Mailhardener vs Palisade in 2026
How Mailhardener and Palisade compare on operating model, pricing, and fit for IT teams and MSPs.
Our verdict: Pick Palisade if you want an AI agent to carry the work through enforcement, whether you manage one domain or thousands. Pick Mailhardener if your team prefers a traditional, operator-led workflow.
Samuel Chenard · CEO & Co-Founder, PalisadeSource checks through 2026-07-181 domain free up to 1,000 emails/month
ChatGPT
Claude
Gemini
Perplexity
Grok
Mailhardener
Palisade
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 Small EU-billed teams making DNS changes themselves
Best for MSPs and IT teams responsible for multiple domains
- You prefer a more traditional Mailhardener workflow with people involved in each enforcement step.
- Your buying criteria center on vendor-specific enterprise requirements.
- Pick Mailhardener if you are a small EU-billed team that wants DMARC and SMTP TLS monitoring plus MTA-STS and BIMI hosting at a flat plan price, and you are comfortable making DNS policy changes yourself.
- Pick Mailhardener if your MSP runs a large book of monitor-only domains and has the engineering hours to handle enforcement manually; its €1 per domain rate becomes the cheaper line item once the €149 base fee is spread over enough client domains.
- You run an MSP, or an internal IT or security team, responsible for multiple domains.
- You want an AI agent to investigate issues, configure authentication, and move domains toward p=reject.
- Teams already using Claude, OpenAI, or other AI tools can bring the same agent-led operating model to DMARC.
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 | Mailhardener | Palisade |
|---|---|---|
| Enforcement | ||
| Agent-led enforcement to p=reject (you approve each step)Whether policy changes are prepared for approval before enforcement.Mailhardener describes policy management and traffic monitoring; it does not advertise automated policy enforcement (checked 2026-07-18). | Not advertised | Agent drafts and proposes |
| DMARC aggregate report monitoringWhether the service collects DMARC aggregate reports for review.DMARC aggregation is included on all Mailhardener plans. | Across all plans | Agent analyzes reports |
| Limits & metering | ||
| Unlimited report retention on every paid planHow long paid-plan DMARC report history remains available.Mailhardener lists 3 months on Standard and 1 year on Large; its Enterprise plan alone lists no data-retention limit (checked 2026-08-29). Source (2026-08-29) | Not on every paid plan | Unlimited paid-plan retention |
| API access on every planWhether every plan includes programmatic access to DMARC data.Mailhardener's API is included by default on the Large, Enterprise and MSP packages only, per its knowledge base. | Not on every plan | Included on every plan |
| MSP operations | ||
| ConnectWise, HaloPSA & Autotask integrationsWhether named PSA tools connect to client-domain workflows.Mailhardener's pricing page lists 'PSA integrations' among its MSP package features but names no PSA vendor; ConnectWise, HaloPSA and Autotask integrations are not advertised anywhere on its public pages (checked 2026-07-18). | Named tools not advertised | Native PSA integrations |
| Portfolio-based MSP pricingWhether MSP pricing follows the number of client domains.Mailhardener: €1/domain/month plus a €149/month base package fee. Palisade: portfolio-based per-client-domain pricing, no base fee. | Per domain plus base | Per client domain |
| Hosted records & DNS | ||
| Hosted DMARC, SPF & MTA-STS recordsWhether the service hosts DMARC, SPF, and MTA-STS records.Mailhardener hosts MTA-STS policies and BIMI assets; it does not advertise hosted DMARC or SPF records (checked 2026-07-18). | DMARC and SPF not advertised | Hosted on managed DNS |
| SPF flatteningWhether the service reduces SPF DNS lookups before publication.Mailhardener publishes guidance advising against SPF flattening and does not advertise a flattening feature (checked 2026-07-18). | Flattening not advertised | Hosted SPF flattening |
| Hosted records on redundant managed DNSWhether hosted records use redundant managed DNS.Mailhardener does not publish a DNS uptime guarantee (checked 2026-07-18). | No guarantee published | Redundant managed DNS |
| AI and automation access | ||
| Customer API access outside the dashboardWhether customers can use documented programmatic access rather than only the dashboard.Mailhardener documents OAuth 2.0 API clients. It says API access and documentation are available by default to Mailhardener Large, Enterprise, and MSP customers (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) Source 2 (2026-08-27) | Large tier and above | REST API published |
| MCP server for connecting AI assistants to domain dataWhether an AI assistant can reach the product's data directly.Mailhardener does not advertise an MCP server or an AI-assistant integration in its public authentication guide, which describes API access and PSA and ticketing integrations, or on its public sitemap (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) Source 2 (2026-08-27) | No MCP server listed | MCP server published |
| AI assistant that investigates senders and drafts fixesWhether the vendor advertises AI that investigates senders and prepares authentication changes.Mailhardener advertises a self-learning algorithm that distinguishes senders, forwarders, and fraudulent actors and detects email services. It does not advertise an AI assistant that investigates senders or drafts SPF and DKIM fixes (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) Source 2 (2026-08-27) | Self-learning classification | Agent drafts fixes |
Want to compare the workflow yourself? Try Palisade free with one domain and up to 1,000 emails a month.
