether a customer can build against a documented product API.DMARC Visualizer does not advertise a documented REST or GraphQL product API in its public README, which names parsedmarc, Elasticsearch, and Grafana as the stack's components (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) | No API listed | REST API published |
| MCP server for connecting AI assistants to domain dataWhether an AI assistant can reach the product's data directly.DMARC Visualizer does not advertise an MCP server or an AI-assistant integration in its public README, which describes a parsedmarc, Elasticsearch, and Grafana stack (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) | No MCP server listed | MCP server published |
| Advertised AI or machine-learning product featuresWhether the vendor advertises AI or machine learning inside the product.DMARC Visualizer does not advertise AI or machine-learning product features in its public README; the published description covers DMARC parsing, aggregated-data storage, and Grafana visualization (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) | No AI features listed | Agent drafts fixes |
| Scheduled exports, webhooks, or data feedsWhether DMARC data has an advertised automated route out of the dashboard.DMARC Visualizer does not advertise scheduled exports, webhooks, or a data feed in its public README or Docker Compose file. The published stack runs parsedmarc, Elasticsearch, and Grafana with local volumes and a Grafana port (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) Source 2 (2026-08-27) | No data export listed | REST API published |
Want to compare the workflow yourself? Try Palisade free with one domain and up to 1,000 emails a month.
Palisade 96 vs DMARC Visualizer 46, and why
Both products are scored on the same eight dimensions the comparison hub uses, so the figures here are the figures there. Four are derived from vendor facts that each carry a source and a checked date. Four are editorial, marked as such below, and each states its reasoning and its source.
Each dimension is out of 10 and the total is the raw sum out of 80, rescaled to 100 — the raw figure is printed beside it so the conversion is checkable rather than a black box. Scored on what each vendor publishes, not on how the product feels in use. Editorial dimensions last reviewed 2026-08-30.
How reachable the product is from your own software and AI tools. 10 = a documented API on every plan plus a published MCP server. 6 = an API, gated to a tier or to a sales conversation. 3 = no programmatic access advertised.
The repository documents a self-hosted stack but publishes no product API or MCP server (checked 2026-08-28). Source (2026-08-28)
Palisade publishes a REST API and a remote MCP server on every plan, making the same domain data and remediation workflows available to connected software. Source (2026-08-30)
How much of the report analysis is done for you. 10 = the platform turns raw report data into a prioritised, actionable queue on its own.
parsedmarc automates parsing into Elasticsearch and Grafana renders the supplied dashboard; operational interpretation remains with the self-hoster. Source (2026-08-28)
Report data is analysed into a prioritised list of sender, SPF, DKIM and DMARC issues, so nobody reads raw XML. Source (2026-07-29)
How much of the work the vendor's own software does. 10 = it identifies the sending sources, drafts the SPF and DKIM fixes each one needs, and proposes the next policy step. 6 = it applies the records for you, but a person decides what to fix and when to advance. 3 = it reports, and every change is yours to make. A vendor whose team does the work rather than its software scores here on the software alone.
The stack parses and visualizes report data, while every record change and policy decision remains with the self-hoster. Source (2026-08-28)
The agent investigates each sender, drafts the SPF and DKIM changes it needs, and proposes the next policy step; a human approves before deployment. Source (2026-08-30)
10 = full pricing published. 6 = some tiers published, rest quote-gated. 3 = quote only.
The source is published under Apache-2.0 without a software subscription fee. Source (2026-08-28)
Published: free plan, then flat monthly plans by email volume from $19/mo Source (2026-08-30)
10 = hosts the records for you. 6 = partial or add-on. 3 = you manage your own DNS.
The stack visualizes report data and does not host authentication records. Source (2026-08-28)
10 = a genuine free plan. 6 = time-limited trial only. 3 = no free access.
The complete self-hosted stack is available under Apache-2.0. Source (2026-08-28)
Free plan: one domain, up to 1,000 emails/mo, 14-day report history, no credit card, plus a 15-day full-product trial Source (2026-08-30)
10 = a real MSP program with multi-tenant management. 6 = partial. 3 = none.
No commercial MSP programme or hosted multi-tenant service is published for this Docker Compose project. Source (2026-08-28)
How much work it takes to get a domain from p=none to p=reject. 10 = the platform (or the vendor's team) gets you there without manual DNS edits.
