Bounces happen. But knowing which kind of bounce matters and how to respond can make or break your email deliverability.
This guide breaks down soft vs hard bounces, how to tell them apart, and what to do about them.
What Is a Soft Bounce?
A soft bounce means the email address is valid, but delivery failed temporarily. Common causes:
- Mailbox full
- Email server down
- Message too large
Soft bounces may succeed later, so you don’t always need to remove them right away.
What Is a Hard Bounce?
A hard bounce means permanent failure and your email cannot be delivered. Reasons include:
- Invalid or fake email address
- Domain does not exist
- Blocked by recipient server
Always remove hard bounce addresses to protect your sender reputation.
Quick Fix Flowchart
If the bounce is a soft bounce, retry sending the email 2–3 more times. If the email continues to bounce after that, remove the address from your list.
If the bounce is a hard bounce, remove the address immediately. These cannot be resolved and keeping them may damage your reputation.
Tools That Help
- Bulk Validator: Clean lists to remove invalid emails
- Catch-All Detection: Identify domains that accept all emails (risky!)
- Bounce Alerts: Monitor bounce types in real time
Mini FAQ
Q: Can a catch-all be a hard bounce?
A: Yes. Some catch-all domains reject emails after accepting them, leading to hard bounces.
Q: How many soft bounces before I remove?
A: After 2–3 consecutive soft bounces, consider removing.
Q: What’s worse for my reputation?
A: Hard bounces. Remove them ASAP.