Contact categories explained
Cleanbox automatically assigns one of 20 categories to each contact based on their sending domain. This happens the first time a sender emails you — no manual tagging required. Categories help you understand your inbox composition and can be used as conditions in filter rules.
How categorization works
Cleanbox maintains a curated database that maps domains to categories. When an email arrives from newsletter@linkedin.com, Cleanbox looks up linkedin.com and assigns the category Social Networks. The mapping is based on the registered domain, not the full sender address.
If a domain is not in the database, the contact is left uncategorized. You can manually assign a category on the contact detail page.
All 20 categories
| Category | What it includes | Example senders |
|---|---|---|
| Social Networks | Social media platforms, professional networks, dating apps | Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, Tinder |
| Shopping | Online stores, marketplaces, e-commerce platforms | Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Shopify stores, AliExpress, Zalando |
| Entertainment | Streaming services, media platforms, content providers | Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV+, Twitch |
| Finance | Banks, payment processors, crypto exchanges, insurance | PayPal, Stripe, Wise, Revolut, Coinbase, your bank |
| Travel | Airlines, hotels, booking platforms, car rental | Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, KLM, Uber, Lyft |
| Education | Schools, universities, online learning, course platforms | Coursera, Udemy, Duolingo, Khan Academy, university emails |
| Adult | Adult content platforms and services | Age-restricted content providers |
| Food Delivery | Food ordering and delivery services | Uber Eats, DoorDash, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Grubhub |
| Logistic Services | Shipping carriers, package tracking, postal services | FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, PostNL, Royal Mail |
| Business Services | B2B tools, SaaS platforms, professional services | Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, HubSpot, Notion, Jira |
| News & Magazines | News outlets, media publications, journalism | CNN, BBC, NYT, The Guardian, Reuters, Substack newsletters |
| Fun & Activities | Amusement, leisure activities, recreational services | Theme parks, escape rooms, activity booking platforms |
| Gaming & Gambling | Video games, gaming platforms, online casinos, betting | Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation, Xbox, Blizzard |
| Home & Supplies | Home improvement, furniture, household supplies | IKEA, Home Depot, Wayfair, hardware stores |
| Internet & Communication | ISPs, telecom providers, messaging platforms, hosting | Cloudflare, Google, Microsoft, WhatsApp, ISP providers |
| Discounts & Promotions | Deal sites, coupon platforms, promotional aggregators | Groupon, RetailMeNot, Honey, cashback services |
| Restaurants & Dining | Restaurants, reservation platforms, food chains | OpenTable, Yelp, McDonald's, Starbucks, local restaurants |
| Events & Tickets | Event ticketing, concerts, conferences, meetups | Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, Meetup, StubHub |
| Productivity & Tools | Productivity apps, developer tools, utilities | GitHub, Trello, Asana, Figma, 1Password, Todoist |
| Hobbies & Interests | Hobby communities, special interest platforms, crafts | Reddit, Pinterest, Strava, Goodreads, hobby-specific sites |
Using categories in filters
Categories are a powerful filter component. Common examples:
- Move all Shopping to a folder — Category is "Shopping" → Allow, deliver to "Receipts"
- Deny all Gambling emails — Category is "Gaming & Gambling" → Deny
- Flag Finance emails — Category is "Finance" → Allow, mark as flagged
- Auto-read social notifications — Category is "Social Networks" → Allow, mark as read
Category on the dashboard
Your dashboard shows a "Top categories" widget with the percentage breakdown of your contacts by category. This helps you understand what types of senders dominate your inbox.
Manual category assignment
If a contact is uncategorized (their domain is not in Cleanbox's database) or you disagree with the automatic assignment:
- Go to Contacts
- Click the contact
- Select a category from the dropdown
Manual assignments override the automatic mapping for that specific contact.
