Every time you sign up for a new service, download a free resource, or register for a trial, you're handing over your email address. Within days, your inbox fills with promotional emails, newsletters you never wanted, and occasionally, your email ends up in a data breach. The solution? Burner email services—temporary, disposable email addresses that protect your real inbox.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll compare the best burner email services available in 2026, covering both free and paid options. Whether you need a quick throwaway address or a sophisticated privacy solution, we've got you covered.
What Is a Burner Email?
A burner email (also called a temporary email, throwaway email, or disposable email) is an email address you can use briefly and then abandon. Unlike your primary email, burner emails are designed to be temporary. Some last only 10 minutes, while others can persist for months.
The key benefits of using burner emails include:
- Spam protection – Keep promotional emails out of your main inbox
- Privacy – Don't reveal your real email to untrusted services
- Data breach protection – If the service gets hacked, your real email isn't exposed
- Anonymous sign-ups – Register for services without leaving a trail
- Testing – Developers and marketers often need multiple email addresses
Before we dive into the specific services, it's worth understanding the difference between email aliases and burner emails—they serve different purposes and you might need both.
Best Free Burner Email Services
1. Guerrilla Mail
Guerrilla Mail has been a staple in the temporary email space for over a decade. It provides instant disposable email addresses with no registration required.
Key Features:
- No sign-up required—instant email address
- Emails last for 1 hour
- Can send emails (not just receive)
- Attachments supported up to 150MB
- Multiple domain options
Best for: Quick sign-ups where you just need to verify an email once. Perfect for downloading free resources or accessing gated content.
Limitations: The 1-hour expiration means you can't use it for services you might need to access again. Anyone who guesses your random address could theoretically access your inbox.
2. Temp Mail
Temp Mail offers a clean, straightforward interface for generating temporary email addresses. It's become one of the most popular free options due to its reliability and ease of use.
Key Features:
- Auto-generated email addresses
- Emails persist until you delete them or close the browser
- Mobile apps available (iOS and Android)
- Browser extensions for quick access
- QR code sharing for cross-device access
Best for: Users who want a simple, no-frills temporary email solution. The mobile apps make it convenient for on-the-go sign-ups.
3. 10 Minute Mail
As the name suggests, 10 Minute Mail provides email addresses that expire after 10 minutes. You can extend the time if needed, but it's designed for ultra-quick use cases.
Key Features:
- 10-minute default expiration
- One-click time extension
- Extremely simple interface
- No JavaScript required version available
Best for: Single verification emails where you need to confirm a sign-up and never look back.
4. Mailinator
Mailinator takes a unique approach—all inboxes are public. You create any address @mailinator.com, and anyone who knows that address can view it. This sounds insecure, but it's actually useful for testing and non-sensitive use cases.
Key Features:
- Infinite addresses—just make one up
- Public inboxes (feature, not a bug)
- Great API for developers
- SMS testing available on paid plans
- Team collaboration features
Best for: Developers testing email flows, QA teams, and situations where privacy isn't a concern but convenience is.
Best Paid Burner Email Services
Free services work for basic needs, but paid options offer significantly more features, reliability, and privacy. If you're serious about protecting your email privacy, these services are worth the investment.
5. SimpleLogin
SimpleLogin is more than a burner email service—it's a complete email aliasing solution. It creates aliases that forward to your real inbox, letting you use unlimited addresses without managing separate accounts.
Key Features:
- Unlimited aliases (paid plan)
- Reply from aliases without revealing your real email
- Custom domains supported
- PGP encryption
- Open source
- Browser extensions and mobile apps
Pricing: Free tier with 10 aliases, Premium at $30/year for unlimited aliases
Best for: Privacy enthusiasts who want long-term alias management, not just throwaway addresses. Excellent for remote workers managing multiple client communications.
6. AnonAddy
AnonAddy (Anonymous Email Forwarding) offers a similar approach to SimpleLogin but with some unique features for advanced users.
