Compare 12+ email alias services by features, pricing, security, and privacy
Quick Start • Comparisons • Privacy & Security • Best Practices • FAQ
Click to expand full table of contents
Email aliasing lets you create alternate addresses that forward to your real inbox - so you can use unique addresses per service without exposing your primary email.
Example:
- Real inbox:
john.doe@gmail.com - Aliases:
shopping@provider.com,news@provider.com - Both forward to your real inbox (most services also support replying from the alias)
- Privacy: Hide your real email; reduce breach exposure
- Spam control: Instantly disable compromised aliases
- Organization: Sort and filter emails by alias or source
- Tracking: Identify who leaked or sold your data
- Security: Unique address per service = breach isolation
Think of it like a P.O. Box for your email - you hand out forwarding addresses, never your real one.
- Gmail
+addressing (you+tag@gmail.com) - Outlook additional aliases
- Pros: Zero setup, free
- Cons: Easily stripped/guessed, no lifecycle management
- Full alias management, custom domains, reply support, encryption, rules, APIs, dashboards
- Examples: Addy.io, SimpleLogin, Forward Email, DuckDuckGo Email
| Your Need | Best Choice | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just starting | DuckDuckGo Email Protection | Free | Zero setup, tracker removal, unlimited aliases |
| Budget conscious | Addy.io Lite | $1/mo | Best feature-to-price ratio |
| Maximum privacy | SimpleLogin (by Proton) | $4/mo | Swiss jurisdiction, PGP, WebAuthn, mature apps |
| Apple ecosystem | Hide My Email (iCloud+) | from $0.99/mo | System-level iOS/macOS integration |
| Developers / self-hosting | Forward Email | from $3/mo | 100% open-source, unlimited domains |
| All-in-one privacy | Cloaked | ~$10/mo | Email + phone masking + password management |
| Full email hosting + aliases | StartMail | $5/mo | PGP, custom domains, full IMAP mailbox |
Note
Prices are starting paid tiers. Many providers offer free plans. Regional pricing may vary.
| Best for Beginners | Best Value | Most Secure |
|---|---|---|
| DuckDuckGo Email Price: Free Aliases: Unlimited @duck.comSetup: Zero config ✅ Easy onboarding ✅ Tracker removal ✅ Reply support @duck.com domain only |
Addy.io Price: $1/mo (Lite) Aliases: Unlimited Domains: 1 custom ✅ GPG/OpenPGP encryption ✅ API + webhooks ✅ Rules engine |
SimpleLogin Price: $4/mo (includes Proton Pass Plus) Aliases: Unlimited Jurisdiction: Switzerland ✅ PGP + WebAuthn/TOTP ✅ Proton-backed infrastructure ✅ Mature apps & browser extensions |
| Provider | Jurisdiction | Free Tier | Starting Price | Reply Support | Open Source | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io | Netherlands 🇳🇱 | ✅ | $1/mo | Paid only | ✅ | GPG, API, webhooks |
| SimpleLogin | Switzerland 🇨🇭 | ✅ (10 aliases) | $4/mo | ✅ | ✅ | Proton-owned, Pass Plus bundled |
| Forward Email | USA 🇺🇸 | ✅ (own domain) | $3/mo | ✅ | ✅ | AES-256 at rest, 10GB storage |
| DuckDuckGo Email | USA 🇺🇸 | ✅ (unlimited) | Free only | ✅ | Partial | Tracker removal |
| Firefox Relay | USA 🇺🇸 | ✅ (5 masks) | $0.99/mo | Premium | Partial | Phone masking on Premium |
| AdGuard Mail | Cyprus 🇨🇾 | ✅ (limited) | $2.99/mo | Premium | Partial | Temporary aliases |
| 33Mail | UK 🇬🇧 | ✅ | $1/mo | Premium | ❌ | Simple, long-standing service |
| IronVest | USA 🇺🇸 | ❌ | $39/yr | ✅ | ❌ | Virtual cards + phone masking |
| Cloaked | USA 🇺🇸 | ❌ | ~$10/mo | ✅ | ❌ | Email + phone + password manager |
| StartMail | Netherlands 🇳🇱 | ❌ | $5/mo | ✅ | ❌ | Full IMAP mailbox, PGP, custom domains |
| Erine.email | France 🇫🇷 | ✅ | Free | ✅ | ✅ | EU-hosted, open-source |
| Apple Hide My Email | USA 🇺🇸 | Requires iCloud+ | from $0.99/mo | ✅ | ❌ | Deep Apple ecosystem integration |
Warning
⚰️ Skiff (mymask.id) - Acquired by Notion in 2024 and fully shut down. Listed here as a cautionary example of provider risk. Always have a backup plan.
