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Head-to-head · Disposable Email Services

Mailinator vs MailTub

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Mailinator #1 in Disposable Email Services 9.2/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Mailinator
MailTub #7 in Disposable Email Services 8.3/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit MailTub

Mailinator leads on 0 checks, MailTub on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMailinator · 9.2/10
  • Free planonly Mailinator
  • Free trialonly Mailinator
  • Most featuresMailTub · 4 of 4

Mailinator scores higher on our rubric for disposable email services: 9.2 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

Mailinator is the better fit for teams testing email workflows and integrations. MailTub is the better fit for self-hosters needing configurable mailboxes.

  • Mailinator fits best

    Teams testing email workflows and integrations

  • MailTub fits best

    Self-hosters needing configurable mailboxes

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Mailinator 9.2/10 Visit ↗ MailTub 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.3
Ranking #1 in Disposable Email Services #7 in Disposable Email Services
Best for Teams testing email workflows and integrations Self-hosters needing configurable mailboxes
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $79/mo Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial 14 days —
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Email, Phone, Docs Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Mailinator 1/4 · MailTub 4/4
Custom address Not checked yet ✓ (best)
API access ✓ ✓
Custom domain Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Attachments supported Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Inbox lifetime Not checked yet Hours
Max active inboxes Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Public and private inboxes support varied testing workflows
  • REST API, webhooks, and routing rules support automation
  • Integrates with Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, and Postman
  • Configurable mailbox expiry from one hour to seven days
  • REST API, CLI, WebSocket delivery, and email exports
  • Attachments, SMTP STARTTLS, admin controls, and Prometheus metrics
Cons
  • Receive-only testing does not provide email-client rendering previews
  • SMS numbers cost extra
  • Paid plans start at $79 per month with annual billing
  • Self-hosted deployment requires operators to manage the infrastructure
  • Mailbox expiry is limited to a maximum of seven days
  • Its narrow focus may not suit teams seeking broader email workflows
Our verdict

Mailinator is a cloud-based email and SMS workflow testing platform for developers, QA teams, and testing organizations. It supports public and private inboxes, private testing domains, message injection, email receipt testing, automated…

Read the review →

MailTub is an open-source, self-hosted disposable email service for developers, QA teams, and operators who need temporary inboxes under their own infrastructure. It runs as a single Go binary with SQLite and an embedded React interface,…

Read the review →
  1. MailinatorDisposable Email Services 9.2Free plan · 14-day trial
  2. MailTubDisposable Email Services 8.3Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Mailinator — where it wins

    • Public and private inboxes support varied testing workflows
    • REST API, webhooks, and routing rules support automation
    • Integrates with Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, and Postman

    Where it doesn't

    • Receive-only testing does not provide email-client rendering previews
    • SMS numbers cost extra
    • Paid plans start at $79 per month with annual billing

  • MailTub — where it wins

    • Configurable mailbox expiry from one hour to seven days
    • REST API, CLI, WebSocket delivery, and email exports
    • Attachments, SMTP STARTTLS, admin controls, and Prometheus metrics

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires operators to manage the infrastructure
    • Mailbox expiry is limited to a maximum of seven days
    • Its narrow focus may not suit teams seeking broader email workflows
  • Mailinator9.2/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A strong fit for automated inbox testing, with private domains and API-driven workflows.

    Visit MailinatorFull verdict →
  • MailTub8.3/10 · Open source

    A configurable, developer-focused disposable mail service for self-hosted deployments.

    Visit MailTubFull verdict →

More comparisons

All disposable email services comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update