Brave 1.94 shipped built-in email aliases to desktop in August 2026, joining a category that’s quietly become one of the best privacy wins available. An email alias hands out a throwaway address ([email protected] or [email protected]) to every site that asks, forwards to your real inbox, and lets you kill any alias the moment it starts leaking spam. When a data breach hits — and one always hits — only the alias tied to that service ends up in the dump.
We tested seven email aliasing tools that work from the desktop, either through a browser extension, a native app, or a system integration. Six are standalone services and one is the built-in Brave feature that made this topic timely.
What to look for in an email aliasing tool
The criteria that actually matter:
- Unlimited aliases on the free tier. Marketing forms don’t wait, and paying per alias defeats the point.
- Reply-from-alias support. Without it, replies expose your real address and the whole system collapses.
- Custom domain support. For serious use, aliases at your own domain (
[email protected]) are more portable and harder for services to filter. - PGP encryption on forwarding. So the aliasing service can’t read your incoming mail.
- Open source and self-hostable. So you can audit or move.
- Browser extension + mobile app + system integration. The alias should generate itself where you’re signing up, not in a separate tab.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleLogin | Balance of features and Proton integration | Windows / macOS / Linux / Web / iOS / Android | 15 aliases | $30/year unlimited | 4.7 |
| addy.io | Custom domains on a budget | Web / iOS / Android / CLI | Unlimited shared-domain | $12/year (Lite) | 4.6 |
| Firefox Relay | Firefox users wanting basic protection | Firefox / Web / iOS / Android | 5 aliases | $0.99/month | 4.4 |
| Apple Hide My Email | Apple ecosystem users | iOS / macOS / iCloud+ | Included with iCloud+ | $0.99/month | 4.5 |
| DuckDuckGo Email Protection | Fully free, no-effort protection | Any browser + mobile | Unlimited free | Free forever | 4.5 |
| Fastmail Masked Emails | Fastmail subscribers | Web / iOS / Android | With Fastmail plan | $5/month with Fastmail | 4.6 |
| Brave Email Aliases | Brave users who want built-in privacy | Brave desktop | Free with Brave | Free (routes through SimpleLogin) | 4.3 |
The apps
1. SimpleLogin — Best overall
SimpleLogin was acquired by Proton in 2022 and now integrates with Proton Mail and Proton Pass. Browser extensions for every major desktop browser, native mobile apps, and a well-documented API. The free plan gives you 15 aliases with unlimited forwarding, and the premium plan ($30/year) unlocks unlimited aliases, custom domains, and PGP.
Where it falls short: The free tier limit of 15 aliases fills up fast if you sign up for lots of services. Premium is the natural home.
Pricing:
- Free: 15 aliases, unlimited forwarding
- Paid: $30/year for unlimited aliases + custom domains + PGP
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux (browser extensions), Web, iOS, Android
Download: SimpleLogin
Bottom line: The best pick for most people who want a well-supported aliasing service with an active company behind it. Skip if you don’t want to pay eventually.
2. addy.io — Best for custom domains on a budget
addy.io (formerly AnonAddy) is the open-source, self-hostable option and it’s cheaper than SimpleLogin at every tier that matters. The generous free plan gives you unlimited shared-domain aliases ([email protected]) with 10MB monthly bandwidth. The $12/year Lite plan adds custom domains and higher bandwidth. Everything is auditable — the code is public and it’s the pick for privacy purists.
Where it falls short: Fewer polished mobile apps than SimpleLogin. Browser extension is less refined. Support is community-based.
Pricing:
- Free: unlimited shared-domain aliases, 10 MB/month bandwidth
- Paid: $12/year (Lite), $36/year (Pro) for higher bandwidth and more features
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, CLI, self-hosted
Download: addy.io
Bottom line: The best pick if you want custom domains at the lowest price or if you’ll self-host. Skip if you want native desktop apps first.
3. Firefox Relay — Best for Firefox users
Firefox Relay ties into Firefox and Firefox Accounts. Generates aliases on sign-up forms through the Firefox extension, forwards to your Mozilla account email, and integrates with Mozilla VPN. It’s not as feature-rich as SimpleLogin or addy.io, but it’s the least effort if you already use Firefox.
Where it falls short: Free tier caps at 5 aliases. Reply-from-alias requires Premium. Custom domains only on the highest tier.
Pricing:
- Free: 5 aliases
- Paid: $0.99/month or $9.99/year for unlimited, reply, and phone masking
Platforms: Firefox, other Chromium browsers (extension), Web, iOS, Android
Download: relay.firefox.com
Bottom line: Pick if you’re already in the Firefox ecosystem and want quiet protection. Skip if you want more than 5 free aliases.
