Cleanbox vs SimpleLogin: Which Email Alias Service Is Right for You?
Cleanbox and SimpleLogin are both email alias services, but they approach the problem differently. SimpleLogin focuses on privacy-first aliasing with open-source transparency. Cleanbox combines aliasing with spam filtering, contact intelligence, and inbox protection.
This is an honest comparison. We will tell you where SimpleLogin is the better choice.
Quick comparison
| Cleanbox | SimpleLogin | |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Alias + inbox protection | Privacy-first aliasing |
| Owned by | Independent | Proton AG (since 2022) |
| Open source | No | Yes (all components) |
| Reply from alias | No (receive-only) | Yes (full send + receive) |
| PGP encryption | No | Yes (premium) |
| Spam filtering | Yes (Rspamd + Bayes + crowd-sourced) | No |
| Contact management | Yes (states, categories, unsubscribe) | No |
| Shield (rate limit/schedule) | Yes | No |
| Relay (MX gateway) | Yes | No |
| Custom domains | Premium+ (from $15/mo) | Premium ($30/yr) |
| Free tier | 3 aliases, 50 emails/week | 10 aliases, unlimited emails |
| Browser extension | No | Yes (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) |
Where SimpleLogin wins
Reply from aliases
SimpleLogin lets you send email from your aliases. When someone emails your alias, you can reply and the response appears to come from the alias — your real address stays hidden in both directions. Cleanbox aliases are receive-only. If you need two-way anonymous communication, SimpleLogin is the better choice.
PGP encryption
SimpleLogin can encrypt forwarded emails with your PGP public key before delivery. This means even if you use Gmail, your forwarded emails are encrypted in your inbox — only you can decrypt them. Cleanbox does not offer PGP encryption.
Open source
Every component of SimpleLogin is open source and auditable. If transparency and code verification matter to you (and they should), this is a significant advantage. You can even self-host SimpleLogin on your own server.
Browser extension
SimpleLogin's browser extension lets you create aliases instantly on any website. Click the extension, generate an alias, and paste it into the signup form. Cleanbox does not have a browser extension — you create aliases from the dashboard.
Free tier generosity
SimpleLogin's free plan gives you 10 aliases with no email volume limit. Cleanbox's free plan gives 3 aliases with a 50 emails/week cap. For pure alias usage on a budget, SimpleLogin is more generous.
Where Cleanbox wins
Spam filtering
This is the biggest difference. SimpleLogin forwards everything — spam included. It creates aliases, not filters. Cleanbox processes every email through Rspamd with Bayesian classification, authentication checks (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), URL analysis, and crowd-sourced sender reputation. Spam is caught before it reaches your inbox.
If you use SimpleLogin, you rely entirely on your email provider's spam filter (Gmail, Outlook, etc.). If you use Cleanbox, you get an additional layer of spam detection that learns from all Cleanbox users.
Contact intelligence
Cleanbox automatically categorizes every sender into one of 20 domain-based categories (Shopping, Social Networks, Finance, etc.) and lets you set contact states: whitelist trusted senders, block spammers, mute noisy contacts, or prioritize important ones. These states affect how future emails are processed. SimpleLogin has no contact management.
Shield protection
Cleanbox's Shield lets you rate-limit contacts (max 5 emails/day from a specific sender), schedule delivery windows (email only during business hours), and enable Gatekeeper mode (only approved senders can reach an alias). SimpleLogin has no equivalent feature.
Relay (MX gateway)
For businesses that already have email addresses on their domain, Cleanbox Relay filters email before forwarding it to your mail server — no new addresses needed. This includes ClamAV virus scanning, IP blacklist checking, and per-address spam thresholds. SimpleLogin does not offer MX gateway functionality.
One-click unsubscribe
Cleanbox detects newsletter subscriptions via List-Unsubscribe headers and lets you unsubscribe with one toggle. SimpleLogin does not manage subscriptions.
When to choose SimpleLogin
- You need to send and reply from aliases, not just receive
- You want PGP encryption on forwarded emails
- You value open source and code transparency
- You are already in the Proton ecosystem (ProtonMail, ProtonVPN, Proton Pass)
- You want a browser extension for instant alias creation
- Your primary concern is privacy, not spam management
When to choose Cleanbox
- You receive significant spam and want it filtered before delivery
- You want to manage contacts — categorize, block, whitelist, mute, prioritize
- You need Shield features — rate limiting, delivery scheduling, sender approval
- You run a business and need Relay to protect existing email addresses
- You want one-click unsubscribe from newsletters
- You want all-in-one inbox protection, not just aliasing
Can you use both?
Yes. Some users use SimpleLogin for two-way alias communication (forums, dating, Craigslist) and Cleanbox for inbox-level protection (spam filtering, contact management, Shield). The two services are complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
The real question is not which service is "better" — it is what problem you are trying to solve. If the answer is "hide my email," SimpleLogin is excellent. If the answer is "protect and organize my inbox," Cleanbox does more.
