Best Email Alias Services Compared (2026)
Email aliasing has gone from niche privacy trick to mainstream feature. Apple, Google, Proton, and Mozilla all offer some form of email aliasing now. But the differences between services are significant — some offer basic forwarding, others give you a full email management platform, and a few focus on open-source transparency.
This comparison covers the seven most relevant alias services in 2026, evaluated on features, pricing, privacy, and what type of user each one actually serves.
Top picks at a glance
Short on time? Here are the three standout services depending on what you need:
| Pick | Service | Why | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best all-in-one | Cleanbox | Only service combining aliases with spam filtering, contact management, and per-alias protection | Free / $5/mo |
| Best for privacy | SimpleLogin | Open source, reply from alias, Proton ecosystem integration | Free / $4/mo |
| Best budget option | addy.io | Unlimited free aliases on shared domains, self-hostable, custom domains from $1/mo | Free / $1/mo |
Already using Apple or Google? Apple Hide My Email and Google Shielded Email are built into their ecosystems with no extra apps needed. Cloudflare Email Routing is free if you already manage DNS through Cloudflare.
Read on for the full breakdown of all seven services.
Full comparison
| Feature | Cleanbox | SimpleLogin | addy.io | Apple Hide My Email | Firefox Relay | Cloudflare Email Routing | Google Shielded Email |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free aliases | 3 | 10 | 20 (std) / unlimited (shared domain) | Unlimited* | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited** |
| Paid aliases | Up to unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited* | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A |
| Custom domains | Yes (Premium+) | Yes (Premium) | Yes (Lite+) | No | No | Yes (required) | No |
| Reply from alias | No (receive-only) | Yes | Yes | Yes (limited) | Yes | No | No |
| Spam filtering | Full (Rspamd + AI) | Basic | Basic | Via iCloud | No | No | Via Gmail |
| Contact management | Yes (20 categories, 5 states) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Filter rules | Yes (10 components, regex) | No | No | No | No | Basic routing | No |
| Shield (rate limit/schedule) | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| MX relay protection | Yes (Advanced+) | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Open source | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Starting price | Free / $5/mo | Free / $4/mo | Free / $1/mo | iCloud+ ($0.99/mo) | Free / $2/mo | Free | Free (Gmail) |
* Apple Hide My Email requires an iCloud+ subscription and only works within the Apple ecosystem.
** Google Shielded Email is rolling out gradually and may not be available to all Gmail users yet.
What to look for in an alias service
Not all alias services solve the same problem. Before comparing features, clarify what you actually need:
- Privacy only? You just want to hide your real address from websites and services. Any alias service works for this.
- Spam protection? You want aliases that also filter spam before forwarding. Only a few services do this — most forward everything, including junk.
- Custom domain? You want aliases on your own domain (you@yourdomain.com). Requires DNS configuration.
- Reply capability? You need to reply from the alias address so your real address stays hidden in the conversation.
- Business use? You need team access, multiple domains, or protection for existing business email addresses.
Cleanbox
Cleanbox is not just an alias service — it is a full email management platform. Aliases are one feature alongside spam filtering (Rspamd with Bayesian classification and AI content analysis), contact management with 20 automatic categories, advanced filter rules, Shield protection (rate limiting, delivery scheduling, sender approval), one-click newsletter unsubscription, cloud storage, and MX relay protection for business email.
Best for: Users who want aliases and comprehensive inbox management in one tool. Business users who need team collaboration, custom domains, and relay protection for existing email addresses.
Unique strength: Per-alias spam thresholds. You can set different sensitivity levels for different aliases — strict filtering on your shopping alias, relaxed on your work alias. No other service offers this.
Trade-off: Aliases are receive-only. You cannot reply from an alias address. If outbound sending through aliases is essential, SimpleLogin or addy.io are better choices for that specific need.
Pricing: Free (3 aliases, 50 emails/week), Personal $5/mo (10 aliases), Premium $15/mo (30 aliases, custom domains), Advanced $35/mo (100 aliases, relay), Enterprise $100/mo (unlimited).
SimpleLogin (by Proton)
Acquired by Proton in 2022, SimpleLogin is the most popular dedicated alias service. It is open source, privacy-focused, and integrates tightly with ProtonMail. The browser extension generates aliases on the fly during signups. Proton Pass (their password manager) includes SimpleLogin aliases built in.
Best for: Privacy-conscious users who want a straightforward alias service with reply support. Proton ecosystem users who want everything under one provider.
Unique strength: Reverse aliases. When you reply to a forwarded email, SimpleLogin rewrites the From address so the recipient sees your alias, not your real address. This works reliably across most email clients.
Trade-off: No spam filtering, no filter rules, no contact management. SimpleLogin forwards everything — spam included. You rely entirely on your email provider for junk filtering. For a deeper look at how Proton and alias services differ, see our Proton Mail vs email aliases comparison.
Pricing: Free (10 aliases), Premium $4/mo or $30/yr (unlimited aliases, custom domains, reply from alias).
addy.io (formerly AnonAddy)
Open source and self-hostable. addy.io offers the most flexible alias creation of any service: standard aliases, UUID aliases, catch-all on custom domains, and username-based addressing (anything@username.anonaddy.com). The free tier is generous with unlimited shared-domain aliases.
Best for: Technical users who want maximum alias flexibility. Privacy advocates who want to self-host. Budget-conscious users (cheapest paid plan at $1/mo).
Unique strength: Self-hosting option. If you do not trust any third party with your email, you can run addy.io on your own server. Also supports GPG/OpenPGP encryption of forwarded emails.
