Maskmail vs Addy.io

Addy.io (formerly AnonAddy) is the most feature-rich open-source email aliasing service available. Maskmail is a focused aliasing tool with a different philosophy. Both protect your real address, but they target different user profiles.

What is Addy.io?

Addy.io is an open-source email forwarding and aliasing service with fine-grained control over alias creation, management, and privacy. It offers custom domains, GPG/PGP encryption, regex-based filtering, a full REST API, and the option to self-host the entire platform.

What is Maskmail?

Maskmail is an email mask firewall. You create one mask per service, forward what matters to any inbox, and disable any mask the moment it gets abused. It supports custom domains, delivery history, threaded two-way replies that show who sent the email at a glance, and usage-based pricing.

Feature comparison

Pricing

Maskmail charges $0.99/month base plus $0.006 per email.

Addy.io free offers unlimited standard aliases with a 10 MB/month bandwidth cap and 1 recipient. Lite is $1/month (1 custom domain, 100 MB bandwidth). Pro is $3/month (20 custom domains, unlimited bandwidth).

Where Addy.io is stronger

• Open source and self-hostable. You can audit the code, fork it, or run your own instance. This is Addy.io's biggest differentiator.
• GPG encryption. Forward encrypted emails so not even the forwarding service can read them.
• REST API. Automate alias management and integrate with password managers or your own tools.
• Feature depth. Regex aliases, catch-all, multiple recipients per alias, additional usernames for compartmentalization.
• Browser extensions and mobile apps. Create and manage aliases from Chrome, Firefox, iOS, or Android.
• Generous free tier. Unlimited aliases on the free plan (bandwidth-limited).
• Privacy community endorsement. Recommended by Privacy Guides as one of the top aliasing services.

Where Maskmail is stronger

• Delivery history. Track every forwarded message at a glance and catch delivery issues before they affect you.
• Simpler UX. Less configuration surface means less complexity. Maskmail focuses on one workflow: create, forward, disable.
• No bandwidth cap. Addy.io's free tier caps at 10 MB/month, which can be exhausted by a handful of image-heavy emails. Maskmail bills per message instead.
• Predictable pricing model. Usage-based pricing means you pay exactly for what you use, without worrying about bandwidth limits cutting off delivery.
• Threaded replies with sender context. Forwarded emails show the original sender's name in your inbox. Hit reply, and the conversation threads naturally for both sides while your real address stays hidden.

Something to consider

The most common surprise with Addy.io is the bandwidth cap on its free and Lite plans. The free tier allows just 10 MB per month. That sounds abstract until you receive a handful of emails with embedded images or attachments, and then forwarding silently stops for the rest of the month with no clear warning. Even the Lite plan at $1/month caps at 100 MB. If you rely on your aliases for anything important, hitting that limit without realizing it can mean missed emails.

Maskmail bills per message instead. There is no bandwidth ceiling that cuts off delivery mid-month, so you always know your masks are forwarding.

Who should pick which?

Choose Addy.io if you want maximum control, self-hosting capability, PGP encryption, an API, and do not mind a steeper learning curve.

Choose Maskmail if you want a simpler, focused aliasing tool with delivery visibility and predictable pay-per-use pricing that does not cut off at a bandwidth limit.

Bottom line

Addy.io is the power user's aliasing service. Its feature set is unmatched, and the open-source nature gives it a transparency edge. Maskmail is a leaner alternative for people who want email masking to just work without configuring regex rules or managing GPG keys. If delivery visibility and simplicity matter more to you than API access and self-hosting, Maskmail is a solid choice.