Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

Choose Firefox Relay if you mainly want browser-assisted masks for occasional sign-ups and value a documented allowance of up to 50 free masks. Choose SimpleLogin if you need open-source software, alias-initiated messages, several mailboxes, catch-all behavior, or more than one custom domain. SimpleLogin’s published Premium price is $36 per year or $4 billed monthly; Mozilla’s current Relay help pages describe Premium features but do not state a current subscription price.

Both services create alternate email addresses that forward messages to a real inbox. The right choice depends on how many aliases you need, whether you control a domain, and whether you must send new messages from an alias. Neither should be treated as a universal address for identity-verified or high-importance accounts.

What an email alias does

An alias is an address you give to a website, shop, app, newsletter, or other sender instead of your personal inbox address. The alias service forwards incoming mail to a mailbox you control, so the sender does not see the underlying address. You can then disable or delete an alias that attracts unwanted mail without changing your main inbox address.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

SimpleLogin calls these alternate addresses aliases, while Firefox Relay calls them masks. The core forwarding idea is similar, but the products differ in their free allowances, paid controls, domain options, and outbound-mail workflows.

This is a feature comparison, not a security audit. The cited provider material does not establish that either service is categorically safer, more private, more reliable, or more deliverable than the other.

Which service fits which reader?

Your priority Better starting point Reason
Browser-integrated suggestions and a larger documented free allowance Firefox Relay Mozilla describes creating a mask from email fields in Firefox and allows up to 50 free masks.
Open-source relay software and a broader alias-management setup SimpleLogin SimpleLogin describes its relay as open source and lists browser extensions plus iOS and Android apps.
More than one custom domain, catch-all behavior, or several mailboxes SimpleLogin Premium Its Premium plan lists unlimited custom domains, catch-all, and unlimited mailboxes.
Creating a custom address spontaneously while away from a computer Firefox Relay may fit A custom Relay domain lets you choose a username at the shared domain; the mask appears in your dashboard when mail is sent to it.
Starting a new outbound message from an alias SimpleLogin Premium SimpleLogin lists initiating a new email from an alias as a Premium feature.
Blocking promotional messages while retaining selected mail Firefox Relay Premium may fit Mozilla documents a Premium option to block promotional email.

For a light-use Firefox workflow, Relay is the simpler first trial. For a domain-heavy, multi-mailbox, or two-way communication setup, SimpleLogin has the broader documented controls.

Free allowances and what they actually mean

Plan Documented allowance or feature What to watch
SimpleLogin Free $0; 10 aliases; unlimited bandwidth; reply from an alias; one mailbox; browser extensions; iOS and Android apps; TOTP and/or WebAuthn support. The 10-alias limit is a provider-published plan figure. Check the live plan before creating an account because limits can change.
Firefox Relay Free Up to 50 masks, according to Mozilla’s current help documentation. The allowance is for masks, Relay’s term for aliases. Premium users can create unlimited masks.

The numbers are not directly comparable measures of capacity beyond the count: SimpleLogin describes aliases and Relay describes masks, and each service controls how its dashboard and lifecycle work. If you expect fewer than ten active addresses, SimpleLogin’s free plan may be sufficient. If you want many one-off sign-ups without paying, Relay’s documented 50-mask allowance is the larger starting pool.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Do not infer that a larger allowance means better forwarding, stronger privacy, or higher deliverability. The provider pages establish the counts, not an independent performance comparison.

Paid plans: price and capabilities

Capability SimpleLogin Premium Firefox Relay Premium
Published price $36 per year or $4 billed monthly on SimpleLogin’s pricing page. These prices are subject to change. A current price is not stated on the Mozilla help pages reviewed.
Alias or mask quantity Unlimited aliases Unlimited masks
Custom domains Unlimited custom domains One unique Relay domain per account
Catch-all Listed as included Not stated
Mailboxes Unlimited mailboxes; the free plan lists one Not stated
Outbound workflow Reply from an alias on Free; initiating a new email from an alias is listed for Premium Premium supports replying to messages forwarded to your real address
Promotional-mail control Not stated Premium can block promotional email, according to Mozilla
Other listed features Five subdomains, 50 directories/usernames, PGP encryption, and Proton Pass premium features Custom Relay domain and the Premium features above

SimpleLogin’s figures and inclusions come from its official pricing page, which does not state a publication date in the reviewed material. Mozilla’s Relay documentation describes features but does not establish a current subscription price. Verify both providers’ live plan pages at checkout rather than treating these figures as permanent.

