Best temporary email services in 2026

By Riley Marsh · Last updated November 4, 2026

The best service depends on what you’re doing. A quick sign-up, a shared test inbox, and an account you’ll keep all need different tools. Here’s how the options differ.

Before you read this

We run TempMailyo, so we aren’t neutral. To keep this useful, we rely on each service’s own public pages as they were when we checked in November 2026, and we say when we couldn’t confirm something. We haven’t measured delivery rates, so we don’t claim that any service gets more codes through.

The quick answer

• A one-time sign-up you want kept private: an inbox that only you can open, such as TempMailyo.
• Non-sensitive test mail you want others to see: a public inbox, such as Mailinator or YOPmail.
• An account you’ll keep using: an alias service, such as SimpleLogin or Firefox Relay.

Our inbox

• Who can read it: only the browser holding the secret token.
• How long it lasts: 24 hours, or until you delete it.
• Limits: receive only, attachments are removed, addresses are random, and there’s no app or public API.
• Cost: free, with no paid plan.

Mailinator

• Who can read it: its documentation says public inboxes are readable and deletable by anyone, and that the public system has no privacy.
• How long it lasts: public messages are automatically deleted after a few hours.
• Best for: shared testing with data that isn’t sensitive. Mailinator itself warns against sending secrets or customer data to public inboxes.

YOPmail

• Who can read it: inboxes have no password, so anyone who knows or guesses the inbox name should be able to open it.
• How long it lasts: its site says messages are kept for 8 days, and you can remove them sooner.
• Sending: it says you can reply to messages and write to other YOPmail addresses, but not send anonymous mail in general.
• Best for: mail that isn’t sensitive, when you need it for longer than a day.

Guerrilla Mail

• What it shows: random addresses with a Scramble button, a choice of domains, and a Compose option. It also offers access for a domain you own, for $9.99 a year.
• What we couldn’t confirm: its home page didn’t state how long mail is kept or who can read a default inbox. Third-party reviews describe about one hour and open access, so check for yourself before trusting it with a code.

Temp-Mail.org and 10 Minute Mail

Both are popular, but their pages blocked our automated check, so we can’t confirm their current retention or inbox privacy here. Run them through our checklist for choosing a service before you use them.

Alias services: for accounts you keep

An alias forwards mail to your real inbox, and you can switch it off later. That suits accounts you’ll return to, which a temporary inbox can’t. The alias provider does handle your mail and knows your real address, so choose one you trust.

• SimpleLogin: its pricing page lists 10 aliases on the free plan, with replies from the alias.
• Firefox Relay: masks forward mail to your real address. Paid Premium adds replies, custom subdomains, and promotional email blocking.
• Apple Hide My Email: Apple offers it to iCloud+ subscribers.

Checked November 2026. Prices, limits, and policies change, so confirm them on each provider’s site.