Palisade 96 vs Mailhardener 66, 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 2026-09-02.
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.
MailHardener documents an OAuth 2.0 API for Large, Enterprise, and MSP customers, and it publishes no MCP server. 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.
The service automatically aggregates DMARC and TLS reports, monitors DNS, logs events, and exposes role-scoped automation through its API. 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 software aggregates reports and monitors DNS, while customers review the results and make DMARC policy changes themselves. 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.
Published Free, Standard at €19 monthly, and Large at €99 monthly; Enterprise and MSP terms are quoted. 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.
Partial: hosted MTA-STS policies and BIMI assets; no hosted DMARC, SPF, or DKIM is published. Source (2026-08-28)
10 = a genuine free plan. 6 = time-limited trial only. 3 = no free access.
Free for one domain with one month of retention for personal or evaluation use. 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.
Yes: a multi-tenant MSP portal with isolated client environments and PSA integrations. 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.
MailHardener provides diagnostics, monitoring, and hosted transport-security assets, while customers retain responsibility for DMARC policy changes. 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)
Where Palisade and Mailhardener actually differ
Each argument keeps the product screens, sourced comparison points, and supporting analysis together.
Monitoring vs executed enforcement
Monitoring and hosting, or executed enforcement
Mailhardener collects DMARC aggregate and SMTP TLS reports, monitors your DNS records, and hosts MTA-STS policies and BIMI assets. The workflow it describes is visibility-first: the platform surfaces what its monitoring finds, then your team interprets the reports and makes the SPF, DKIM and DMARC changes in DNS. Mailhardener does not advertise automated policy enforcement or automatic movement to p=reject (checked 2026-07-18).
Mailhardener
- Agent-led enforcement to p=reject (you approve each step): Not advertised
- DMARC aggregate report monitoring: Across all plans
Palisade
- Agent-led enforcement to p=reject (you approve each step): Agent drafts and proposes
- DMARC aggregate report monitoring: Agent analyzes reports
Palisade runs that loop for you. Its agent identifies legitimate senders from report data, configures SPF and DKIM for each source, and progressively tightens the DMARC policy until the domain reaches p=reject, with each step approved by your team. The difference is where the work lands: with Mailhardener the analysis and every DNS edit stay with your engineers, while Palisade does the enforcement work and leaves your team the approvals.
Domain pricing vs volume pricing
What Mailhardener meters (and how Palisade prices)
Mailhardener meters by domain count and data retention. Free covers one domain with one month of history, Standard caps at 10 domains and three months, Large at 100 domains and one year, and unlimited retention sits behind the quote-based Enterprise package. API access is included by default only on Large, Enterprise and MSP. The MSP package removes the domain caps but adds a €149 monthly base fee plus €1 per domain.Source
Mailhardener
A relevant product screenshot was not available in the reviewed evidence.
- Unlimited report retention on every paid plan: Not on every paid planSource
- API access on every plan: Not on every plan
Palisade
A relevant product screenshot was not available in the reviewed evidence.
- Unlimited report retention on every paid plan: Unlimited paid-plan retention
- API access on every plan: Included on every plan
Palisade publishes its self-serve IT-team pricing: a Free plan for one domain and up to 1,000 emails/month, flat monthly plans sized by email volume from $19/month (20% off on annual billing) with 2 to 20 set-up domains by tier (adding domains is free and unlimited), unlimited report retention on paid plans and API access on every plan, and a 15-day full-product trial. MSPs receive a free NFR domain and quoted, portfolio-based per-client-domain pricing with no client email metering and no base fee.