Key Features:
- On-the-fly alias creation (username+anything@domain)
- Bandwidth-based limits instead of alias limits
- GPG/OpenPGP encryption
- Self-hosting option available
- API for automation
Pricing: Free tier available, Lite at $1/month, Pro at $3/month
Best for: Technical users who want fine-grained control and potentially self-hosting capabilities.
7. Firefox Relay
Mozilla's Firefox Relay integrates directly with the Firefox browser, making it incredibly convenient for everyday use. It's backed by Mozilla's privacy-focused reputation.
Key Features:
- Seamless Firefox integration
- Automatic alias suggestions when filling forms
- Phone number masking (premium)
- Tracker removal from forwarded emails
- Mozilla's privacy commitment
Pricing: Free tier with 5 aliases, Premium at $3.99/month with unlimited aliases
Best for: Firefox users who want privacy protection built into their browsing experience.
8. Blur by Abine
Blur is a comprehensive privacy suite that includes masked emails, masked credit cards, and password management. The email masking feature creates unique addresses for every site.
Key Features:
- Unlimited masked emails
- Masked credit cards for online shopping
- Password manager included
- Tracker blocking
- Auto-fill for forms
Pricing: Basic plan free, Premium at $39/year
Best for: Users who want an all-in-one privacy solution, especially useful for online shopping protection.
Comparison Table
| Service | Type | Free Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guerrilla Mail | Temporary | Yes (fully free) | Quick verifications |
| Temp Mail | Temporary | Yes (fully free) | Mobile convenience |
| 10 Minute Mail | Temporary | Yes (fully free) | Ultra-fast sign-ups |
| SimpleLogin | Aliases | 10 aliases | Long-term privacy |
| Firefox Relay | Aliases | 5 aliases | Firefox users |
| Blur | All-in-one | Limited | Complete privacy suite |
How to Choose the Right Burner Email Service
The best service depends on your specific needs:
For one-time verifications: Use free services like Guerrilla Mail or 10 Minute Mail. They're instant, require no sign-up, and work perfectly for downloading freebies or accessing gated content.
For ongoing privacy: Invest in an alias service like SimpleLogin or AnonAddy. You'll get persistent addresses that forward to your real inbox, with the ability to disable them if spam starts arriving.
For professional use: If you're managing multiple business relationships or client work, SimpleLogin with a custom domain gives you unlimited professional-looking addresses while maintaining complete control.
For comprehensive protection: Consider Blur if you also want masked credit cards and password management. It's a complete privacy toolkit.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip
Many people use a combination of services. Free temporary emails for throwaway sign-ups, plus a paid alias service for anything you might need to access again. This layered approach gives you the best of both worlds.
Privacy Considerations
Not all burner email services are created equal from a privacy perspective:
- Server location matters – Services based in privacy-friendly jurisdictions (Switzerland, Iceland) offer better legal protection
- Logging policies – Some services log IP addresses and metadata; others maintain strict no-log policies
- Encryption – Look for services offering end-to-end encryption or at least TLS for email transit
- Open source – Services like SimpleLogin and AnonAddy are open source, meaning their code can be audited
For truly anonymous email communication, you may need to combine burner emails with additional privacy tools. Check out AnonArk for AI-powered privacy tools that complement email protection.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When using burner emails, watch out for these pitfalls:
- Using temporary emails for important accounts – Never use a burner email for banking, primary social media, or anything you can't afford to lose access to
- Forgetting password resets need email access – If you use a temporary email and forget your password, you're locked out forever
- Ignoring blocked domains – Many services block popular temporary email domains; premium alias services usually work better
- Not combining with other privacy measures – Burner emails protect one vector; combine with VPNs and understanding marketing tracking for comprehensive protection
Conclusion
Burner email services are essential tools for protecting your digital privacy in 2026. For quick, throwaway needs, free services like Guerrilla Mail and Temp Mail work perfectly. For long-term privacy management, investing in SimpleLogin, AnonAddy, or Firefox Relay pays dividends in inbox cleanliness and data protection.
The key is matching the service to your use case. Start with free options for low-stakes sign-ups, and graduate to paid alias services when you're ready for comprehensive email privacy.
Ready to take the next step? Learn how to create a truly anonymous email account or understand the difference between email aliases and burner emails.