| Provider | Free Aliases | Reply Support | Custom Domains | Standout Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io | Unlimited (subdomain) + 10 shared-domain | ❌ | ❌ | GPG, API on paid | Power users trialing |
| SimpleLogin | 10 | ✅ | ❌ | PGP, mobile apps, browser extensions | Beginners |
| DuckDuckGo | Unlimited @duck.com |
✅ | ❌ | Tracker removal, browser autofill | Quickest start |
| Firefox Relay | 5 masks | ❌ | ❌ | Tracker removal, Firefox integration | Mozilla users |
| AdGuard Mail | ~10 | ❌ | ❌ | Temporary alias option | Light/casual use |
| 33Mail | Unlimited | ❌ | ❌ | Simple and reliable | Basic forwarding |
| Erine.email | Unlimited | ✅ | ❌ | Open-source, EU-hosted | Privacy advocates |
| Forward Email | Unlimited* | ✅ | ✅ (own domain req.) | 100% open-source, self-host option | Developers |
| Apple Hide My Email | N/A (iCloud+ req.) | ✅ | Separate iCloud feature | Seamless iOS/macOS integration | Apple users |
Note
*Forward Email free tier requires your own domain. Addy.io free tier limits shared-domain aliases (@addy.io) to 10; unlimited refers to personal subdomain aliases (anything@username.addy.io).
| Provider & Plan | Price | Aliases | Reply | Domains | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io Lite | $1/mo | Unlimited + 50 shared | ✅ | 1 | GPG/PGP, API, rules, 6 usernames |
| Addy.io Pro | $3/mo (annual) / $4/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | 20 | Analytics, webhooks, bulk ops, 21 usernames |
| SimpleLogin Premium | $4/mo ($36/yr) | Unlimited | ✅ | Unlimited | PGP, WebAuthn, Proton Pass Plus included |
| Forward Email Enhanced | $3/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | Unlimited | AES-256 at rest, 10GB IMAP, webhooks, API |
| Forward Email Team | $9/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | Unlimited | Shared team access, priority support |
| Firefox Relay Premium | $0.99/mo | Unlimited masks | ✅ | 1 subdomain | Phone masking (US/CA), tracker removal |
| AdGuard Mail Premium | $2.99/mo | ~1,000 | ✅ | 1 | Anonymous replies, premium domains |
| 33Mail Premium | $1/mo | Unlimited | ✅ (20/day) | 5 | Simple, long-standing |
| 33Mail Pro | $5/mo | Unlimited | ✅ (1,000/day) | Unlimited | Higher volume |
| IronVest Premium | $39/yr | ~50 | ✅ | ❌ | Virtual payment cards, phone masking |
| Cloaked | ~$10/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | ❌ | Email + phone alias + password manager |
| StartMail | $5/mo ($50/yr) | Unlimited | ✅ | ✅ | Full IMAP mailbox, PGP, custom domains |
| Apple iCloud+ 50GB | from $0.99/mo | Up to 1,000 | ✅ | ✅ (iCloud Mail) | System-level integration, no extra app needed |
Note
- "Unlimited" means no fixed hard cap but subject to fair-use/abuse limits.
