addy.io: what it is and how to use it

addy.io is an open-source email alias service that you can also self-host. It forwards each alias to your real inbox, so each sign-up can use a different address.

Overview

How do you use addy.io?

1. Open addy.io with the VPN on and check the domain in the address bar.
2. Create the account with a private email or one from your crypto identity, and pick a username unrelated to you.
3. For your financial or crypto identity, prefer a shared domain for the aliases, rather than addresses like anything@yourname.addy.io, which share the same username.
4. Create one alias per service, named after the service, and use it at sign-up instead of your real email.
5. If you like, turn on the GPG encryption and tracking-pixel blocking the site offers.
6. Keep the alias list in your password manager and protect the destination inbox with 2FA.

What are the limits and cautions?

• If all your aliases share the same username on the domain, someone can link one to another. For your financial identity, prefer shared domains.
• The alias protects the address, not the destination inbox: whoever breaks into that inbox sees everything that arrived through every alias.
• If you use the paid plan, the payment is a link; paying with a card tied to your name creates a record. Use the free plan for the essentials if it is enough.

Other Email aliases tools

• SimpleLogin

See all tools

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