Email alias services compared
Emcognito vs SimpleLogin, addy.io, Firefox Relay, DuckDuckGo & Apple Hide My Email
Emcognito, SimpleLogin, addy.io, Firefox Relay, DuckDuckGo Email, Apple Hide My Email, and Proton Pass all hide your real address in different ways. They differ on what the free tier caps: SimpleLogin allows 10 aliases and Firefox Relay 50, while DuckDuckGo, addy.io, and Emcognito allow unlimited free aliases — though addy.io's free aliases live on a shared subdomain with a monthly bandwidth limit and no replies. Emcognito meters forwarded emails (100/month free) instead of aliases, needs no domain setup, and adds per-alias suspend plus reply support.
Verified— prices and limits drift; we re-check quarterly.
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| Service | Free tier | Aliases on free | Reply from alias | Send new mail from alias | Custom domain | Jurisdiction | Open source | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emcognito | 100 forwards/mo | Unlimited | Yes | Web form (Plus/Pro) | Pro subdomain (Q3) | USA | No | $2/mo |
| SimpleLogin | 10 aliases | 10 | Yes | Reverse-alias (Premium) | Paid | Switzerland | Yes | $4/mo |
| addy.io | Unlimited + 10 shared | Unlimited (10 MB/mo cap) | Paid only | Reverse-alias (paid) | Paid | Netherlands | Yes | $1/mo |
| Firefox Relay | 50 masks | 50 | Premium | No | Premium | USA | Partial | $0.99/mo |
| DuckDuckGo Email | Unlimited @duck.com | Unlimited | Yes | Reverse-alias | No | USA | Partial | Free only |
| Apple Hide My Email | iCloud+ required | — | Yes | In Apple Mail only | iCloud Mail | USA | No | $0.99/mo |
The numbers that matter most differ by category. Most services cap the number of aliases you can make on the free tier; Emcognito instead caps forwarded emails (100/month free) and lets you create unlimited aliases on every plan. Which model is "more" depends entirely on how you use it.
A newer dividing line is sending brand-new mail from an alias, not just replying. Most services make you hand-type an encoded “reverse-alias” address in your own mail client (SimpleLogin, addy.io, DuckDuckGo) or stay inside one company’s app (Apple Mail); Firefox Relay can’t compose new mail at all. Emcognito is the only standalone alias service where sending from an alias is a plain web form, not an address hack — a Plus and Pro feature. See how compose from an alias works.
When a competitor is the better pick
- SimpleLogin — best if you want PGP encryption, an open-source codebase, and Proton-backed infrastructure under Swiss jurisdiction.
- addy.io — best for power users — GPG, an API, rules/webhooks, and the cheapest custom-domain support, all open source.
- Firefox Relay — best if you live in Firefox and want the tightest browser integration, plus phone-number masking on Premium (US/CA).
- DuckDuckGo Email — best for the quickest zero-config free start and built-in tracker removal — if a @duck.com address and no custom domains are fine.
- Apple Hide My Email — best if you're all-in on the Apple ecosystem and already pay for iCloud+; it's seamless on iOS and macOS.
When Emcognito is the better pick
Choose Emcognito when you want unlimited aliases without an alias cap, reply from your alias, passwordless sign-in (magic link or passkey), and one-click suspend or delete so a leaked address has an instant shut-off — all forwarding to your real inbox, with no email bodies stored.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best free email alias service?
It depends on the cap that limits you. DuckDuckGo, addy.io, and Emcognito all allow unlimited aliases free, while SimpleLogin (10) and Firefox Relay (50) cap them — though addy.io's free aliases sit on a shared subdomain with a monthly bandwidth limit and no replies. Emcognito differs by metering forwarded emails (100/month free) instead of aliases, needs no domain or DNS setup, and adds per-alias suspend on the free tier.
Which alias services let you reply from the alias on the free plan?
SimpleLogin, DuckDuckGo Email, Apple Hide My Email, and Emcognito support replies that keep your real address hidden. addy.io and Firefox Relay reserve reply support for paid tiers.
Which alias services let you send a brand-new email from your alias?
SimpleLogin, addy.io, and DuckDuckGo support it through 'reverse-alias' addresses you type into your own mail client, Apple Hide My Email works only inside Apple Mail, and Firefox Relay can't compose new mail at all. Emcognito adds a plain web-form composer for Plus and Pro, so you write and send from your alias with no address trick, and replies come back to you as normal forwards.
Do any of these store my email content?
Most forward without persisting message bodies after delivery. Emcognito forwards and keeps no copies of your messages. Always confirm the current privacy policy of any provider, since retention practices change.
What makes Emcognito different from the others?
Emcognito meters forwarded emails rather than capping aliases, so every plan — including free — allows unlimited aliases. It's passwordless by default (magic link or passkey), supports replies from aliases, and stores no email bodies.
Sources: each provider's official pricing and documentation, plus the community-maintained email-aliasing-comparison and Privacy Guides. Last verified 2026-07-13.