- SimpleLogin Premium now includes Proton Pass Plus at no extra cost (as of Nov 2024).
- Firefox Relay phone masking is available in the US and Canada only.
- Regional pricing varies; always verify on the provider's official site.
| Criteria | Addy.io | SimpleLogin | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner friendliness | Moderate complexity | Simpler UI/onboarding | SimpleLogin |
| Power users | Advanced rules, analytics, webhooks | Core features, solid API | Addy.io |
| Value | $1/mo (Lite) for most features | $4/mo - but includes Proton Pass Plus | Addy.io (standalone); Tie (if using Pass) |
| Reliability | Solo developer | Proton-backed enterprise infra | SimpleLogin |
| Privacy / Jurisdiction | Netherlands (EU), GPG | Switzerland (EU+), PGP | Tie |
| 2FA Support | TOTP only | TOTP + WebAuthn (Yubikey) | SimpleLogin |
| Open Source | ✅ Full | ✅ Full | Tie |
Detailed Feature & Security Analysis (click to expand)
Addy.io - Independent
- ✅ Fast updates, direct communication, lower costs, innovative
⚠️ Single point of failure, no formal succession plan
SimpleLogin - Proton-backed
- ✅ Team redundancy, financial stability, 24/7 infrastructure
- ✅ Proton acquisition (2022) eliminated "shutdown risk" concern
⚠️ Higher cost, slower feature iteration
| Feature | Addy.io | SimpleLogin |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk operations | CSV import/export | Basic bulk |
| Search & filter | Advanced | Basic |
| Bounce handling | Detailed logs | Basic |
| Spam detection | SpamAssassin | Basic |
| Conditional rules | Advanced regex | Basic patterns |
| Usage analytics | Detailed per-alias charts | Basic counts |
| Bandwidth tracking | Per-alias | Not available |
| Alert system | Configurable | Basic notifications |
| Feature | Addy.io | SimpleLogin |
|---|---|---|
| 2FA | TOTP only | TOTP + WebAuthn |
| Password hashing | bcrypt | Argon2 |
| Security audits | 2023 (Securitum) | Regular (Proton program) |
| Encryption at rest | Partial (recipients) | Partial (standard) |
Important
Always read the provider's current privacy policy. Practices can and do change.
| Provider | Email Content Storage | IP Logging | Analytics | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io | Queue only; not persisted after delivery | Short-term, abuse/fraud only | Self-hosted (privacy-respecting) | Recipients encrypted at rest |
| SimpleLogin | Queue only; limited logs | Short-term, abuse/fraud only | Plausible (privacy-focused) | Billing via processor |
| Forward Email | Queue/delivery only; self-host option | Configurable / self-host | None by default | Minimal: domain configs + DNS only |
| DuckDuckGo Email | Strips trackers; minimal logs | Minimization approach | Anonymous/aggregate | Email address only stored |
| Firefox Relay | Delivery only; deleted after forward | Mozilla policies | Mozilla telemetry (opt-out) | Mozilla account data |
| AdGuard Mail | Delivery only | Anti-abuse logs | Internal | Email and account data |
| 33Mail | Delivery only | Standard logs | Unknown | Basic account info |
| IronVest | Delivery only; 24h temp storage | Standard logs | Basic | Account and payment data |
| Cloaked | Delivery only; E2E encrypted | Standard logs | Basic | Comprehensive identity data |
| StartMail | Full IMAP mailbox (by design) | Standard logs | Internal | PGP available; full email provider |
| Apple Hide My Email | Delivery only | Apple policy | Apple analytics | Full iCloud account data |
Tip
For true content privacy, use end-to-end encryption (PGP/GPG) with your contacts. Aliasing alone does not hide email content from providers.
