Mailinator

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Mailinator

A curated collection of the 5 best self hosted alternatives to Mailinator.

Disposable email and inbox testing service that provides public and private temporary inboxes, APIs, and team features for QA and automation to receive and inspect messages without creating real accounts.

Alternatives List

#1
SimpleLogin

SimpleLogin

SimpleLogin is an open-source email alias service that lets you create aliases to protect your real inbox, forward mail, and reply or send from aliases using custom domains.

SimpleLogin screenshot

SimpleLogin is an open-source email aliasing and forwarding service designed to protect your real email address from tracking, spam, and phishing. It creates email aliases that forward messages to your mailbox and can also relay replies and outbound messages so your real address stays hidden.

Key Features

  • Create permanent email aliases that forward to one or multiple mailboxes
  • Send and reply from aliases via reverse-alias addressing
  • Custom domain support, including catch-all style aliasing
  • Browser extensions and mobile apps that can be pointed to a self-hosted API URL
  • Optional PGP encryption of forwarded emails using your provided public key
  • Account security features such as TOTP-based 2FA and WebAuthn (FIDO)

Use Cases

  • Use unique aliases per website to reduce tracking and limit breach impact
  • Hide your real address when contacting marketplaces, newsletters, or support
  • Manage business-style addresses on your own domain without separate mailbox hosting

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires careful mail server and DNS setup (e.g., MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for reliable deliverability
  • Operating an SMTP service may require suitable hosting that allows outbound port 25

SimpleLogin is well-suited for individuals and teams who want strong email identity separation without changing their primary mailbox provider. It provides a practical, privacy-focused layer for receiving and sending mail while keeping your real address private.

6.3kstars
550forks
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#2
AnonAddy

AnonAddy

Open-source anonymous email forwarding that creates and manages aliases, supports custom domains, encrypted forwarding, and self-hosting via Postfix and MariaDB.

AnonAddy screenshot

AnonAddy is an open-source anonymous email forwarding service that lets users create disposable aliases to protect their real email address. It provides web, browser-extension and mobile interfaces, plus an API and documented self-hosting options.

Key Features

  • Create unlimited on-the-fly and pre-generated aliases across shared and custom domains.
  • Forwarding and alias management (deactivate, delete, multiple recipients per alias).
  • Reply/send anonymously from aliases so the recipient never sees your real address.
  • GPG/OpenPGP support to encrypt forwarded messages (including subject and attachments) and signed forwards.
  • Custom domain support with DNS verification and optional catch-all handling.
  • Official browser extension and native mobile apps; API for programmatic management.
  • Official Docker image and detailed self-hosting documentation for production deployment (Postfix integration, DB/Redis configuration). (addy.io)

Use Cases

  • Prevent tracking and spam by using a unique alias per site or service.
  • Compartmentalize identities (work, personal, projects) with multiple usernames and domains.
  • Protect inbox contents from provider-side snooping by encrypting forwarded mail with your public key.
  • Operate a privacy-preserving email alias service for yourself or an organization using the provided Docker/Postfix setup. (raw.githubusercontent.com)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Self-hosting requires configuring an MTA (Postfix), a MySQL/MariaDB-compatible database and Redis; installation and DNS/MX setup are non-trivial.
  • Hosted pricing tiers impose bandwidth and feature limits (e.g., the free tier includes a small monthly bandwidth allowance and limits on shared domain aliases).
  • A domain added as a custom domain cannot simultaneously be used as a recipient on the same service instance (to avoid delivery loops). (github.com)

AnonAddy combines alias-based forwarding, optional encrypted delivery, and full self-hosting support to give users control over email privacy and deliverability. It is published as open-source software and maintained with official Docker images and deployment docs for production use. (raw.githubusercontent.com)

4.4kstars
248forks
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#3
OpenTrashmail

OpenTrashmail

OpenTrashmail is a standalone disposable email (“trashmail”) service with its own SMTP server, offering a web UI plus JSON API, RSS feeds, and webhooks for received mail.

