Question 1

Is this checker really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. There's no sign-up, no email address required and no limit on how many domains you check.

Question 2

Do you store the domains I check?

Accepted Answer

No. The checker runs in your browser. It looks up public DNS records through Cloudflare's or Google's public DNS service, looks up public registration details, and checks whether the domain's website loads. The domain you enter isn't sent to or stored by sohologics.com, unless you choose "Email me this report" or "Start Free Monitoring." Then we keep your email address and the domain (and, for a report, its grade) so we can send what you asked for.

Question 3

Can I get the results by email?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Click "Email me this report" under your results and we'll send a branded copy of your report, with a link back to the full live results. You can also click "Download PDF report" to save it yourself, no email needed.

Question 4

What does the free monitoring do?

Accepted Answer

After you verify your email address, we re-check your domain every day. We email you if we detect a problem, a change, or an approaching expiry (for the domain or its website certificate), plus a short monthly status email with a few recent articles from our blog. The email address must be at the domain you're watching. You can stop any time with the link in every email.

Question 5

Can the checker tell me if my domain will renew automatically?

Accepted Answer

No. We read the public registration record, which shows when the domain expires but not your registrar's billing or auto-renew settings. Check that auto-renew is on and that the card on file hasn't expired.

Question 6

What if the checker can't read my domain's expiry date?

Accepted Answer

A few country-code domain endings don't publish registration details, so the checker says it couldn't verify them instead of guessing. Check the renewal date in your registrar account.

Question 7

Can I check someone else's domain?

Accepted Answer

Yes. SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are public by design, so anyone can look them up. It's a quick way to see whether a vendor or partner is protected before you trust an email about payments.

Question 8

Why does it say DKIM wasn't found when I know it's set up?

Accepted Answer

DKIM records live under a name your email provider chooses (a "selector"), and there's no way to list them all. We check the most common ones, including the ones Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace use. If yours uses a custom name, the checker can't see it, so a missing DKIM result never counts as a failure on its own.

Question 9

Will setting DMARC to reject block my real email?

Accepted Answer

It can, if a service that sends email for you isn't set up with SPF or DKIM first. That's why we start with monitoring and reports, fix every sender, and only then tighten the policy.

Question 10

Does an A mean I'm safe from email scams?

Accepted Answer

No single setting makes you safe. An A means nobody can easily send email using your exact domain. Scammers can still use lookalike domains or a hacked mailbox, which is why we pair this with multi-factor authentication, email filtering and staff training.

Question 11

Why does my domain need a transfer lock?

Accepted Answer

The lock stops anyone from moving your domain to another registrar without your approval. Pair it with multi-factor authentication on your registrar account, and make sure that account is in your company's name, not a former employee's or web designer's.

Question 12

How long does it take to fix?

Accepted Answer

The DNS changes themselves take minutes. The careful part is confirming every service that sends as you, which usually means watching DMARC reports for a week or two before moving to reject.

Question 13

I use Microsoft 365. Isn't this set up automatically?

Accepted Answer

Partly. Microsoft 365 needs an SPF record and two DKIM records added to your DNS, plus DKIM switched on in the admin center. DMARC isn't set up for you at all.

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