| Provider | Keeps Working | Disabled | Deleted | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | All existing aliases (receive + reply within free limits) | New alias creation beyond 10 | Nothing permanent | Minimal - aliases stay active forever |
| Forward Email | Existing forwarding | Premium SMTP/API, priority support | Some premium configs | Low |
| AdGuard Mail | Free features and base quota | Premium domains/features | Premium-only aliases | Low |
| 33Mail | Basic forwarding | Custom domains, higher reply limits | Custom domain configs | Moderate |
| Firefox Relay | First 5 masks | Extra masks | Masks beyond free limit | Moderate |
| Addy.io | Subdomain aliases; 1 recipient; basic forwarding | Multiple recipients, custom/shared domains, replies | Extra recipient configs, premium-domain aliases | Moderate |
| Cloaked | None (no free tier) | All features | Aliases deleted on cancellation | High - no free fallback |
| StartMail | None (no free tier) | Full mailbox | All data on cancellation | High - export before cancelling |
Tip
Best practice: Export your alias → service mapping before upgrading and before any downgrade. Use a password manager to track which alias belongs to which account.
| Provider | Jurisdiction | GDPR | Govt Requests |
|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | Switzerland 🇨🇭 (Proton AG) | ✅ | Requires Swiss/EU legal process |
| Addy.io | Netherlands 🇳🇱 (EU) | ✅ | EU legal process required |
| StartMail | Netherlands 🇳🇱 (EU) | ✅ | EU legal process required |
| Erine.email | France 🇫🇷 (EU) | ✅ | EU legal process required |
| AdGuard Mail | Cyprus 🇨🇾 (EU) | ✅ | EU legal process required |
| 33Mail | United Kingdom 🇬🇧 | ✅ (UK GDPR) | UK legal process |
| Forward Email | United States 🇺🇸 | ✅ (applicable) | US law; self-host option available |
| DuckDuckGo Email | United States 🇺🇸 | ✅ (applicable) | US law; transparency reports |
| Firefox Relay | United States 🇺🇸 | ✅ (applicable) | US law; Mozilla transparency reports |
| Cloaked | United States 🇺🇸 | ✅ (applicable) | US law |
| Apple Hide My Email | United States 🇺🇸 | ✅ (applicable) | US law; well-documented process |
Tip
Practical picks by privacy level:
- 🔒 Maximum: Switzerland - SimpleLogin/Proton
- 🔐 Strong: EU - Addy.io, StartMail, Erine.email
- ✅ Acceptable with trade-offs: US - DuckDuckGo, Forward Email, Apple
| Format | Example | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
service-purpose@ |
amazon-shopping@provider.com |
Per-service isolation |
category-year@ |
newsletters-2025@provider.com |
Time-based rotation |
trustlevel-service@ |
trusted-banking@provider.com |
Risk-based sorting |
abc123@provider.com- hard to trackgeneral@provider.com- defeats breach isolation- Reusing the same alias across services
View organization strategies (click to expand)
shopping@- e-commercesocial@- social mediawork@- professional accountsnewsletters@- subscriptions
trusted@- banking, critical servicestesting@- new/unfamiliar servicesdisposable@- one-time signups
news-2025@- rotate annuallymonthly-2025-04@- rotate monthly for high-volume
| Mistake | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Random/reused aliases | abc123@ or general@ |
amazon-shopping@ (unique per service) |
| Not testing replies | Assuming replies work | Send a test before important use |
| No alias log | Not tracking alias → account mapping | Use a password manager to record each alias |
| No backup plan | Switching all accounts immediately | Keep original active; export aliases first |
| Banking/2FA first | Migrating critical accounts early | Start low-risk, then banking/2FA last |
Core:
- Alias - Forwarding address that hides your real inbox
- Catch-All - Forwards all mail sent to any address on your domain
- Reply Support - Ability to send from your alias
- Custom Domain - Use your own domain for aliases
Advanced:
- Directory/Subdomain - Create aliases on-the-fly via patterns (e.g.
