Email Aliasing Comparison
Compare 10+ email alias services by features, pricing, security, and privacy
Quick Start • Comparisons • Privacy & Security • Best Practices • FAQ
Table of Contents
Click to expand full table of contents
Getting Started
- What is Email Aliasing?
- Key Benefits
- How it Works
- Types of Email Aliasing
- Provider Selector
- Top 3 Recommendations
Provider Comparisons
Privacy & Security
Best Practices
Reference & Help
What is Email Aliasing?
Email aliasing lets you create alternate addresses that forward to your real inbox, so you can use unique addresses without exposing your primary email.
Example:
- Real inbox:
john.doe@gmail.com - Aliases:
shopping@provider.com,news@provider.com - Both forward to Gmail (many services also support replying from the alias)
Key Benefits
- Privacy: Hide your real email to reduce breach exposure
- Spam control: Disable compromised aliases instantly
- Organization: Sort by alias/source
- Tracking: Identify who leaked or sold your data
- Security: Use unique addresses per service
How Email Aliasing Works
Think of it like a P.O. Box for your email: you hand out a forwarding address instead of your real one.
Types of Email Aliasing
Built‑in aliases:
- Gmail "+" addressing (
yourname+tag@gmail.com) - Outlook additional addresses/aliases
- Pros: Free and instant
- Cons: Limited management, easier to guess/strip
Dedicated services:
- Full alias lifecycle management, custom domains, reply support, encryption, rules, APIs, dashboards
Provider Selector
Choose the best provider based on your needs:
| Your Need | Best Choice | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just starting | DuckDuckGo Email Protection | Free | Zero setup, great tracker removal |
| Budget conscious | Addy.io Lite | $1/mo | Strong feature/price ratio |
| Maximum privacy | SimpleLogin (by Proton) | $4/mo | Swiss jurisdiction, strong security, apps |
| Apple ecosystem | Hide My Email (iCloud+) | from $0.99/mo | System-level integration, easy replies |
| Developers/self-hosting | Forward Email | from $3/mo | Open-source, own domain, flexible |
NOTE
Prices shown are starting paid tiers. Many providers offer free plans. iCloud+ pricing varies by storage tier and region.
Top 3 Recommendations
| Best for Beginners | Best Value | Most Secure |
|---|---|---|
| DuckDuckGo Email Price: Free Aliases: Unlimited @duck.comSetup: Zero config Pros: - Easy onboarding - Tracker removal - Reply support Cons: - @duck.com only | Addy.io Price: $1/mo (Lite) Aliases: Unlimited Domains: 1 custom Pros: - GPG/OpenPGP, API - Rules, webhooks - Reply support Cons: - Solo developer | SimpleLogin Price: $4/mo Aliases: Unlimited Jurisdiction: Switzerland Pros: - PGP, WebAuthn - Proton integration - Mature apps Cons: - Higher cost |
Provider Comparisons
Quick Reference Table
| Provider | Jurisdiction | Free Tier | Starting Price | Reply Support | Open Source | Encryption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io | Netherlands | ✅ | $1/mo | Paid plans | Partial | TLS |
| SimpleLogin | Switzerland | ✅ (10 aliases) | $4/mo | ✅ | ✅ | TLS |
| Forward Email | USA | ✅ (own domain) | $3/mo | ✅ | ✅ | TLS |
| DuckDuckGo Email | USA | ✅ (unlimited) | Free only | ✅ | Partial | TLS |
| Firefox Relay | USA | ✅ (5 aliases) | $0.99-$1.99/mo | Premium | Partial | TLS |
| AdGuard Mail | Cyprus | ✅ (limited) | $2.99/mo | Premium | Partial | TLS |
| 33Mail | UK | ✅ | $1/mo | Premium | ❌ | TLS |
| IronVest | USA | ❌ | $39/yr | ✅ | ❌ | TLS |
| Erine.email | France | ✅ | Free | ✅ | ✅ | TLS |
| Apple Hide My Email | USA | Requires iCloud+ | from $0.99/mo | ✅ | ❌ | TLS |
Free Plans Detailed Comparison
| Provider | Free Aliases | Reply Support | Custom Domains | Monthly Limits | Standout Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io | Unlimited standard + limited shared domain | ❌ | ❌ | ~10 MB bandwidth | GPG/OpenPGP, API (paid) | Power users trial |
| SimpleLogin | 10 | ✅ | ❌ | Fair use | PGP, mobile apps, browser extensions | Beginners |
| DuckDuckGo | Unlimited @duck.com | ✅ | ❌ | Fair use | Tracker removal, autofill | Quick start |
| Firefox Relay | 5 | ❌ | ❌ | Fair use | Tracker removal, Firefox integration | Mozilla users |
| AdGuard Mail | ~10 | ❌ | ❌ | ~2,000 emails | Temporary aliases, ecosystem | Light usage |
| 33Mail | Unlimited | ❌ | ❌ | ~10 MB | Simple and reliable | Basic forwarding |
| Erine.email | Unlimited | ✅ | ❌ | Fair use | Open-source, EU-hosted | Privacy advocates |
| Forward Email | Unlimited* | ✅ | ✅ (own domain) | Provider SMTP limits | Open-source, self-host option | Developers |
| Apple Hide My Email | N/A (iCloud+ required) | ✅ | Separate feature | Apple policy | Seamless Apple integration | Apple users |
NOTE
*Own domain required for Forward Email free tier.
