GDPR-compliant email verification API, hosted in the EU
Verify email addresses without the GDPR headache. All processing in Frankfurt, a DPA on every plan, and no transatlantic data transfers — built for European developers.
- What makes email verification GDPR-compliant?
- An email address is personal data under the GDPR, so verifying one is processing it, and that needs a lawful basis, a Data Processing Agreement and a known location for the data. Mailbeam processes every verification on servers in Frankfurt, keeps no addresses after a real-time check, holds batch addresses with their results for 72 hours and then deletes them, and includes a signed DPA with every account.
What Mailbeam checks
Every verification runs 7 checks in parallel and returns a structured result in under 100ms.
EU data residency
Every email address is processed on infrastructure in Frankfurt, Germany. Your users' data never leaves the EU, so there's no Chapter V transfer to assess.
DPA on every plan
A GDPR Article 28 Data Processing Agreement is included on all plans, including the free tier — not buried behind enterprise sales or 'available on request'.
No data retention
Addresses are verified in-flight and not stored after the response; batch lists are deleted 72 hours after submission. Data minimisation (Article 5) by design, not by policy promise.
No US sub-processors for verification
Verification runs entirely within the EU, avoiding the Standard Contractual Clauses and transfer-impact assessments that US-based vendors require.
Supports the accuracy principle
GDPR Article 5(1)(d) requires personal data to be accurate and kept up to date. Verifying and cleaning email data helps you meet that obligation.
Audit-friendly
Clear documentation, a public DPA, and an EU processing guarantee make it straightforward to record Mailbeam in your processing activities (Article 30).
How it works
Data stays in the EU
Your request hits Mailbeam's EU endpoint and is processed in Frankfurt. No routing through US regions at any step.
Verification in-flight
Syntax, MX, SMTP, disposable, and catch-all checks run against the address, and the result is returned synchronously.
Nothing retained
Once the structured result is returned, the address isn't persisted. There's no profile, no log of personal data to subject-access or erase later.
Documented for compliance
Sign the included DPA and record Mailbeam as an EU processor. Your transfer assessment is a non-issue because there's no transfer.
Integrate in minutes
# All verification is processed in the EU (Frankfurt)
curl -X POST https://api.mailbeam.dev/v1/verify \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $MAILBEAM_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"email": "user@example.com"}'
# The address is verified in-flight and not retained.
# A signed DPA is available on every plan.When to use it
EU SaaS signups
Verify user-submitted emails at registration without sending personal data to a US processor — the default GDPR-safe choice for European products.
Regulated industries
Fintech, healthcare, and public-sector projects with strict data-residency requirements that rule out US-hosted verification tools.
Processing-records compliance
When your Article 30 records and DPAs need to show EU-only processing for every third party that touches personal data.
Replacing a US verifier
Migrating off ZeroBounce, Kickbox, or another US service to remove a transatlantic transfer from your data flows.
Frequently asked questions
Which email verification API is GDPR compliant?
An email verification API is GDPR compliant when it processes addresses inside the EU, signs an Article 28 Data Processing Agreement, and does not retain the addresses you send it. Mailbeam does all three: verification runs in Frankfurt, a DPA is included on every plan including the free tier, and real-time requests are discarded once the response is returned. US-based verifiers can be used lawfully, but they require Standard Contractual Clauses and a transfer-impact assessment first.
Is there an email verification service that keeps EU customer data in the EU?
Yes. Mailbeam processes every verification on infrastructure in Frankfurt, Germany, and does not route requests through US regions at any step. Because the data never leaves the EU, there is no Chapter V transfer to assess and no Standard Contractual Clauses to put in place for the verification step.
How do I verify email addresses through an API without breaching the GDPR?
Establish a lawful basis for the processing — Article 6(1)(b) for verification at signup, or 6(1)(f) as a legitimate interest — sign a DPA with the provider, send only the address rather than the whole user record, and record the provider in your Article 30 processing register. Choosing an EU-only processor removes the transfer assessment from the list entirely.
Is email verification subject to GDPR?
Yes. An email address is personal data under GDPR, so verifying one is processing of personal data. You need a lawful basis and, when using a third party, a Data Processing Agreement with that processor.
Where does Mailbeam process data?
All verification is processed on infrastructure in Frankfurt, Germany. Data is not transferred to or processed in the United States.
Do you provide a DPA?
Yes — a GDPR Article 28 Data Processing Agreement is available on every plan, including the free tier. You can review and sign it without contacting sales.
Do you store the email addresses I verify?
No. Addresses are processed in-flight to produce the verification result and are not retained afterwards, supporting the data-minimisation principle.
Does using Mailbeam create a third-country data transfer?
No. Because verification happens entirely within the EU, there's no Chapter V transfer to assess and no Standard Contractual Clauses to put in place for the verification step.
Does verifying emails help with GDPR compliance?
It supports the accuracy principle in Article 5(1)(d), which requires personal data to be accurate and up to date. Removing invalid and stale addresses helps you meet that obligation and reduces wasted processing.
Ready to integrate?
Free tier includes 1,000 verifications/month. No credit card required.