Trade-off: Minimal UI. No spam filtering beyond basic checks. No advanced features beyond aliasing. Self-hosting requires server administration skills.
Pricing: Free (unlimited shared-domain aliases, 10MB bandwidth), Lite $1/mo (custom domains), Pro $3/mo (more bandwidth, more features), paid yearly options available.
Apple Hide My Email
Built into iOS, macOS, and Safari. Generates random aliases automatically when you encounter a sign-up form. For Apple users, it is completely seamless — aliases are created and managed within system settings and Safari autofill. Apple also supports replying from aliases within Apple Mail. For a detailed comparison with dedicated services, see our Apple Hide My Email vs alias services article.
Best for: Apple-only users who want zero-effort alias generation integrated into their devices.
Unique strength: Native OS integration. No app to install, no browser extension needed. Aliases are suggested automatically during signups in Safari.
Trade-off: Apple ecosystem only. No custom domains. Minimal management — you can see your aliases in iCloud settings but there is no filtering, categorization, or advanced management. Cannot use aliases on non-Apple devices or browsers.
Pricing: Requires iCloud+ ($0.99/mo minimum) which includes other iCloud features.
Firefox Relay
Mozilla’s alias service, tightly integrated with Firefox. The browser extension generates aliases on the fly. The premium tier adds a phone number mask for additional privacy. Mozilla’s privacy reputation adds credibility.
Best for: Firefox users who want quick, low-effort browser-based aliases. Users who also want phone number masking.
Unique strength: Phone number masking on premium. Also, Mozilla’s nonprofit status means no advertising business model behind the service.
Trade-off: Only 5 free aliases (the most restrictive free tier). No custom domains on any plan. No spam filtering. Limited management beyond enable/disable.
Pricing: Free (5 aliases), Premium $1.99/mo (unlimited aliases, phone mask).
Cloudflare Email Routing
A free service from Cloudflare that forwards email from your custom domain to any destination address. Not marketed as a privacy alias service — it is primarily a DNS/email infrastructure tool — but it effectively provides unlimited free aliases on your own domain.
Best for: Technical users who already use Cloudflare for DNS and want free custom-domain email forwarding. Developers who need catch-all routing.
Unique strength: Completely free with unlimited aliases on your own domain. Cloudflare Workers integration lets you programmatically process incoming email. For a broader look at forwarding services, see our email forwarding comparison.
Trade-off: Requires your domain to use Cloudflare DNS. No spam filtering. No management dashboard for aliases — you configure routes in the Cloudflare dashboard. No reply-from-alias. No privacy features beyond address hiding.
Pricing: Free.
Google Shielded Email
Google’s upcoming alias feature, currently rolling out to Gmail and Android users. Generates single-use or limited-use email addresses that forward to your Gmail inbox. Designed to reduce spam from one-time signups.
Best for: Gmail and Android users who want built-in alias generation without installing anything.
Unique strength: Native integration with Gmail and Android autofill, similar to Apple’s approach but for the Google ecosystem.
Trade-off: Still in early rollout — not available to all users. No custom domains. Management options are minimal. Google’s advertising business model means your email data is still used for ad targeting, even through aliases. See our analysis of Google Shielded Email for more detail.
Pricing: Free for Gmail users (when available).
Feature comparison by use case
| Your priority | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full inbox management + aliases + spam protection | Cleanbox | Only service combining aliases with filtering, contacts, and shield |
| Privacy-first aliasing with reply support | SimpleLogin | Open source, Proton ecosystem, reliable reverse aliases |
| Maximum flexibility + self-hosting | addy.io | Most alias types, self-host option, GPG encryption |
| Zero effort, Apple ecosystem | Apple Hide My Email | Native OS integration, no setup required |
| Zero effort, Google ecosystem | Google Shielded Email | Built into Gmail/Android (when available) |
| Free custom domain forwarding | Cloudflare Email Routing | Unlimited aliases on your domain, completely free |
| Aliases + phone masking | Firefox Relay | Only service that also masks phone numbers |
| Business/team use with domains and relay | Cleanbox | Team workspaces, MX relay, per-alias settings |
Pricing comparison
| Service | Free tier | Cheapest paid | Custom domains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanbox | 3 aliases, 50/week | $5/mo (Personal) | From $15/mo |
| SimpleLogin | 10 aliases | $4/mo or $30/yr | Included in paid |
| addy.io | Unlimited (shared domain) | $1/mo (Lite) | From $1/mo |
| Apple Hide My Email | None (requires iCloud+) | $0.99/mo (iCloud+) | Not available |
| Firefox Relay | 5 aliases | $1.99/mo | Not available |
| Cloudflare Email Routing | Unlimited (own domain) | Free | Required (free) |
| Google Shielded Email | Unlimited (Gmail) | Free | Not available |
The honest take
If you just want to hide your email address from websites, almost any service on this list works. Apple and Google are building it into their ecosystems, SimpleLogin and addy.io are solid standalone options, and Cloudflare gives you free custom-domain forwarding.
The differences show up when you need more than forwarding. If spam is a real problem, most alias services will not help — they forward everything, including junk. If you want to control who can email your aliases, when emails are delivered, and how contacts are categorized, that is where a full email management platform differs from a forwarding service.
If outbound reply from aliases matters to you, SimpleLogin or addy.io are the clear choices. If inbox management, spam filtering, and per-alias protection matter more, Cleanbox covers those.
There is no single best service — just the one that matches what you actually need. Many users combine two: a platform-native option (Apple or Google) for casual signups and a dedicated service for anything they want to manage actively.
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