Paid Plans Detailed Comparison
| Provider & Plan | Price | Aliases | Reply | Domains | Key Features | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io Lite | $1/mo | Unlimited + 50 shared | ✅ | 1 | GPG/PGP, API, basic rules | Individual |
| Addy.io Pro | $3/mo (yr) / $4/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | 20 | Analytics, rules, bulk ops, webhooks | Power users |
| SimpleLogin Premium | $4/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | Unlimited | PGP, Proton integration, directory patterns | Individuals/Teams |
| AdGuard Mail Premium | $2.99/mo | ~1,000 | ✅ | 1 | Anonymous replies, premium domains | Corporate/Power users |
| 33Mail Premium | $1/mo | Unlimited | ✅ (20/day) | 5 | Simple interface, longevity | Small business |
| 33Mail Pro | $5/mo | Unlimited | ✅ (up to 1000/day) | Unlimited | Higher volume | Business |
| IronVest Premium | $39/yr | ~50 | ✅ | ❌ | Virtual cards, phone masking | All‑in‑one privacy |
| Forward Email Enhanced | $3/mo | Unlimited | ✅ | Unlimited | 100% open‑source stack, webhooks | Developers |
| Apple iCloud+ 50GB | from $0.99/mo | Up to 1,000 | ✅ | ✅ (iCloud Mail custom domains) | System‑level integration | Apple users |
NOTE
- Regional pricing varies.
- “Unlimited” often means “no fixed hard cap” but subject to fair use/abuse limits.
Addy.io vs SimpleLogin
| Criteria | Addy.io | SimpleLogin | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for Beginners | Moderate setup complexity | Simple setup and interface | SimpleLogin |
| Best for Power Users | Advanced features, better value | Core features focus | Addy.io |
| Best Value | $1/mo for most features | $4/mo for all features | Addy.io |
| Most Reliable | Single developer dependency | Enterprise infrastructure | SimpleLogin |
| Best Privacy | Netherlands jurisdiction, GPG | Switzerland jurisdiction, PGP | Tie |
Detailed Feature & Company Analysis (click to expand)
Company Structure Analysis
Addy.io: The Independent Pioneer
- Strengths: Quick updates, direct communication, lower costs, innovation
- Concerns: Single point of failure, limited capacity, no succession plan
SimpleLogin: The Enterprise Solution
- Strengths: Team redundancy, 24/7 support, financial stability, professional operations
- Concerns: Corporate bureaucracy, higher costs, less experimental
Core Features Comparison
| Feature | Addy.io | SimpleLogin |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk Operations | CSV import/export | Basic bulk |
| Search & Filter | Advanced | Basic |
| Bounce Handling | Detailed logs | Basic |
| Spam Detection | SpamAssassin | Basic |
Advanced Features Comparison
| Feature | Addy.io | SimpleLogin |
|---|---|---|
| Conditional Rules | Advanced regex | Basic patterns |
| Auto-Enable/Disable | Smart rules | Manual only |
| Usage Analytics | Detailed charts | Basic counts |
| Bandwidth Tracking | Per-alias | Not available |
| Alert System | Configurable | Basic notifications |
Security Comparison
| Feature | Addy.io | SimpleLogin |
|---|---|---|
| 2FA Support | TOTP only | TOTP + WebAuthn |
| Password Security | bcrypt | Argon2 |
| Session Management | Standard | Advanced |
| Security Audits | 2023 (Securitum) | Regular audits |
Privacy and Security Analysis
Data Collection and Retention
IMPORTANT
Always prefer the provider’s current privacy policy; retention practices can change.