The stack visualizes report data and does not publish record hosting, DNS changes, policy guidance, or simulation. Source (2026-08-28)
The DMARC Agent detects when a domain's authentication and alignment are ready for the next policy stage and proposes the move, but a human still approves and applies it, so it is not fully hands-off. Source (2026-07-29)
Report stack vs hosted service
A transparent report stack, not a hosted DMARC service
DMARC Visualizer is a small open-source project with a clear division of labor. The README names parsedmarc for parsing DMARC reports, Elasticsearch for storing the aggregated data, and Grafana for visualizing that data. The result is useful when the main question is, “What did receivers report about our mail?” and your team wants the answer in tools it can inspect and operate itself. Source (2026-08-26)

The deployment model matters as much as the charts. The supplied Docker Compose file builds a parsedmarc container, starts Elasticsearch, and builds Grafana with local volumes and a port exposed for the dashboard. The repository does not advertise a hosted account, managed onboarding, or a service team that takes responsibility for the stack (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26)
- parsedmarc parsing
- Elasticsearch storage
- Grafana dashboards
- Agent analyzes reports
- Agent analyzes reports
- Agent analyzes reports
Control vs operating work
The trade is control for operating work
Self-hosting is the narrow fit where DMARC Visualizer makes the most sense. An engineering or security team can keep the parser, Elasticsearch data, and Grafana configuration in its own environment. The project files also make the component boundaries visible, which helps a technical operator decide where to add storage policies, authentication, backups, and internal monitoring. Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26)
That control comes with a real operating bill even when the software license has no published subscription price. Someone must receive the reports, run the containers, preserve Elasticsearch data, secure Grafana, handle version changes, and decide how long the data should remain available. DMARC Visualizer does not publish a managed retention policy, SLA, or commercial support plan in the repository (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26) Source 3 (2026-08-26)
What each side charges
Three points on each published range: the cheapest plan, one in the middle, and the top of what the vendor publishes. Every plan on both sides is in the pricing section further down.
- Open-source Docker stackNo published subscription price
Repository code under an Apache-2.0 license, with parsedmarc for DMARC report parsing, Elasticsearch for aggregated data, and Grafana for visualization. You provide the host, storage, mailbox or report-delivery path, upgrades, and operational support.
- Free$0
1 domain, your own, capped at 1,000 emails/mo
- IT teams: up to 500,000 emails/mo$59/mo ($47/mo billed annually)
Same product: 6 set-up domains, pick the tier that matches your sending
- Enterprise (more than 2.5M / month)Custom
Custom volume, retention, and terms
- Docker Compose stack
- Apache-2.0 license
- Not self-hosted
- Not open source
Reporting visibility vs remediation
Where report visibility stops
The first-party material describes a pipeline for parsing, storing, and displaying report results. It does not describe a workflow that identifies an owner for each sender, drafts the SPF or DKIM change, or carries a domain through policy decisions. It also does not advertise packaged alerts for new senders or authentication changes, a product API, native PSA integrations, or a client-facing multi-tenant portal (checked 2026-08-26). Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26) Source 3 (2026-08-26)

Those omissions define the comparison without proving that a determined operator could never add them. You can extend an open-source stack, connect it to other systems, and write your own runbooks. The question is whether you want to own that extension work. Palisade starts with the operational handoff: the agent investigates every sender, drafts every fix, and proposes each policy step, then your team approves before anything ships. Source (2026-08-26)
- Not advertised
- Agent drafts and proposes
- Investigates. Works out what is sending as your domain, and which of it is legitimate.
- Drafts the fix. Prepares the SPF and DKIM record changes each sender needs, rather than describing them.
- Proposes the policy step. Moves toward p=reject when the evidence supports it. You approve before anything ships.
Stack ownership vs managed workflow
Who should choose DMARC Visualizer
Choose DMARC Visualizer when infrastructure ownership is the requirement, not an implementation detail. It fits a technical operator who is comfortable with Docker and Grafana, wants raw DMARC evidence in a self-managed environment, and has an existing process for deciding which senders are legitimate and which DNS changes are safe. It can be a sensible building block for a small internal program where the team already owns the monitoring layer. Source (2026-08-26) Source 2 (2026-08-26)

Choose Palisade when the recurring problem is the work between a report finding and an enforced policy. Internal IT teams and MSPs can use the hosted workflow, agent-led investigation, DNS configuration drafts, and approval checkpoints without building a parser, datastore, dashboard, and client operating model first. DMARC Visualizer is the better fit for owning the stack; Palisade is the better fit for reducing the work required to move domains through it. Source (2026-08-26)
- Not advertised
- Multi-tenant MSP workflows
Dashboard access vs programmatic access
A Grafana DMARC stack without a published API or MCP server
DMARC Visualizer publishes source files and a short README, rather than a product API reference or plan documentation. Its README names parsedmarc for parsing reports, Elasticsearch for storing aggregated data, and Grafana for visualization. The project's public materials do not advertise a documented REST or GraphQL API, an MCP server, AI or machine-learning product features, or scheduled exports, webhooks, or data feeds (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) Source 2 (2026-08-27) Source 3 (2026-08-27)
Palisade publishes an MCP server and a REST API. The agent investigates senders, drafts SPF and DKIM fixes, and proposes each policy step. A human approves before anything ships.
