Mail.cx vs MinuteMail
Mail.cx
mail.cxMinuteMail
minutemail.coSide by side
| Figure | Mail.cx | MinuteMail |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.82/mo | $7.17/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Temporary email services | 9.1 (#4) | 7.1 (#39) |
| Spec score · Temporary Email Services | 8.9 (#6) | 7.4 (#23) |
| Custom domains | Pro users can connect up to 100 custom domains using DNS verification. | Accounts can use verified custom domains for mailbox addresses, subject to plan limits. |
| Privacy | The privacy policy says inbox content, account email, and API tokens are not sold, rented, or shared with advertisers or other third parties. | The privacy policy says MinuteMail does not store IP addresses in its databases or sell data to third parties. |
| Security | Mail.cx says connections use TLS, passwords are hashed with bcrypt, and API tokens are stored as SHA-256 hashes. | MinuteMail states that it uses HTTPS/TLS in transit, database encryption at rest, hashed API keys, and row-level security for tenant isolation. |
| Support | The contact page says support normally responds within two business days and prioritizes security and abuse reports. | The privacy policy lists [email protected] for questions and data requests. |
Plans
MinuteMail
- Hobbyist$86 a year
- Pro$278 a year
- Team$950 a year
- FreePrice not published
In their own words
Mail.cx
Mail.cx provides short-lived inboxes for developers, QA teams, and product teams checking account verification, transactional messages, notification pipelines, or application integrations. It only receives email; it does not send it. A web inbox can be opened without signup by choosing a username or generating one, and server-sent events can push arriving mail to the browser. Its REST API supports long-polling, retrieval of parsed or raw email, attachment downloads, and event delivery. API use is limited to 10 requests per second per token; long-polling allows one concurrent wait per token and 10 per address. Free messages are automatically deleted after one hour, while Pro messages are retained for 72 hours. The Free plan is free, and Pro is $9.90 a year. A separate pricing note lists paid plans from $4/mo. Mail.cx says connections use TLS and that passwords and API tokens are stored as hashes. Its terms caution that message retention and recovery are not guaranteed, and advise against relying on the service for critical, sensitive, or business-essential communications.
MinuteMail
MinuteMail is a developer testing platform for email and authentication flows, available on the web and through an API. It provides isolated test inboxes with lifetimes from 1 to 60 minutes; the default is 15 minutes when no duration is specified. Real-time SSE delivery and message lifecycle tracking help follow email flows, while a mock OAuth identity provider supports OAuth 2.0 authorization code flows with optional PKCE. Access options include a REST API, official Python SDK, and MCP server; setup guidance covers Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and Cursor. Accounts can use verified custom domains within plan limits, and API keys can be restricted by operation scope and allowed mailbox domains. MinuteMail says it uses HTTPS/TLS in transit, database encryption at rest, hashed API keys, and row-level security. Temporary mailboxes and messages are permanently deleted at expiry; archived mailboxes retain only the email address. The service advises using it for temporary, non-sensitive communications. A free plan has 50 API calls per day, two active mailboxes, and four archived mailboxes. Paid plans start at $86/yr.