Quick answer
addy.io - addy.io wins for most builders who just need simple email aliasing on the cheapest path, while anon.li wins if you need API access, forms, or team features.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers overlap on the basic job of forwarding mail, but they optimize for different builders. addy.io is the simpler alias-first product: unlimited standard aliases on the free plan, no credit card required, and a very low-cost upgrade path if you just need more recipients, domains, or replies. Its limits show up mainly in recipient count, shared-domain aliases, and bandwidth. anon.li is broader and more developer-oriented. Even the free tier includes API requests, PGP, file and form features, and more kinds of content handling, so it fits workflows beyond plain aliasing. The tradeoff is that its free alias count is smaller and the paid ladder starts to matter sooner if you need many aliases or more API volume. For solo builders focused on inbox privacy, addy.io is the lighter choice. For builders automating signups or building around aliases, anon.li is more capable.
addy.io vs anon.li free tier, side by side
| addy.ioFTV 44 | anon.liFTV 49 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free aliasesaddy.io's free tier is much looser on basic alias count. | Unlimited standard aliases | 10 email aliases |
| Shared-domain aliasesanon.li's free tier is centered more on API and forms than shared alias volume. | 10 active shared domain aliases | Not specified in free tier |
| RecipientsBoth free plans are tight here. | 1 recipient | 1 email recipient |
| Custom domain / alias supportThe naming is different, so treat these as approximate capabilities rather than identical quotas. | 2 available alias domains | 1 custom alias |
| API requests per monthThis is one of anon.li's main free-tier differentiators. | Not included | 500 |
| Bandwidthanon.li is far more generous on bandwidth in the provided free-tier data. | 10MB monthly bandwidth limit | 5GB bandwidth |
| Forms / submissionsanon.li includes workflow features that addy.io does not list in the free plan. | Not included | 3 forms, 50 submissions/month |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat-priced paid tiers for their main plans, but addy.io stays much cheaper for the first upgrade. Its first paid tier is Lite at $1/month billed yearly, then Pro at $3/month billed yearly or $4 billed monthly. anon.li starts at Plus for $1.99/mo billed $23.89/year, then Pro at $2.99/mo billed $35.89/year, with Business at $9.99/seat/mo and Enterprise on custom pricing. For a solo builder, addy.io is cheaper; anon.li costs more only if you need its extra API, forms, or team features.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | addy.io | anon.li |
|---|---|---|
| Solo user, basic aliasing onlyUsing the first paid tier for each. | $1/mo | $1.99/mo |
| Need more than 1 recipientBoth paid starts cover 5 recipients, but addy.io is cheaper. | $1/mo for 5 recipients on Lite | $1.99/mo for 5 recipients on Plus |
| Need API access, 25,000 requests/moanon.li Plus includes 25,000 API requests/month. | Not available in provided plans | $1.99/mo |
| Small team, shared access and role managementanon.li Business is per-seat; addy.io does not list comparable team pricing in the provided data. | Not available in provided plans | $9.99/seat/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick addy.io when…
- You want unlimited standard aliases on the free tier for personal signups.
- You only need one real inbox recipient and a simple aliasing workflow.
- You care most about the cheapest upgrade from free to paid.
- You do not need API access, forms, or file-sharing features.
- You want a lower-friction starter plan with no credit card required.
Pick anon.li when…
- You need API access from day one, even on the free tier.
- You want to automate alias workflows with CLI, browser extension, or MCP access.
- You need forms, submissions, file attachments, or encrypted drops.
- You expect to move to team usage with shared aliases and role-based access.
- You want stronger custom-domain and recipient flexibility as you scale.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, simple privacy-preserving email aliasing, addy.io is the better pick because the free tier is broader where it matters most and the upgrade path is cheaper. Choose anon.li if your project needs automation, API calls, forms, file handling, or team collaboration, since those features appear in the free plan and scale into the paid tiers. If you just want to protect your inbox without building around the service, addy.io is the simpler and cheaper fit.
Read the full listings: addy.io and anon.li. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.