addy.io vs DuckDuckGo Email Protection

addy.io creates email aliases that forward messages to a real inbox, allowing users to give out aliases instead of their main address. An alias can be deactivated to silently discard new mail or deleted so senders receive a bounce. Users can connect a domain they control and set catch-all controls. Paid features allow replying to forwarded messages or starting messages from an alias without revealing the real address. Users can add GPG/OpenPGP public keys for recipients to encrypt forwarded mail, with an option to hide and encrypt the subject. The maker lists free open-source apps for iOS and Android, browser extensions for several browsers, and an API for automating aliases and other account resources. Self-hosting instructions and two-factor authentication are also available. The free plan includes unlimited standard aliases, but sets limits for shared-domain aliases, recipients, available alias domains, and monthly bandwidth. Paid plans start at $1 a month billed yearly; higher tiers list more recipients and custom domains, among other additions.

DuckDuckGo Email Protection is a free forwarding service that removes multiple types of hidden email trackers while working with an existing email account. Users select a personal @duck.com address, and messages sent there are checked against DuckDuckGo’s block list before forwarding to a regular inbox. The service can also create distinct private Duck Addresses that can be turned off individually if they attract spam or other unwanted mail. DuckDuckGo browsers and extensions can recognize email fields and fill in either the personal or a generated private address. Forwarded messages can arrive in accounts such as Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or Proton, but Email Protection does not include a separate inbox. DuckDuckGo says it forwards messages without retaining the emails or their headers on its systems. Replies use the Duck Address, though the service cannot guarantee that message text will not expose the forwarding address or other identifiers. It is listed for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, web and browser extensions.