| Provider | Email Content Storage | IP Logging | Analytics | Account Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addy.io | Doesn’t persist delivered content; undelivered may queue | Short‑term for abuse/fraud | Self‑hosted analytics | Email; optional recipients (encrypted at rest) |
| SimpleLogin | Stores only what’s needed for delivery/queue; logs limited | Short‑term for abuse/fraud | Plausible (privacy‑focused) | Email, billing via processor |
| Forward Email | Delivery/queue only; self‑host options | Configurable/self‑host | None by default | Minimal (domain configs, DNS) |
| DuckDuckGo Email | Strips trackers; minimal logs | Minimization approach | Anonymous/aggregate | Email address only |
| Firefox Relay | Delivery only; Mozilla policies apply | Mozilla policies | Mozilla telemetry (privacy‑respecting) | Mozilla account data |
| AdGuard Mail | Delivery only | Anti‑abuse logs | Internal | Email and account |
| 33Mail | Delivery only | Standard logs | Unknown | Basic account |
| IronVest | Delivery only | Standard logs | Basic | Account & payment |
| Apple Hide My Email | Delivery only | Apple policy | Apple analytics | iCloud account data |
TIP
For true content secrecy, use end‑to‑end encryption (PGP/GPG) with contacts. Aliasing alone does not hide content from providers.
Cancellation / Downgrade Behavior
Understanding what happens when you downgrade helps you avoid vendor lock-in.
| Provider | Keeps Working | Disabled | Deleted | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | Existing aliases/domains; receive/reply within free limits | Creating new aliases beyond free | Nothing permanent | Minimal |
| Forward Email | Existing forwarding | Premium SMTP/API, priority support | Some premium configs | Low |
| AdGuard Mail | Free features, base alias quota | Premium domains/features | Premium‑only aliases | Low |
| 33Mail | Basic forwarding | Custom domains, higher reply limits | Custom domain configs | Moderate |
| Firefox Relay | First 5 aliases | Extra aliases, custom domains (if offered) | Aliases beyond free limit | Moderate |
| Addy.io | Standard aliases; 1 recipient; basic forwarding | Multiple recipients, usernames, custom/shared domains, reply | Extra recipients, premium domain aliases | Moderate |
TIP
Best practice: Export alias → service mappings before you upgrade and before any downgrade.
Legal and Compliance
Jurisdiction can affect data access rules, retention, and government requests.
| Provider | Jurisdiction | GDPR | Retention | Govt Requests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | Switzerland (Proton) | ✅ | Minimal; logs time-limited | Requires Swiss/EU legal process |
| Addy.io | Netherlands (EU) | ✅ | Minimal; deletion upon request | EU legal process |
| Erine.email | France (EU) | ✅ | Minimal collection | EU legal process |
| AdGuard Mail | Cyprus (EU) | ✅ | Standard EU retention | EU legal process |
| 33Mail | United Kingdom | ✅ (UK GDPR) | Standard | UK legal process |
| Forward Email | United States | ✅ (as applicable) | Configurable/self-host | US law; self-host option |
| DuckDuckGo | United States | ✅ (as applicable) | Minimal collection | US law; transparency statements |
| Firefox Relay | United States | ✅ (as applicable) | Mozilla policies | US law; transparency reports |
| Apple Hide My Email | United States | ✅ (as applicable) | Apple policies | US law; well-documented process |
TIP
Practical Picks by Privacy Level:
- Maximum privacy: Switzerland (SimpleLogin/Proton)
- Strong privacy + features: EU providers (Addy.io, Erine.email)
- Acceptable with trade-offs: US providers (DuckDuckGo, Forward Email, Apple)
Best Practices
Alias Naming Conventions
Recommended Formats
| Format | Example | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
service-purpose@ | amazon-shopping@provider.com | Service-specific aliases |
category-date@ | newsletter-2025@provider.com | Time-based organization |
trustlevel-service@ | trusted-banking@provider.com | Security-based sorting |
Avoid These Patterns
- Random strings:
abc123xyz@provider.com(hard to track) - Generic names:
general@provider.com(defeats the purpose) - Same alias everywhere: (no breach isolation)
Organization Strategies
View organization strategies (click to expand)
By Category
shopping@provider.com- All e-commercesocial@provider.com- Social media platformswork@provider.com- Professional accountsnewsletter@provider.com- Subscriptions
By Trust Level
trusted@provider.com- Banking, important servicestesting@provider.com- New services you're tryingdisposable@provider.com- One-time signups
By Time Period
monthly-2025-01@provider.com- Rotate monthlyyearly-2025@provider.com- Annual rotation