OpenTrashmail is an open source, standalone “trashmail” service that includes its own SMTP server for receiving email on your domains without pre-creating mailboxes. Messages can be viewed in a web interface or consumed programmatically via JSON, RSS, and webhooks.

Key Features

  • Built-in SMTP server (Python-powered) that accepts mail for configured domains
  • Web UI to browse messages, view HTML/text bodies, and manage inboxes
  • JSON API for listing messages, retrieving full message details, and deleting mail/accounts
  • Per-address RSS feeds for reading emails in RSS clients
  • Webhooks (global and per-address) with customizable JSON payloads
  • Attachment handling with download support and configurable size limits
  • TLS support for SMTP via STARTTLS and TLS-on-connect
  • File-based storage (no database required)
  • Optional access controls: shared password, allowed IP ranges, and admin view

Use Cases

  • Disposable inboxes for signups, testing, and avoiding spam on primary accounts
  • Automation workflows that need to ingest emails (e.g., parsing verification or 2FA emails)
  • Email honeypot/catch-all style collection for diagnostics and monitoring

Limitations and Considerations

  • Not a full mail platform (no IMAP/POP3 mailboxes); focused on receiving and consuming messages via UI/API/RSS
  • Running an SMTP listener typically requires careful network and DNS setup and may be impacted by ISP/cloud provider port restrictions

OpenTrashmail is well-suited for homelabs and development environments that need quick, disposable inboxes and machine-friendly access to received emails. Its file-based design and multiple consumption methods make it practical for both manual inspection and automated integrations.

790stars
69forks
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#4
Nortix Mail

Nortix Mail

Self-hosted disposable email server for creating temporary addresses to reduce spam and protect privacy, with an optional TLS setup and a web UI.

Nortix Mail is a self-hosted disposable email server designed to let you create temporary email addresses for signups and verification flows. It focuses on minimizing setup complexity while providing a simple interface for viewing received messages.

Key Features

  • Receive emails over SMTP on port 25 for disposable/temporary addresses
  • Web interface for browsing received emails
  • Optional TLS support by placing certificate and key files in the data directory
  • Automatic domain detection when using TLS and minimal reconfiguration when domains change
  • Portable storage model: move instances by copying the data folder
  • Docker Compose deployment option alongside a direct Node.js run mode

Use Cases

  • Use temporary addresses for website signups to reduce spam exposure
  • Isolate risky registrations to limit impact from third-party data breaches
  • Provide disposable inboxes for testing email verification in development environments

Limitations and Considerations

  • TLS is optional; running without it can allow mail contents to be intercepted in transit in some threat models
  • Deliverability depends on typical email-server factors (DNS records and port 25 reachability)

Nortix Mail fits users who want the benefits of disposable email without relying on third-party temporary inbox providers. Its emphasis on simple deployment and portable data makes it practical for small personal or homelab setups.

674stars
55forks
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#5
Inboxen

Inboxen

Inboxen provides unlimited unique email inboxes to protect your primary address from spam, sign-ups, and tracking while keeping your real inbox clean.

Inboxen screenshot

Inboxen is a disposable email inbox service that lets you create an unlimited number of unique addresses under your account. It is designed to complement (not replace) your personal email address by isolating sign-ups, newsletters, and unknown senders.

Key Features

  • Create unlimited unique inboxes/addresses on demand
  • Privacy-oriented approach with minimal user data collection
  • Addresses are never reused, even after account deletion
  • Account deletion support
  • Data export for portability

Use Cases

  • Use unique addresses for website registrations to reduce spam
  • Compartmentalize email by service (shopping, forums, trials) for easier filtering
  • Create anonymous addresses for one-off contact or testing sign-up flows

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires operating and securing a full email-capable service stack (including SMTP/IMAP components) alongside the web application
  • Best suited as a companion to a primary mailbox rather than a full email provider replacement

Inboxen is a practical way to separate your real address from routine sign-ups while keeping control over your inboxes. It fits individuals and teams that want a privacy-minded alternative to sharing a single personal address everywhere.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running