Reachable from your own AI tools
Palisade's MCP server exposes 30 tools over OAuth, so the assistant your team already uses can read domains, pull the exact records to publish and work the task queue. These are the clients the connection guide walks through.
- Claude
- ChatGPT
- Cursor
- Windsurf
- Any MCP client
- No API listed
- No MCP server listed
- No AI features listed
- REST API published
- MCP server published
- Agent drafts fixes
Still deciding between DMARC Visualizer and Palisade? See what changes with Palisade.
1 domain free up to 1,000 emails/month
The agent does the heavy lifting
Sources identified, SPF and DKIM fixes drafted, each policy step proposed. You approve; nothing ships on its own.
Connect your AI with MCP
30 tools over MCP, so your assistant reads your domains and works the queue.
Connect your DNS manager directly
Approved records go into your own zone at your own provider, across 64. No credentials reach us.
“We evaluated many DMARC providers before choosing Palisade. The quality of their product, the responsiveness and friendliness of their team and their rapid progress on their product roadmap made it a no-brainer for us to move forward.”
DMARC Visualizer pricing explained (and how Palisade compares)
DMARC Visualizer does not publish a commercial price list or hosted subscription tier. Its public product presence is an open-source GitHub repository with a Docker Compose deployment, so the relevant cost question is what it takes to run and maintain the stack you control.
What you'd actually pay
The same five buyer sizes on every comparison, so a shape carries from one page to the next.
1 domain, up to 1,000 emails a month
Apache-2.0 covers the software license only
2 set-up domains, up to 100K emails a month
Apache-2.0 covers the software license only
10 set-up domains, up to 1M emails a month
Apache-2.0 covers the software license only
20 set-up domains, up to 2.5M emails a month
Apache-2.0 covers the software license only
Client domains under management, any volume
Apache-2.0 covers the software license only
Palisade’s figures are derived from its published tiers. DMARC Visualizer figures read from their pricing page on 2026-08-28. Plans and prices may have changed since.
How DMARC Visualizer prices
- The project does not publish a hosted SaaS tier, trial, usage quota, support plan, or commercial price list in its public repository (checked 2026-08-26).
- The Apache-2.0 license describes the repository's software license. It does not remove the infrastructure, storage, administration, security, and upgrade work involved in running the Docker stack (checked 2026-08-26).
- The Docker Compose file mounts local input and output directories, persists Elasticsearch data, and exposes Grafana on port 3000. Those are deployment details, not a vendor-managed retention or availability commitment (checked 2026-08-26).
How Palisade prices
- Palisade publishes a Free plan for one domain and up to 1,000 emails per month. Paid IT-team plans are flat monthly prices sized by email volume, starting at $19 per month with 20% off on annual billing.
- Palisade paid IT tiers cap set-up domains at 2, 3, 6, 10, or 20 by volume tier. Adding domains remains free and unlimited, and only set-up domains count against the tier. MSP pricing is quoted per client domain, with no client email metering and a free NFR domain for the provider.
- Palisade includes a 15-day full-product trial with no credit card. Its agent investigates senders, drafts SPF and DKIM fixes, and proposes policy steps toward p=reject for approval instead of leaving the team to assemble the remediation workflow around a dashboard.
DMARC Visualizer pricing read from their public pricing page on 2026-08-26.Plans and prices may have changed since.
Try Palisade free on one domain, or start a 15-day full-product trial with no credit card.
What each one covers, and where it stops
Published facts only, read from each vendor's own material. Neither column describes a hands-on trial, because we have not run one.
DMARC Visualizer is an open-source Docker stack for teams that want to parse DMARC reports with parsedmarc, store aggregated data in Elasticsearch, and explore it through Grafana. It is built around an operator-run report pipeline rather than a hosted DMARC account, making it a fit for technical teams that want the software and data in their own environment.
DMARC Visualizer is aimed at organizations whose immediate need is readable DMARC reporting and dashboard visibility, and whose operators can receive reports, run containers, preserve Elasticsearch data, secure Grafana, and manage upgrades. The project does not publish a commercial price list or hosted subscription tier, so the team provides the infrastructure, report-delivery path, operational support, and retention decisions.
Palisade is built around an agent that does the DMARC work rather than reporting on it. It identifies every sending source, drafts the SPF and DKIM changes each one needs, and proposes the next policy step when the evidence supports it.
The agent investigates every sender, drafts every fix, and proposes each policy step, you approve before anything ships.