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.
- Free€0
1 domain, 1 month data retention, 1 user, fair-use report volume, personal or evaluation use only
- Large€99/mo (€999/yr)
Up to 100 domains, 1 year data retention, API access, invoice payment, limited onboarding assistance
- MSP€149/mo base + €1/domain/mo
Unlimited isolated customer environments, unlimited email volume and users, API access, white-label reports, CSV billing breakdown
- 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
Manual oversight vs portfolio scale
Where Mailhardener fits, and where MSPs outgrow it
Mailhardener serves EU-billed teams that want authentication monitoring with MTA-STS and BIMI hosting at a flat plan price. Its MSP package adds isolated customer environments, white-label reports and a CSV billing breakdown. That combination works for a provider whose clients mostly need visibility, where an engineer can review each tenant's reports and apply the DNS changes by hand.
Mailhardener
- ConnectWise, HaloPSA & Autotask integrations: Named tools not advertised
- Portfolio-based MSP pricing: Per domain plus base
Palisade
- ConnectWise, HaloPSA & Autotask integrations: Native PSA integrations
- Portfolio-based MSP pricing: Per client domain
The model strains as the client count grows. Every enforcement decision across every tenant remains a manual task. Mailhardener's pricing page lists 'PSA integrations' among its MSP package features, but it does not name ConnectWise, HaloPSA or Autotask anywhere on its public pages (checked 2026-07-18). The honest concession: an MSP managing a large book of monitor-only domains, with staff hours to spare for DNS work, will find Mailhardener's €1 per domain rate the cheaper line item.
Native PSA integrations
Palisade imports client domains straight from these three. Mailhardener's own coverage is stated above, from their site.
- ConnectWise PSA
- Autotask
- HaloPSA
Dashboard access vs programmatic access
Mailhardener API access begins on Large, with self-learning classification
Mailhardener documents API access through OAuth 2.0 clients. Its authentication guide says the API and its documentation are available by default on the Large, Enterprise, and MSP packages; its pricing page also marks API access on Large and Enterprise. Mailhardener advertises a self-learning algorithm that classifies senders, forwarders, and fraudulent actors and detects email services. Its public authentication guide, Features page, and sitemap do not advertise an MCP server or an AI-assistant integration (checked 2026-08-27). Source (2026-08-27) Source 2 (2026-08-27) Source 3 (2026-08-27) Source 4 (2026-08-27)
Mailhardener
A relevant product screenshot was not available in the reviewed evidence.
Palisade
A relevant product screenshot was not available in the reviewed evidence.
- Customer API access outside the dashboard: REST API published
- MCP server for connecting AI assistants to domain data: MCP server published
- AI assistant that investigates senders and drafts fixes: Agent drafts fixes
Palisade publishes an MCP server and a REST API. Its 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
- Codex
- Cursor
- Windsurf
- Any MCP client
Still deciding between Mailhardener and Palisade? See what changes with Palisade.
1 domain free up to 1,000 emails/month
Microsoft 365
Zoho Mail
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.”
Mailhardener pricing explained (and how Palisade compares)
Mailhardener prices its standard plans by domain count and data retention, from a one-domain Free tier through Standard (€19/month), Large (€99/month) and a quote-based Enterprise package. MSPs are served by a separate package at €149 per month plus €1 per domain per month.
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
1 domain, fair-use report volume; no 1,000-email allowance published
2 set-up domains, up to 100K emails a month
Standard: 1 to 10 domains, unlimited email volume; no 2-domain tier published
10 set-up domains, up to 1M emails a month
Standard: 1 to 10 domains, unlimited email volume
20 set-up domains, up to 2.5M emails a month
Large: up to 100 domains, unlimited email volume; no 20-domain tier published
Client domains under management, any volume
Unlimited domains and email volume
Palisade’s figures are derived from its published tiers. Mailhardener figures read from their pricing page on 2026-08-28. Plans and prices may have changed since.
How Mailhardener prices
- Data retention is the main meter: 1 month on Free, 3 months on Standard, 1 year on Large. Unlimited retention requires the quote-based Enterprise package.
- API access is included by default only on the Large, Enterprise and MSP packages, per Mailhardener's knowledge base.