anything@user.addy.io) - Rules Engine - Auto-actions based on sender, subject, content
- Webhook Support - Real-time HTTP callbacks to your apps
- Bandwidth Limiting - Cap data transfer per alias
Security:
- GPG/PGP - End-to-end encryption standard
- 2FA / WebAuthn - Multi-factor and hardware key login
- Zero-Knowledge - Provider cannot read your data
Emails not forwarding
- Check spam/junk folder and mark safe
- Send a direct test to the alias
- Custom domain: wait 24–48h for DNS propagation
- Check email client filters/rules
Can't reply from alias
- Confirm your plan includes reply support
- Configure SMTP settings per provider docs
- Verify Reply-To headers in provider dashboard
Slow or delayed delivery
| Scenario | Expected Time |
|---|---|
| Normal | 5–30 seconds |
| Peak hours | 2–5 minutes |
| International | Up to 10 minutes |
Check the provider's status page for active incidents.
Alias sending limits hit
- Addy.io: bandwidth resets monthly; upgrade plan or wait for reset
- SimpleLogin: no per-alias send limits on Premium; check fair-use policy
- Firefox Relay: email size capped at 10MB; attachment types may be blocked
Will recipients know it's an alias?
No. Recipients see the alias as the sender address. Your real email is never exposed unless you disclose it.
Can I reply from my alias?
Yes, on most paid plans. Free tier support varies:
- DuckDuckGo - reply supported on free
- SimpleLogin - reply supported on free (up to 10 aliases)
- Addy.io - reply requires paid plan
What if a provider shuts down?
⚠️ Real example: Skiff was acquired by Notion in 2024 and fully shut down, leaving users scrambling to migrate.
Mitigation:
- Keep your main inbox active
- Document all alias → service mappings
- Prefer providers with migration export tools
- Consider a custom domain so you can redirect aliases to a new provider
Are aliases safe for banking?
Yes - but migrate critical accounts last. Choose a stable, well-funded provider (e.g. SimpleLogin/Proton) for high-risk accounts.
How many aliases do I need?
Most people need 10–50. Start with categories: shopping, social, newsletters, work, disposable.
Does SimpleLogin Premium include Proton Pass?
Yes. As of November 2024, SimpleLogin Premium includes Proton Pass Plus features (password manager, vault sharing, dark web monitoring, 2FA authenticator) at no extra cost - and vice versa.
What's the difference between Addy.io Lite and Pro?
- Lite ($1/mo): 1 custom domain, 50 shared-domain aliases, 6 total usernames, GPG, API
- Pro ($3/mo annual): 20 custom domains, unlimited shared aliases, 21 usernames, analytics, webhooks, bulk ops
- Addy.io Help Center
- SimpleLogin Documentation
- Forward Email Documentation
- DuckDuckGo Email Help
- Firefox Relay Support
- StartMail Help Center
- Cloaked Help Center
- Privacy Guides - Email Aliasing - Independent analysis
- The New Oil - Email Aliasing - Practical education
- Proton - What is an Email Alias - Technical explanation
- The Ultimate Guide to Aliasing For Privacy & Security - Techlore
- ULTIMATE Email Privacy Guide (5 Ways to Use Aliases) - All Things Secured
- STOP Giving Your Real Email Address - All Things Secured
- Use an Email Alias! - Naomi Brockwell TV
Found outdated info or want to add a provider? Contributions keep this guide accurate.
Standards:
- Source from official docs, pricing pages, and privacy policies only
- Include links and verification dates in PRs/issues
- Neutral tone; accuracy first
Quick contributions welcome:
- Pricing/feature corrections (with source links)
- New provider suggestions (include free/paid plans, jurisdiction, security features)
For detailed guidelines: CONTRIBUTING.md
MIT License - see LICENSE
- Free to use, modify, and distribute with attribution
- No warranty; information provided as-is
Source: Email Aliasing Comparison Guide
Author: github.com/fynks/email-aliasing-comparison
License: MIT
Always verify current pricing, limits, and policies directly from official provider sites before making decisions. The authors are not affiliated with any email aliasing provider.
⚡ Made with ❤️ by fynks