How forwarding and replies differ

Receiving mail

With either service, you give the alias or mask to the sender and messages are forwarded to your real mailbox. The service dashboard is where you manage the alternate address, rather than exposing your underlying address to every site that contacts you.

Replying to an existing thread

SimpleLogin’s Free plan lists replying from an alias. Relay Premium includes replying to messages forwarded to your real address. If responding to support tickets or sellers is part of your normal workflow, check which plan supplies the reply path you need before signing up.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Starting a new message

SimpleLogin Premium explicitly lists the ability to initiate a new email from an alias. That matters when you want to contact a recipient first while keeping your mailbox address private. The Relay material cited here documents replies to forwarded mail, not a general feature for starting arbitrary new conversations, so do not assume the two workflows are equivalent.

Mailboxes and devices

SimpleLogin Free lists one mailbox, while Premium lists unlimited mailboxes. This can separate personal, work, family, or project destinations inside one account. SimpleLogin also lists browser extensions and iOS and Android apps. Relay’s documented strength is its Firefox integration: Mozilla describes mask creation at email fields in the browser. The sources do not establish equivalent multi-mailbox controls for Relay.

Custom domains: the most important structural difference

SimpleLogin custom domains

SimpleLogin Premium lists unlimited custom domains and catch-all. It also describes automated alias creation for a custom domain. That combination suits someone who owns several domains, wants addresses that look native to a personal domain, or prefers not to create every alias manually.

Because DNS and domain verification details can change, use SimpleLogin’s current domain instructions for the exact records and verification sequence. The material available for this comparison does not establish a fixed set of DNS labels or values, so do not copy a record from an old guide.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Firefox Relay’s custom domain

Relay Premium allows one unique Relay email domain per account. Mozilla says the domain cannot be changed once it is set. Relay custom addresses use the shared mozmail.com domain; you choose a username before that domain. For example, a person could choose a username such as shopping at their Relay domain, then have the mask appear in the dashboard when mail is sent to it.

This is different from attaching an unlimited collection of domains that you own. It is a single Relay-branded domain with a chosen username pattern, so it is most useful for quick, memorable addresses rather than a portfolio of personal domains.

Mozilla also warns that some websites may reject a Relay subdomain or accept only addresses from well-known providers. If a registration form refuses the address, use another alias or a regular address only when you are comfortable with the trade-off.

Browser and mobile workflows

Firefox Relay in Firefox

  1. When a site presents an email field in Firefox, use the Relay mask suggestion or the Relay option described by Mozilla.
  2. Choose or create a mask rather than entering your real mailbox address.
  3. Let forwarded messages arrive at the real address associated with Relay.
  4. Manage, disable, or otherwise control the mask from the Relay account dashboard.

Mozilla’s instructions and terminology can change with Firefox and Relay updates. The current help article is Create an email mask through Firefox Relay, last updated April 21, 2026.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

SimpleLogin across browsers and phones

  1. Create a SimpleLogin account and designate the mailbox that should receive forwarded messages.
  2. Generate an alias for a site or service, then use that alias at registration instead of your personal address.
  3. Use the browser extension, iOS app, or Android app listed by SimpleLogin when you need to create or manage aliases away from a desktop.
  4. Reply through the alias when the conversation is a response to forwarded mail; use Premium’s listed alias-initiated feature when you need to start a new message.

The exact button names and account screens are implementation details that may change. Follow the current in-product instructions rather than relying on a screenshot from an older guide.

Use aliases for low-stakes sign-ups, not every important account

Mozilla recommends masks for less critical registrations such as shopping, apps, and sites you do not fully trust. It specifically advises against masks when identity verification is required or when you must receive very important email or attachments, including messages from a bank, doctor, lawyer, or a concert or flight boarding pass.

“We don’t recommend using masks when you need your identity verified or for very important emails or those where you must receive attachments.”

