Both get pitched with the same line, "Don't give out your real address." So it's natural to wonder why you'd need a temporary email service when Gmail already lets you make extra addresses with a plus sign. Fair question. The answer depends on what problem you're trying to solve. Below we put the two approaches side by side, without the sales pitch, and explain where each one is useful.
What's the difference between a temporary email and an email alias?
A temporary email is an address that needs no setup or account, stops working on its own after a short time, and only shows incoming mail. An email alias is a second address that forwards to your main inbox and that you can switch off whenever you like.
The difference becomes clear here. Mail sent to an alias ends up in your Gmail, your iCloud or whichever inbox you use. Mail sent to a temporary email stays on that page. On Geçici Mail, the address is created as soon as you open the home page, it's valid for 3 hours, the time extends while the page is open, and incoming emails are deleted after 24 hours. Neither your name nor any other address of yours appears anywhere in the process. If you'd like the details, see what is a temporary email and how do you use it.
Three alias methods most people know
Gmail plus (+) addresses
If your address is jane.doe@gmail.com, anything sent to jane.doe+furniture@gmail.com still reaches you. No setup required. A handy way to use it is to give every site a different tag, and if an unrelated casino ad ever turns up at the "+furniture" address, you'll know who shared your details.
But it isn't a privacy tool. Anyone who deletes everything after the plus reaches your real address, and spam lists can do that automatically. Some sign-up forms also reject the plus sign as an invalid character.
Apple's "Hide My Email"
iCloud+ subscribers can create random-looking @icloud.com addresses that forward to their real address. The "Hide My Email" option that appears when you use "Sign in with Apple" in an app works on the same principle. The nice part is that you can reply to emails from these addresses, and the other side still only sees the alias. The limit is that you're tied to your Apple account and its ecosystem. If you move to Android or another service, managing them can become a hassle.
Forwarding (relay) services
With services such as Firefox Relay and SimpleLogin, you create an account, generate a separate address for each site, and switch off any address that starts bothering you with one click. For regular use, it's a very tidy approach. Some let you reply as well, though that's often a paid feature. Bear in mind that all your mail passes through that service's servers, so you need to trust it.
Comparison table
| Feature | Temporary email | Gmail + address | Hide My Email | Forwarding service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How long it lasts | Short-lived (3 hours, extends while the page is open; emails deleted after 24 hours) | Permanent | Until you turn it off | Until you turn it off |
| Is your real address visible? | No, there's no real address involved | Yes, easy to work out | No | No |
| Setup | None, just open the page | None | An Apple device and the right subscription | Create an account, often install an extension |
| Can you reply? | No, receive only | Yes (sent from your real address) | Yes | On some services, usually paid |
| Link to your identity | None; no account or personal details needed | Directly your Google account | Your Apple account | Your account with the service |
| Cost | Free | Free | Subscription required | Free and paid plans |
Which one should you use, and when?
Looking at the table, an alias might seem better across the board. It isn't. Every advantage of an alias comes from being tied to an account, a setup or a subscription. And sometimes that tie is exactly what you don't want.
- Filling in a form to get on a café's Wi-Fi. Temporary email. You'll never need that address again.
- Asking one question on a forum, downloading a file, getting a one-time verification code. Temporary email.
- A shop you buy from regularly and expect delivery updates from. An alias, or simply your real address. You may need invoices and returns correspondence months later.
- Finding out which site leaked your address to spammers. Gmail's + address. It won't hide you, but it gives you a clue.
- Signing up for an app on an iPhone with "Sign in with Apple". Hide My Email. It's already one tap away.
- Registered on dozens of sites and want to get them organised. A forwarding service.
- Banking, government services, work and school accounts. None of the above. Use your real address, the one you check all the time.
The side of aliases people rarely talk about
A common misunderstanding is to confuse an alias with being anonymous. An alias stops the other side from seeing your real address, but behind it there's still your account. If the forwarding service runs into trouble, or you lose access to your Apple or Google account, every one of those aliases is affected. That isn't a bad thing, just a different trade-off.
A temporary email has no such tie. The cost is clear too. The address isn't permanent, you can't reply, and you can't see attachments. There is some flexibility, though. Under the address box, next to the green key icon, you'll see a recovery key in the format XXXX-XXXX. Write it down and you can return to the same address from another device, or days later. The key doesn't mean creating an account; it just reopens the door to that address.
Does it make sense to use both?
In my view, that's the healthiest setup. Keep your real address for a small number of important places, like your bank, official matters, work and family. Give an alias to sites you'll use regularly but that could bury you in marketing. Open a temporary email for forms you'll look at once and close. That way your main inbox stays clean, your aliases don't multiply for no reason, and your name never comes up when some forgotten site has a data breach.
An alias is like a second letterbox fixed to your front door. A temporary email is an envelope you hand over wherever you happen to be that day and throw away in the evening. Each has its place. If your inbox is already overflowing, our article on how to stop spam emails has practical steps for getting it back under control.
FAQ
Can a Gmail + address replace a temporary email?
Not really. Your real Gmail address is easy to work out from a + address, and every email still lands in your inbox. It's useful for tracing where spam comes from, but it doesn't hide your address.
Can I reply from an email alias?
With Apple's Hide My Email and some forwarding services, yes. A temporary email only receives mail; there's no way to send or reply.
Can a temporary email address be made permanent?
No. The address is valid for 3 hours and extends while the page is open. You can return to the same address for a long time with the recovery key, but incoming emails are deleted after 24 hours, so it isn't suitable for permanent accounts.
Which is more private, an alias or a temporary email?
From the other side's point of view, neither shows your real address. The difference is that an alias has an account of yours behind it, while a temporary email involves no account or personal details at all.