Brave shipped 1.94 this month and added email aliases to the desktop browser, which puts them in the same crowded lane as SimpleLogin, Firefox Relay, DuckDuckGo Email Protection and a handful of others. The idea is simple and it works: instead of handing your real address to a random site, you generate a throwaway that forwards mail to your inbox and can be shut off the moment it starts leaking. On desktop, the difference between the top picks is where the alias sits (browser extension, standalone app, keychain integration) and how well the free tier holds up before you have to pay.
We tested seven email alias apps and extensions on Windows, macOS and Linux against a week of real signups. Below are the picks that survived.
What to look for in an email alias app on desktop
- Browser extension quality. The alias should appear in the site’s email field with one click.
- Custom domain support. Free is fine for casual use; a custom domain matters for professional signups.
- Reply-through. Some aliases only forward inbound mail. Better ones let you reply from the alias so the site never sees your real address.
- Auto-generated on the fly. The best flows create a new alias per site without you naming it.
- Deactivation without a full account tear-down. Turn one alias off, keep the rest live.
- Cross-device parity. The extension on the laptop should show the same aliases as the phone.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | Overall alias workflow | 10 aliases | $2.99/mo Premium | 4.8/5 |
| Firefox Relay | Firefox users | 5 masks | $0.99/mo Premium | 4.5/5 |
| Addy.io | Open source with custom domains | 10 aliases | $1/mo Lite | 4.7/5 |
| DuckDuckGo Email Protection | Zero-friction free tier | Unlimited (free) | Free | 4.6/5 |
| Apple Hide My Email | Apple ecosystem users | 1000+ aliases | Included in iCloud+ | 4.7/5 |
| Fastmail Masked Email | Fastmail subscribers | Bundled | Included in Fastmail | 4.7/5 |
| Brave Email Aliases | Brave browser users | Beta | Free | 4.4/5 |
The apps
1. SimpleLogin – Best overall
SimpleLogin is the reference email alias service on desktop. The browser extension works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Vivaldi, Brave and Safari, generates aliases on the spot, and supports reply-from-alias out of the box. Proton acquired SimpleLogin in 2022; the product is still open source and self-hostable.
Where it falls short: The free tier caps at 10 aliases, which fills up faster than most people expect.
Pricing:
- Free: 10 aliases, unlimited bandwidth.
- Premium around $2.99/month (or bundled with Proton Unlimited).
Platforms: Browser extension on Windows, macOS, Linux; web app anywhere.
Bottom line: Start here. SimpleLogin has the best extension of the seven.
2. Firefox Relay – Best for Firefox users
Firefox Relay is built by Mozilla and integrates deeply with Firefox on desktop. The extension shows an alias generator inline on any signup form, and Premium adds phone masks in the US. Aliases forward to your Firefox Account email, which most Firefox users already have set up.
Where it falls short: Free tier caps at five masks. Premium is required for reply-from-alias and custom domain support.
Pricing:
- Free: 5 masks.
- Premium around $0.99/month or $9.99/year.
Platforms: Browser extension anywhere Firefox runs; also works in Chromium browsers.
Download: Website
Bottom line: Best free tier for casual use if you already use Firefox.
3. Addy.io – Best open source with custom domains
Addy.io (formerly AnonAddy) is fully open source and lets you point a custom domain at the service, generating unlimited aliases on that domain. The desktop extension is available for major browsers, and the CLI plays nicely with password managers.
Where it falls short: Requires slightly more setup than SimpleLogin for the custom domain flow.
Pricing:
- Free: 10 aliases.
- Lite around $1/month.
- Pro around $3/month.
Platforms: Browser extension on Windows, macOS, Linux; self-host option.
Bottom line: Pick Addy.io for the most flexible custom domain support.
4. DuckDuckGo Email Protection – Best free tier
DuckDuckGo Email Protection gives you a [email protected] address that generates unlimited private @duck.com aliases on the fly. The desktop extension autofills a new alias into any email field, and mail forwards to your real inbox after tracking pixels are stripped.
Where it falls short: All aliases share the duck.com root. No custom domain.
Pricing:
- Free, forever, with no cap.
Platforms: Browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave; desktop app on macOS.
Download: Website
Bottom line: The right pick if you want a free tier that never runs out.
5. Apple Hide My Email – Best for the Apple ecosystem
Apple Hide My Email is bundled with any iCloud+ subscription (as low as $0.99/month) and integrates natively into Safari on macOS. Aliases show up in the Apple keychain and sync to every signed-in device. Reply-from-alias works via the iCloud web mail interface too.
Where it falls short: Safari-only on macOS unless you use the iCloud web app. No native Windows or Linux integration.
Pricing:
- Included in iCloud+ from around $0.99/month.
Platforms: Safari on macOS, iCloud.com anywhere.
Download: Website
Bottom line: Free-ish for anyone already paying for iCloud.
6. Fastmail Masked Email – Best for Fastmail subscribers
Fastmail Masked Email ships as part of any paid Fastmail subscription and works through the 1Password integration. Sign up for a site from the 1Password sidebar, and a new alias is generated and stored alongside the password. Aliases route through Fastmail, so filtering and spam handling are the same as your main inbox.
Where it falls short: Requires a Fastmail account (from around $3/month) and a 1Password subscription for the full workflow.
Pricing:
- Included in Fastmail Standard or higher.
Platforms: Browser extension via 1Password; web on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Website
Bottom line: Best pick if you already pay for Fastmail and 1Password.
7. Brave Email Aliases – Best for Brave users
Brave Email Aliases landed in Brave 1.94 on desktop. The feature runs inside the browser itself, so there is no extension to install and no account to create beyond a Brave account for sync. Aliases forward to the email address you register with Brave.
Where it falls short: Beta. Fewer power features than SimpleLogin or Addy.io. Only inside the Brave browser.
Pricing:
- Free with Brave.
Platforms: Brave browser on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: Website
Bottom line: Best if you already use Brave and want zero setup.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the simplest option: DuckDuckGo Email Protection.
- If you want the best extension: SimpleLogin.
- If you use Firefox: Firefox Relay.
- If you want open source plus a custom domain: Addy.io.
- If you live in the Apple ecosystem: Apple Hide My Email.
- If you already pay for Fastmail: Fastmail Masked Email.
- If your browser is Brave: Brave Email Aliases.
- If you tried Gmail’s plus-addressing and got tired of sites rejecting the address: any pick above works. Plus-addressing is not real alias infrastructure.
FAQ
What is the best free email alias service on desktop?
DuckDuckGo Email Protection. It gives unlimited @duck.com aliases with no cap.
Do email aliases stop spam?
They stop cross-site tracking and let you shut down individual sources. Once one alias starts getting spam, deactivate it — your inbox stays clean and the rest of the aliases keep working.
Can I reply from an alias?
Yes on SimpleLogin, Addy.io Pro, DuckDuckGo, Apple Hide My Email and Fastmail Masked Email. Firefox Relay requires Premium. Brave’s beta forwards inbound only right now.
Do custom domains work?
Yes on SimpleLogin Premium, Addy.io Lite and above, and Fastmail. Firefox Relay Premium supports one custom domain per account.
Which alias service is fully open source?
SimpleLogin and Addy.io. Both are self-hostable and both have public GitHub repos.