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Wrong Approach | Right Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Random/reused aliases | abc123xyz@provider.com or general@provider.com | amazon-shopping@provider.com (unique per service) |
| Not testing replies | Assuming replies will work | Always send a test from your alias before important use |
| Skipping password manager | Not tracking which alias goes where | Store alias + service mapping to avoid lockouts |
| No backup plan | Immediately switching all accounts | Keep original email active during transition; export aliases |
| Rushing critical accounts | Migrating banking/2FA accounts first | Start with low-risk accounts, then move to banking/work/2FA |
Reference and Support
Feature Glossary
Core Concepts:
- Alias: An email address that forwards to your real inbox
- Catch-All: Automatically forwards ALL emails to a domain
- Reply Support: Ability to send emails FROM your alias
- Custom Domain: Using your own domain for aliases
Advanced Features:
- Directory/Subdomain: Create aliases on-the-fly using patterns
- Rules Engine: Automatic actions based on email content
- Bandwidth Limiting: Restrict data transfer per alias
- Webhook Support: Real-time notifications to your applications
Security Terms:
- GPG/PGP: End-to-end encryption standards
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Extra login security
- Zero-Knowledge: Provider can't read your data
Troubleshooting Guide
Emails not forwarding
- Check spam/junk folder
- Send a direct test to the alias
- If using custom domain: wait 24-48h for DNS propagation
- Check your email client filters/rules
Can't reply from alias
- Confirm your plan supports replies
- Configure SMTP/app settings from provider docs
- Verify Reply-To settings in provider dashboard
Slow delivery
Expected delivery times:
- Normal: 5-30 seconds
- Peak hours: up to 2-5 minutes
- International: up to 10 minutes
Action: Check provider status page for incidents
Frequently Asked Questions
Will recipients know it's an alias?
No. Recipients see the alias as the sender unless you disclose it.
Can I reply from my alias?
Most paid services support replies. Free tier support varies (DuckDuckGo and SimpleLogin free both support replies).
What if the provider shuts down?
Keep your main email active, document alias mappings, and maintain a migration plan. Consider having a backup provider for critical aliases.
Are aliases safe for banking?
Yes, but migrate critical accounts last and choose a reliable provider with good support and strong security track record.
How many aliases do I need?
Typically 10-50 aliases. Start with categories: shopping, social, newsletters, work, and disposable.
Additional Resources
Official Documentation
- Addy.io Help Center
- SimpleLogin Documentation
- ForwardMail Documentation
- DuckDuckGo Email Help
- Firefox Relay Support
Privacy and Security Guides
- Privacy Guides - Email Aliasing - Independent privacy analysis
- The New Oil - Email Aliasing Guide - Practical privacy education
- Proton - What is Email Alias - Technical explanation from Proton
Video Tutorials:
- The Ultimate Guide to Aliasing For Privacy & Security by Techlore
- ULTIMATE Email Privacy Guide (5 Ways to Use Aliases) by All Things Secured
- STOP Giving Your Real Email Address (do this instead) by All Things Secured
- Use an Email Alias! by Naomi Brockwell TV
Community Forums:
- r/privacy - General privacy discussions
- r/emailprivacy - Email privacy topics
- r/simpleLogin - SimpleLogin subreddit
- r/addy_io - Addy.io subreddit
Contributing
Found an error or outdated info? Contributions keep this guide accurate.
Verification Standards:
- Use official docs/pricing pages/privacy policies
- Include links and verification dates in PRs/issues
Quick Contributions:
- Pricing/feature updates (with links/screenshots)
- New provider suggestions (include free/paid plans, security features, jurisdiction)
Quality Standards:
- Accuracy first with neutral tone
- Include dates for pricing/feature claims
- Keep tables and sections consistent
For detailed guidelines see: CONTRIBUTING.md
License
MIT License - see LICENSE
What this means:
- Free to use for personal or commercial purposes
- Modify and distribute with attribution
- No warranty; information provided as-is
Attribution for substantial reuse:
Source: Email Aliasing Comparison Guide
Author: github.com/fynks/email-aliasing-comparison
License: MITDisclaimer
Always verify current pricing, limits, and policies from official provider sites before making decisions. The authors are not affiliated with any email aliasing providers.
⚡ Made with ❤️ by fynks