4. Apple Hide My Email — Best for Apple ecosystem users
Apple Hide My Email ships with iCloud+ ($0.99/month or bundled with any paid iCloud plan). Aliases generate at the OS level anywhere macOS asks for an email, including Safari autofill. Forwards to your iCloud email. Unlimited aliases and Apple’s usual privacy posture.
Where it falls short: Only works if you’re in Apple’s ecosystem. No web dashboard for managing aliases without an Apple device. Not open source.
Pricing:
- Free with any iCloud+ plan ($0.99/month starting)
- vs SimpleLogin: cheaper if you already pay for iCloud storage
Platforms: macOS, iOS (system-integrated); no Windows/Linux support
Download: Built into iCloud+ on macOS
Bottom line: Pick if you already pay for iCloud+ and don’t leave Apple’s walled garden. Skip on Windows or Linux.
5. DuckDuckGo Email Protection — Best fully free option
DuckDuckGo Email Protection is the only pick on this list that’s genuinely free with unlimited aliases. Sign up for a @duck.com address, then generate aliases (either your main @duck.com or throwaway [email protected] per-site) via the browser extension. Forwards to your real inbox, strips known trackers from forwarded mail.
Where it falls short: No custom domain support. No self-host option. Reply-from-alias works but is less polished than SimpleLogin. You’re trusting DuckDuckGo with metadata.
Pricing:
- Free forever, no paid tier
Platforms: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (extensions), iOS, Android
Download: duckduckgo.com/email
Bottom line: The best pick if you want zero-cost aliasing with no upsell. Skip if you need custom domains.
6. Fastmail Masked Emails — Best for Fastmail subscribers
Fastmail Masked Emails is bundled into every Fastmail plan and generated on-demand from the browser (via 1Password integration or the Fastmail extension). Aliases forward to your Fastmail inbox, which sits under your custom domain. It’s the smoothest integration if you already pay Fastmail.
Where it falls short: Only useful if you already pay for Fastmail. Not a standalone product. No self-host option.
Pricing:
- Included with Fastmail: $5/month (Standard) or higher
- vs SimpleLogin: only comparable if you’d pay for Fastmail anyway
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, browser extensions
Download: fastmail.com
Bottom line: Pick if you’re already on Fastmail. Skip if you’re not.
7. Brave Email Aliases — Best for Brave users who want built-in privacy
Brave Email Aliases launched in Brave 1.94 (August 2026) as a built-in feature that generates SimpleLogin-backed aliases from Brave’s password manager and sign-up autofill. No extension needed — the browser handles it. For Brave users, it’s the same “generate an alias inline” experience as SimpleLogin’s extension, but without installing anything.
Where it falls short: Only works in Brave desktop. Under the hood it uses SimpleLogin, so features and limits track SimpleLogin’s free tier. Not available in Brave mobile at launch.
Pricing:
- Free (routes through SimpleLogin free tier by default)
Platforms: Brave on Windows, macOS, Linux
Download: brave.com/download
Bottom line: Pick if you use Brave and want aliasing built into the browser without another extension. Skip if you’re not on Brave.
How to pick the right one
Match the pick to how you already work:
If you want the simplest option: DuckDuckGo Email Protection. Free, unlimited, no upsell.
If you want the best all-round paid tool: SimpleLogin. $30/year, integrates with Proton, mature apps everywhere.
If you need custom domains cheaply: addy.io. $12/year for the Lite plan.
If you’re already in Apple’s ecosystem: Apple Hide My Email via iCloud+.
If you already pay for Fastmail: Fastmail Masked Emails — you already have it.
If you use Brave: the built-in aliases in 1.94 mean you don’t need another tool.
If privacy is the whole point and you can self-host: addy.io on your own server.
FAQ
What is an email alias and why does it matter?
An email alias is a throwaway address that forwards mail to your real inbox. When a service leaks your email in a breach — and most eventually do — only the alias you gave that service ends up in the leaked dump. Kill the alias, kill the spam.
Is DuckDuckGo Email Protection really free forever?
Yes. DuckDuckGo has stated it’s part of their privacy product line and doesn’t have a paid tier. It’s the only pick on this list without a paid upgrade path.
Can I use the same alias service for personal and work email?
Yes, but keep them separate. Most services (SimpleLogin, addy.io) let you point different aliases to different destination mailboxes. Set your work aliases to forward to your work inbox and your personal aliases to your personal inbox.
Which email alias service is most private?
addy.io and SimpleLogin are the two open-source options. Both support PGP for forwarding, so the aliasing service can’t read your incoming mail. Self-hosted addy.io is the most private setup available.
Does using email aliases break any websites?
Almost never. Aliases look like normal email addresses to the site. The one edge case is when a site restricts sign-ups from “temporary email” domains — some sites block duck.com or simplelogin.io. Custom-domain aliases dodge this.
