TL;DR
Good: deliverable. Send to it.
Bad: will likely bounce. Remove it.
Risky: usually a catch-all address that no verifier can fully confirm. It isn't the same as Bad.
Risky addresses from a ListKit export passed our triple verification, so you can send to them. For lists from outside ListKit, test Risky addresses separately first.
Filter your results by the quality column only.
When you'd use this
Use this after you run the Email Verifier and open your results file, or when you see Risky or catch-all addresses and want to know whether to send to them.
What each status means
Good. The address passed verification and is safe to send to. Keep it and use it in your campaigns.
Bad. The address failed verification and will very likely bounce. Remove it from your list. Sending to Bad addresses raises your bounce rate and can hurt your domains.
Risky. The address is hard to confirm, but it isn't invalid. The most common reason is a catch-all domain. A Risky result usually means the email likely exists and can receive mail, but the domain setup makes certainty impossible.
What is a catch-all address?
A catch-all domain accepts every email sent to it, whether or not the mailbox exists. For example, if acme.com is a catch-all, its mail server accepts any address at acme.com, even one that was never created.
Because the server never rejects an address, no verifier can tell a real mailbox from a fake one. Most tools label these unknown or risky. ListKit labels them Risky, not Bad, because many of them are real, working inboxes.
Should I send to Risky or catch-all addresses?
From a ListKit export: yes. They passed our triple verification. If you want to be extra careful, leave them out of the first week of ramp-up on new inboxes.
From a list outside ListKit:
Send to Good addresses in your main campaign.
Test Risky addresses in a separate, smaller campaign.
Watch replies before you scale them up.
Bounce rate alone isn't a problem while your replies are healthy (about 1 positive reply per 1,000 people contacted, with a reply rate above 1%). If positive replies start to fall, check your bounce rate and consider leaving catch-all addresses out of your next list. Removing every catch-all can shrink your list a lot without a matching gain in deliverability.
Which column should I filter by?
Filter by the quality column only. Your results file may also have columns like result, free and role. Those are technical details and shouldn't drive your decisions.
Expected outcome
You remove Bad addresses, send to Good ones, and make a clear choice about Risky ones based on where the list came from.
FAQ
Should I delete all Risky emails?
Not necessarily. Many catch-alls deliver normally. From a ListKit export, you can send to them. From an outside list, test them in a separate campaign first.
Are catch-alls the same as Bad emails?
No. Catch-alls are labeled Risky, not Bad. They are not confirmed invalid.
Why do other tools disagree with ListKit?
Many tools label catch-alls as unknown. ListKit labels them Risky when they likely exist.
Why can't ListKit confirm catch-alls for certain?
The domain's mail server accepts every address, so standard verification can't tell a real mailbox from one that doesn't exist.
Will sending to catch-alls hurt my domains?
Not by itself. Watch your replies. If positive replies drop, check your bounce rate and see Why is my bounce rate high and how do I fix it?