- Parses DMARC aggregate reports with parsedmarc
- Stores aggregated DMARC report data in Elasticsearch
- Visualizes aggregated DMARC report data through Grafana dashboards
- Provides a self-hosted Docker Compose stack
- Publishes source code under an Apache-2.0 license
- The agent investigates senders and drafts the fix, so the work arrives prepared rather than as a list of findings
- Hosted SPF, DKIM and DMARC on redundant managed DNS, so an approved change can be carried out rather than handed off
- Portfolio workflow for MSPs, with ConnectWise, HaloPSA and Autotask integrations and a free NFR domain
- An MCP server and a REST API, so the same data and workflow are reachable from the AI tools a team already uses
- Does not advertise an AI agent that investigates senders, drafts authentication fixes, or proposes policy steps
- Does not advertise hosted DMARC, SPF, or MTA-STS records
- Does not advertise SPF flattening or lookup-limit management
- Does not advertise packaged alerts for new senders or authentication changes
- Does not advertise named ConnectWise, HaloPSA, or Autotask integrations
- Every policy change waits for a human approval, by design: nothing ships on the agent's own authority
- MSP pricing is quoted per client domain rather than published as a rate card
- Plans are sized by monthly email volume, so a low-domain, high-volume sender lands on a higher tier than domain count alone suggests
- Starts at
- No published subscription price
- Hosted tier
- Not published
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Support plan
- Not published
- Starts at
- Free, then $19/mo
- Free tier
- 1 domain, up to 1,000 emails/month
- Trial
- 15 days, full product, no credit card
- MSP model
- Quoted per client domain, portfolio-based
“Palisade made it so easy for us to get our blue verified checkmark and achieve our BIMI compliance”
Sources and further reading
Source checks run through 2026-08-26; every entry keeps its individual check date.
- DMARC Visualizer GitHub repository
Checked 2026-08-26
- DMARC Visualizer README
Checked 2026-08-26
- DMARC Visualizer Docker Compose file
Checked 2026-08-26
- DMARC Visualizer Apache-2.0 license
Checked 2026-08-26
- DMARC Visualizer GitHub repository (automation access)
Checked 2026-08-27
- DMARC Visualizer README (automation access)
Checked 2026-08-27
- DMARC Visualizer repository file tree
Checked 2026-08-27
- DMARC Visualizer Docker Compose file (automation access)
Checked 2026-08-27
- DMARC Visualizer repository metadata
Checked 2026-08-27
- DMARC Visualizer top-level repository files
Checked 2026-08-27
Palisade vs DMARC Visualizer: FAQ
What is DMARC Visualizer?
DMARC Visualizer is an open-source project on GitHub. Its README describes a stack that uses parsedmarc to parse DMARC reports, Elasticsearch to store aggregated data, and Grafana to visualize the results. The supplied Docker Compose file is the public deployment path.
Is DMARC Visualizer a hosted SaaS product?
The project does not advertise a hosted SaaS account or managed service. Its public repository provides Docker Compose files that you run and maintain in your own environment, including the containers, storage, dashboard access, and upgrades.
Does DMARC Visualizer enforce SPF, DKIM, or DMARC policies?
Its first-party README and deployment files describe parsing, storage, and visualization. They do not advertise an enforcement agent or a workflow that drafts DNS changes and proposes each policy step. A team using the project should plan its own sender-review and DNS-change process.
How much does DMARC Visualizer cost?
DMARC Visualizer does not publish a commercial price list or hosted plan. The repository is Apache-2.0 licensed, but you still provide the infrastructure, storage, administration, security, and maintenance needed to run its Docker stack. Palisade publishes self-serve plans and a 15-day full-product trial with no credit card.
Does DMARC Visualizer offer MSP features or PSA integrations?
The public repository does not advertise a managed multi-tenant client portal, white-label reporting, or native ConnectWise, HaloPSA, and Autotask integrations. An MSP could build those connections around the open-source stack, but that work would belong to the MSP rather than to a published product workflow.
Can I run DMARC Visualizer and Palisade at the same time?
Yes. DMARC reporting supports multiple recipients, so you can send reports to both systems during an evaluation period. Keep DNS and policy changes coordinated, compare the sender evidence, and retire the self-hosted stack only after your team is comfortable with the Palisade workflow.
Switching from DMARC Visualizer takes three steps
- 1
Batch-import your domains
Bring your client domains into Palisade in bulk, or let your ConnectWise, HaloPSA, or Autotask integration sync them automatically.
- 2
Run both platforms in parallel
DMARC reporting supports multiple recipients, so Palisade and DMARC Visualizer receive the same reports during the overlap window. Nothing breaks while you compare.
- 3
Cut DNS over on your schedule
Point records at Palisade's hosted infrastructure (redundant managed DNS), then retire the old setup when you're satisfied.
Our onboarding team handles the technical transition with you.
Competitor information on this page was last reviewed against public sources on 2026-08-26. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.


