MailDrop vs Mailinator
MailDrop
maildrop.cx
Mailinator
mailinator.comSide by side
| Figure | MailDrop | Mailinator |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5/mo | $79/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 13 |
| Spec score · Temporary email services | 9.0 (#5) | 8.7 (#10) |
| Spec score · Disposable Email Services | 8.9 (#5) | 9.0 (#3) |
| API authentication | API keys are accepted as Bearer tokens or through the X-API-Key header. | API requests authenticate with a team token supplied in an Authorization header or token query parameter. |
| Public-inbox limitation | MailDrop’s own sign-up guides warn that anyone who knows an inbox name can view its messages. | Public inboxes are intentionally non-private, and older documentation says messages auto-delete after a few hours. |
| What it does | MailDrop provides disposable email inboxes for receiving messages without registration. | Mailinator provides public and private inboxes for automated email and SMS workflow testing, including sign-ups, 2FA and password resets. |
Plans
MailDrop
- FreeFree
- FreeFree
- Pay as you go$1, paid once
- Starter$5 a month
- Starter$5 a month
- Pro$15 a month
- Pro$15 a month
- Business$49 a month
- Business$49 a month
- Pay as you go$11,000, paid once
Mailinator
- Public - FreeFree
- Public - FreeFree
- Verified ProFree
- Verified ProFree
- Business$79 a month
- Business (annual)$79 a month
- Business$99 a month
- Business Plus$159 a month
- Business Plus (annual)$159 a month
- Business Plus$199 a month
In their own words
MailDrop
MailDrop provides temporary email inboxes for sign-ups, verification messages, downloads, trials, and forms. You can open an inbox without an account, phone number, or personal information, choose a domain, and set a custom email prefix. Inboxes refresh every 30 seconds and can receive HTML messages, verification codes, and attachments for browser preview or download. Messages are retained only temporarily and then deleted automatically, so the site advises against using the service for long-term accounts such as banking. A REST API can create temporary mailboxes and read incoming email. API keys authenticate requests, and a claimed mailbox can be read only with the key that created it. When a quota is used up, the API returns HTTP 429 and quota details in response headers. MailDrop is available on the web and through its API, and the site says it is available in seven languages. The Free plan costs nothing; paid plans include Starter at $5 a month, Pro at $15 a month, and Business at $49 a month.
Mailinator
Mailinator provides temporary inboxes and tools for testing email and SMS workflows. Developers, QA teams, and businesses can use it to check delivery for OTP, MFA, onboarding, password recovery, and other email processes at scale. Paid subscriptions include private testing domains, where messages can arrive at any address without creating an inbox first. The REST API retrieves inboxes, messages, and SMS, injects messages, and connects with CI/CD pipelines. Inbound webhooks can accept HTTP POST messages from sources such as alert systems, Zapier, or Twilio, then apply configured rules. SMS can be routed to an inbox or API for automated OTP and 2FA testing. The free public inboxes are readable by anyone, and messages typically auto-delete after several hours. Mailinator is receive-only: it cannot send email or fill out forms. The Public - Free plan is free to use without sign-up. Business costs $79 a month billed yearly; a two-week Business trial is listed. Other plans include Verified Pro at free, Business Plus at $159 a month billed yearly, and Enterprise at a price agreed with the maker with custom pricing.