Using your domain for both aliases and relay
Once you’ve verified a custom domain in Cleanbox, you can use it for two different purposes: creating alias addresses and setting up relay forwarding. On the same domain, some addresses can be aliases while others are relay addresses — giving you full flexibility over how each address receives mail.
Aliases on your domain
Aliases let you create addresses like info@yourdomain.com, shop@yourdomain.com, or any other address on your verified domain. When email arrives at an alias, Cleanbox scans it for spam and threats, then delivers clean messages to your connected mailbox via IMAP.
- Create as many alias addresses as your plan allows
- Each alias gets its own spam threshold, filters, and Shield settings
- Full filter actions are available — allow with folder routing, mark as read, and more
Relay on your domain
Relay works differently. Instead of delivering to a connected mailbox, Cleanbox forwards filtered email via SMTP to your own mail server. You point your domain’s MX records to Cleanbox, and Cleanbox acts as a security layer in front of your server.
- Useful when you already have a hosted mail server and want Cleanbox to filter inbound email before it reaches your server
- ClamAV virus scanning and DNSBL checks are available on relay addresses
- Relay requires the Advanced or Enterprise plan
Using both together
The real power comes from combining both on the same domain. Each address is configured independently, so you choose per address whether it’s an alias or a relay address.
Example: You run yourdomain.com on your own mail server. You set up info@yourdomain.com as a relay address so it’s forwarded to your server after filtering. At the same time, you create promo@yourdomain.com as an alias that delivers directly to your personal Gmail via IMAP. Both addresses live on the same domain, each handled exactly the way you need.
Key differences to remember
- Aliases deliver via IMAP to a connected mailbox
- Relay forwards via SMTP to your own mail server
- Aliases support full filter actions (folder routing, mark as read, etc.)
- Relay supports deny filters only — there’s no folder routing since there’s no IMAP connection
- ClamAV virus scanning and DNSBL checks are only available on relay addresses
Setting it up
1. Verify your domain
Go to Domains and add your domain. Follow the steps to configure your MX, TXT, and SPF records. Once verified, the domain is available for both aliases and relay.
2. Create alias addresses
Go to Aliases and click Create Alias. Select your verified domain, choose the address you want, and pick the connected mailbox where messages should be delivered.
3. Add relay addresses
Go to Relay and click Add Address. Select your verified domain, enter the address, and configure the SMTP destination where Cleanbox should forward filtered messages.
That’s it — your domain is now working double duty. Each address is managed separately, so you can always change how a specific address is handled without affecting the others.
