addy.io vs GhostRelay
addy.io
addy.ioGhostRelay
ghostrelay.meSide by side
| Figure | addy.io | GhostRelay |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · Email Alias Services | 8.7 (#3) | 7.5 (#18) |
| Alias controls | Users can deactivate an alias to silently discard new mail or delete it so senders receive a bounce. | Users can create random or custom aliases, then disable, delete, or monitor them from a dashboard. |
| API | The API can automate aliases, recipients, domains, additional usernames, and other account resources. | The contact page says a public API is not yet available and is on the roadmap. |
Plans
In their own words
addy.io
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.
GhostRelay
GhostRelay is a web service that creates email aliases and forwards their messages to a real inbox. Users can make random or custom aliases, monitor them, and disable or delete them from a dashboard. The free plan costs nothing, requires no credit card, and allows up to 20 aliases with unlimited forwarding, custom names, and enable or disable controls. Forwarded messages preserve the Reply-To header, and the service supports replying from an alias. Mail can be sent to any receiving address, including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, ProtonMail, and iCloud. Disabled aliases reject incoming messages and return a bounce to the sender. GhostRelay says email is processed in memory without disk or database storage and content is not retained. It describes TLS 1.3, AES-256, bcrypt hashing, and signed JWT authentication. Custom domains and a browser extension are available; mobile apps and a public API are not.