Mailgun Validate for ActiveCampaign lets you check contact emails for deliverability directly inside ActiveCampaign. Once connected, you can validate a single email, your entire ActiveCampaign contact database, or an uploaded CSV list, then use the results to clean up your contacts and build better-targeted segments.
This guide covers connecting the app, running your first validation, and applying results to your contacts.
Before you begin
Confirm you have the following before starting setup:
- ActiveCampaign access: An ActiveCampaign account with access to Settings → Developer, where your account URL and API key are listed.
- Mailgun account: A Mailgun account with access to Mailgun Validate.
- Mailgun API key: A Mailgun Admin-type API key (see Step 2 below).
Getting access
Mailgun Validate is a paid product. If you don't already have a Mailgun account with Validate enabled, contact your Mailgun account representative or Mailgun Support to get access before connecting the app.
If you already have a Mailgun account, confirm your plan includes Validate access before proceeding. Once Validate is active on your account, you're ready to connect it to ActiveCampaign using your Mailgun API key.
Step 1: Find the app in the ActiveCampaign Marketplace
- Log in to ActiveCampaign and open the Marketplace.
- Search for Mailgun Validate.
- Open the listing. You'll see a Connect (or Enable) button in the upper right of the page.
Step 2: Get your Mailgun API key
Before connecting, get your Mailgun API key.
- Log in to your Mailgun account at app.mailgun.com.
- Navigate to API Security.
- Click Create Key, set the type to Admin, and copy the key immediately, it's only shown once at creation.
Your Mailgun API key grants broad access to your account. Don't share it publicly or store it in unsecured locations.
Step 3: Get your ActiveCampaign account URL and API key
- In ActiveCampaign, go to Settings → Developer.
- Copy your Account URL and API Key. You'll need both in the next step.
Step 4: Connect the app
- From the Mailgun Validate listing, click Connect.
- In the widget that appears, enter:
- ActiveCampaign Account URL
- ActiveCampaign API Key
- Mailgun API Key
- Submit the widget to complete the connection.
Confirm all three values were copied correctly and that the Mailgun API key is an Admin-type key. If the issue continues, contact Mailgun Support.
Step 5: Open the Mailgun Validate dashboard
Once connected, the Mailgun Validate dashboard appears on your ActiveCampaign Accounts page (left-hand menu).
From the dashboard, you can:
- View your latest validation results
- Review a history of past validation jobs
- See a risk assessment for each validation job
On first install, the dashboard is empty until you run your first validation.
Step 6: Run a validation
The app supports three validation types.
Single email validation
Validate one address in real time. Enter the email address and click Validate. The result shows a validation status (for example, Deliverable) and a risk level (for example, Low Risk). You can copy the result or run another validation right away.
Validate database
Validates your entire ActiveCampaign contacts list in one run. Use this for a full list audit or a routine hygiene check.
Validate email list
Upload a CSV file containing a contact list to validate a custom set of addresses outside your ActiveCampaign database.
Each validation sorts results into categories: deliverable, do not send, catch-all, undeliverable, and unknown.
Step 7: Apply results to your contacts
After a validation job completes, choose Update contacts to write the results to ActiveCampaign. Results appear on each contact record under the Mailgun Validate section.
Step 8: Use results for segmentation
Use validation results to build segments or filter your contacts list, for example, a segment that excludes non-deliverable addresses so campaigns only reach valid contacts.
You can also download a curated list of low- and medium-risk emails from any validation job for use outside ActiveCampaign.
Troubleshooting
The Connect widget doesn't appear
Confirm you're logged in to ActiveCampaign with a role that has Marketplace access, and that you're viewing the Mailgun Validate listing directly rather than a cached search page.
Connection fails after submitting credentials
- Confirm the ActiveCampaign Account URL and API key were copied exactly from Settings → Developer, with no extra spaces.
- Confirm the Mailgun API key is active and set to the Admin type.
- Confirm your Mailgun account has Validate enabled.
Dashboard is empty after connecting
This is expected on first install. Run a validation from Step 6 to populate the dashboard.
CSV list validation doesn't start
Confirm the uploaded file is a valid CSV and contains a column of email addresses. Reformat and re-upload if the job doesn't start.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a specific ActiveCampaign plan?
Contact ActiveCampaign or check your plan's Marketplace access if the Mailgun Validate listing isn't visible from your account.
Does Mailgun Validate change my contacts unless I ask it to?
No. Validation results are only written to contact records when you choose Update contacts after a job completes.
What data is sent to Mailgun when I run a validation?
The email addresses from the validation job (single email, full contact database, or uploaded CSV) are sent to Mailgun to generate results. The integration authenticates using your Mailgun API key.
Who handles support, Mailgun or ActiveCampaign?
For questions about the Mailgun Validate app, API key setup, or validation results, contact Mailgun Support. For questions about ActiveCampaign platform behavior (Marketplace access, account roles, Developer settings), contact ActiveCampaign Support.
Can I validate contacts outside my ActiveCampaign database?
Yes. Use the Validate email list option to upload a CSV of any contact list, not just contacts already in ActiveCampaign.