— Mozilla Support, “Create an email mask through Firefox Relay,” last updated April 21, 2026

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

That warning is written for Relay. As a matter of prudence, apply the same decision rule to any alias service: use an address you can reliably identify and recover for accounts tied to legal identity, money, health care, travel documents, or essential account recovery. An alias can hide your mailbox address from a sender, but that does not remove the sender’s identity checks or guarantee that every attachment and verification message will be accepted.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

How to decide in five steps

  1. Count the addresses you will keep active. For a small set, either free plan may work. If you expect more than 10 active aliases, SimpleLogin requires Premium for additional creation, while Relay documents up to 50 free masks.
  2. Decide whether you need a domain you own. Choose SimpleLogin if you need unlimited custom domains or catch-all behavior. Choose Relay only if one shared custom Relay domain meets your needs.
  3. Identify your outbound-mail pattern. If you only answer messages that were forwarded to you, both products document a route on at least one plan. If you must start a new conversation from an alias, SimpleLogin Premium is the option whose published feature list explicitly includes it.
  4. Choose your management style. Firefox users who want an address suggestion at an email field may prefer Relay. People who want browser extensions, phone apps, multiple mailboxes, or open-source software may prefer SimpleLogin.
  5. Separate disposable registrations from critical identity. Keep banking, medical, legal, travel, and other recovery-critical accounts on an address that meets the provider’s verification and attachment requirements. Do not select a service solely because it offers more aliases.

Practical scenarios

Occasional shopping and app registrations

Relay is a sensible first test if you use Firefox and want to create masks directly from registration fields. Its documented 50-mask free allowance leaves room for many one-off addresses. Disable a mask when a particular site becomes noisy, but retain a conventional address for orders or records where you must reliably receive important attachments.

A personal domain with many categories

SimpleLogin Premium is the more natural fit when you want addresses on multiple domains, catch-all behavior, or separate mailboxes. Its published feature list is specifically broader in those areas than Relay’s one-domain model.

Customer support from a masked identity

If you expect to initiate support requests rather than merely reply to forwarded tickets, SimpleLogin Premium has the clearest documented match because it lists new email initiation from an alias. Relay’s documented Premium reply feature is aimed at responding to forwarded messages.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

A site rejects the alias

Some sites reject Relay subdomains or restrict registrations to well-known email providers. Try a different alias domain supported by the service, or decide whether the site is important enough to justify using a direct address. Do not keep retrying random variations if the service’s policy is the reason for rejection.

What happens if you cancel SimpleLogin Premium?

SimpleLogin says aliases and domains already created continue to work after a subscription ends. However, if your account exceeds the Free alias limit, you cannot create new aliases, and you cannot add new domains or mailboxes. This behavior is useful when evaluating a temporary upgrade: existing forwarding can remain in place, but expansion is restricted. The provider’s plan page may change, so confirm the current downgrade terms before cancelling.

The cited Relay pages establish that Premium users receive unlimited masks and that Free users have a 50-mask allowance, but they do not provide an equivalent cancellation policy. Check Mozilla’s current account terms for what happens to masks and custom-domain settings after a downgrade.

Limits, caveats, and a sensible operating policy

  • Track where each alias is used. Keep a note of the service or category associated with an address so you can disable the right one if mail becomes unwanted.
  • Keep recovery paths separate. An alias should not be the only recovery address for the account that manages your aliases.
  • Expect plan details to move. The SimpleLogin price and feature list and Mozilla’s mask limits are provider-published facts, not permanent guarantees.
  • Do not equate forwarding with anonymity. The sources establish address concealment and forwarding, not complete anonymity or immunity from tracking.
  • Test a low-stakes registration first. Confirm that forwarding, replies, and any attachment you expect arrive correctly before using an alias for a recurring conversation.

Bottom line: pick the workflow, not the headline limit

Firefox Relay is the easier starting point for a Firefox-centered, low-stakes sign-up workflow, especially if 50 free masks cover your needs. SimpleLogin is the stronger choice for people who need open-source software, multiple mailboxes, alias-initiated messages, catch-all behavior, or unlimited custom domains on its listed Premium plan. Use either service selectively, and keep identity-verified and genuinely important communications on an address that the sender can verify and that you can depend on for essential messages and attachments.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.