10+ Best Burner Email Providers
A burner email, also known as a disposable email, is a temporary address that is used in place of your primary email. Think of it as a protective shield for your real email, keeping it safe from unwanted spam and potential data breaches.
Why Would You Need a Burner Email?
Let’s be honest – we’ve all been there. You want to download that cool PDF guide or try out a new app, but they’re asking for your email address. Sure, you could use your main email, but do you really want to deal with the inevitable flood of marketing emails that follows?
This is where burner emails come to the rescue. They’re perfect for:
- Testing out new services without committing your real email address
- Signing up for one-time downloads or temporary access to content
- Protecting your privacy when you’re not sure about a website’s trustworthiness
- Avoiding spam in your primary inbox
How Do Burner Emails Work?
Think of a burner email like a disposable phone number – it works just like your regular email but is designed to be temporary. When you use a burner email service, you get a unique email address that forwards messages to your real inbox (if you want it to), or you can check messages directly on the provider’s website.
Choosing the Right Burner Email Service
Before we dive into our list of providers, here’s what you should consider when picking a burner email service:
- Duration: Do you need it for 10 minutes or 10 months?
- Features: Some services offer email forwarding, while others provide a temporary inbox
- Ease of use: Look for services that don’t require complex setup
- Price: While many are free, some premium services offer extra features worth considering
Now that you understand the basics, let’s explore some of the best burner email providers available today. We’ve tested and compiled a list of services that cater to different needs and preferences.
Best Burner Email Providers
- SimpleLogin: A service that provides burner emails with a full subscription running at 0 per year.
- Burner Mail: As the name suggests, this service specializes in providing burner emails. It’s slightly cheaper than SimpleLogin.
- ProtonMail: This service offers more than just disposable emails, especially if you upgrade to a premium account.
- 10 Minute Mail: A quick, simple, and effective service ideal for use with sites that require verification.
- Temp-Mail: A secure disposable email service. Offers a premium option for folks wanting more features.
- EmailOnDeck: This service is known for its simplicity and effectiveness in providing temporary emails.
- Guerrilla Mail: A popular choice for temporary email addresses.
- Maildrop: Another service that provides free disposable email addresses.
- Hushmail: This service is more business-oriented, with pricing starting at .99 per user per month for small businesses and nonprofits.
- YOPmail: YOPmail provides temporary, anonymous, free, secure, disposable email address.
- Mailinator: Mailinator lets you use any email address
@mailinator.comand pick up the mail at its site. - TrashMail: This service forwards all mail to your real email address and allows you to make unlimited disposable addresses.
While these services can help protect your privacy, they should not be used for sensitive communications since the emails can be read by the service provider.
Frequently Asked Questions About Burner Emails
Is Burner email free?
Yes, many burner email services offer free basic features. Services like 10 Minute Mail, Temp-Mail, and Guerrilla Mail are completely free. However, premium services like SimpleLogin and Burner Mail offer additional features like custom domains, unlimited aliases, and better privacy protection for a subscription fee.
Can burner emails be traced?
While burner emails provide a layer of anonymity, they aren’t completely untraceable. The level of privacy depends on the service provider and their logging policies. Premium services often offer better privacy features and fewer logs. For maximum privacy, consider using a VPN alongside your burner email.
How long does a burner email last?
The duration varies by service. Some temporary emails last for just 10 minutes (like 10 Minute Mail), others for 24 hours, and some premium services let you keep the address as long as you want. Many services also allow you to extend the duration or delete the address manually when you’re done.
Can I receive attachments with burner emails?
Most burner email services support receiving attachments, but there are usually size limitations. Free services typically have stricter limits (often 10MB or less), while paid services may offer larger attachment capabilities. Always check the service’s limitations before using it for receiving important files.
Are burner emails legal?
Yes, using burner emails is legal for legitimate purposes like protecting your privacy or reducing spam. However, using them for fraud, harassment, or other malicious activities is illegal. Always follow the service provider’s terms of use and local laws.
Can I send emails from a burner address?
This depends on the service. Some basic free services only allow receiving emails, while others provide full sending capabilities. Premium services typically offer more reliable sending features and may even let you reply from different aliases.
What happens to emails after the burner address expires?
When a burner email expires, any emails sent to that address will typically bounce back to the sender. Most services automatically delete all associated data and messages for privacy reasons. Some premium services may offer message archiving options before expiration.