- The MSP package adds a €149/month base fee before the first domain; Mailhardener's own example prices 50 customer domains (10 customers with 5 domains each) at €199/month.
- The Free tier is offered for personal or evaluation use only, per the pricing page; Mailhardener's paid plans start at Standard, which it positions 'for small business'.
- Prices are published in EUR, with USD shown for the MSP package: $164/month base plus $1.10 per domain.
How Palisade prices
- No base fee: Palisade quotes MSPs per client domain with rates based on portfolio size, while Mailhardener's MSP package starts at €149 per month before the first domain.
- Unlimited report retention on every paid plan, where Mailhardener meters retention from one month to one year and reserves unlimited history for Enterprise.
- API access on every plan, including Free, where Mailhardener includes its API by default only on the Large, Enterprise and MSP packages.
- Palisade's agent executes enforcement to p=reject; Mailhardener monitors and hosts MTA-STS and BIMI but does not advertise automated policy changes (checked 2026-07-18).
Mailhardener pricing read from their public pricing page on 2026-08-29.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.
Mailhardener is built for EU-billed teams that want authentication monitoring with MTA-STS and BIMI hosting at a flat plan price. It collects DMARC aggregate and SMTP TLS reports, monitors DNS records, and hosts MTA-STS policies and BIMI assets. The visibility-first workflow leaves the team to interpret findings and make DNS changes.
Mailhardener prices standard plans by domain count and data retention, from a one-domain Free tier through Standard, Large, and quote-based Enterprise. API access is included on Large, Enterprise, and MSP. The MSP package provides isolated customer environments, white-label reports, and CSV billing breakdowns for providers that can review reports and apply DNS changes by hand.
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.
- Provides DMARC aggregate report monitoring across all plans
- Provides portfolio-based MSP pricing at €1 per domain per month plus a €149 monthly base fee
- Provides customer API access outside the dashboard on the Large tier and above
- 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 automated policy enforcement or automatic movement to p=reject
- Does not publish unlimited report retention on every paid plan; unlimited retention requires Enterprise
- Does not advertise API access on every plan
- Does not advertise named ConnectWise, HaloPSA, or Autotask integrations
- Does not advertise hosted DMARC or SPF records
- 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
- €0 (1-domain Free tier)
- Free tier
- 1 domain, 1 month retention
- Standard plan
- €19/mo (€199/yr)
- Retention
- 1 month to unlimited
- MSP model
- €149/mo base + €1/domain/mo
- Starts at
- Free for 1 domain; IT plans from $19/mo by email volume
- 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 2026-07-18; every entry keeps its individual check date.
- Mailhardener homepage
Checked 2026-07-18
- Mailhardener pricing
Checked 2026-07-18
- Mailhardener MSP package
Checked 2026-07-18
- Mailhardener SPF flattening guidance
Checked 2026-07-18
- Mailhardener authentication guide and API access
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener knowledge base
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener features
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener pricing and periodic reports
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener MSP reporting
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener self-learning algorithm
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener public sitemap
Checked 2026-08-27
- Mailhardener API service endpoint
Checked 2026-08-27
Palisade vs Mailhardener: FAQ
What is the main difference between Mailhardener and Palisade?
Palisade is agentic DMARC software. Its agent investigates sending sources, works through SPF and DKIM alignment, and moves domains toward p=reject while your team stays in control. When evaluating Mailhardener, compare that operating model with the workflow in its current product documentation and decide how much work you want your team to carry.
Who should choose Palisade?
Choose Palisade if you want an AI agent to carry routine DMARC work through enforcement, whether you manage one domain or thousands. It is also a natural fit for teams already using Claude, OpenAI, or other AI tools to get operational work done.
Who should choose Mailhardener?
Choose Mailhardener if its current integrations, procurement model, or operating workflow better match your requirements. A more operator-led platform can also fit a team that prefers to review reports and make each change itself.
Does Palisade guarantee a specific time to p=reject?
No responsible DMARC platform should promise the same enforcement timeline for every domain. Timing depends on the number of sending sources, access to DNS and third-party systems, and how quickly each legitimate stream can be aligned. Palisade's agent reduces routine investigation and configuration work while operators retain control over policy decisions.
Switching from Mailhardener 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 Mailhardener 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.
1 domain free up to 1,000 emails/month
Competitor information on this page was last reviewed against public sources on 2026-07-18. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.