Quick answer
Alias Email - Alias Email wins for most builders who only need simple email aliasing, while anon.li wins if you also need API access, recipient management, or a broader privacy toolset.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers overlap on the basics: both give you 10 email aliases and PGP encryption, both are perpetual, and both can be used without a credit card. The difference is that Alias Email is a narrower, cleaner email-alias product. Its free plan is mostly about forwarding, replying, and sending from aliases, with one custom domain and less to manage. anon.li is the better fit once email aliases are part of a larger workflow. Even on the free tier, it adds API requests, a single recipient limit, file and form features, and more automation hooks. That broader surface area makes anon.li more flexible for builders, but its aliasing plan is still more constrained in some places, especially recipients and custom aliases. Paid pricing also diverges: Alias Email stays very simple and flat, while anon.li spreads into lower-cost individual plans and team pricing.
Alias Email vs anon.li free tier, side by side
| Alias EmailFTV 54 | anon.liFTV 49 | |
|---|---|---|
| Email aliases | 10 | 10 |
| Custom domains / custom aliasesThe products describe different quota types, so these are not directly equivalent. | 1 custom domain | 1 custom alias |
| Email recipientsanon.li explicitly limits recipients on the free tier; Alias Email does not state a recipient limit. | Not stated | 1 recipient |
| API requests per monthOnly anon.li includes API access on the free tier. | Not included | 500 |
| PGP encryption | Included | Included |
| Reply from aliasAlias Email also includes send anonymous email. | Included | Included |
After you outgrow the free tier
Alias Email is simpler: one paid tier, Premium, at $3.33/month billed annually, with flat pricing and unlimited aliases plus 2 custom domains. anon.li starts cheaper at $1.99/mo for Plus, then moves to Pro at $2.99/mo with unlimited aliases and 100,000 API requests/month, then Business at $9.99/seat/mo for teams, and Enterprise via custom pricing. For solo builders, anon.li is cheaper at the entry paid level and gives more plan steps. For teams, anon.li gets expensive faster because of per-seat pricing; Alias Email stays a single low-cost flat plan.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Alias Email | anon.li |
|---|---|---|
| 10 aliases, 1 custom domain, solo use | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| 100 aliases, 1 or 2 domains, solo useAlias Email Premium includes unlimited aliases and 2 custom domains; anon.li Plus includes 100 aliases and 3 custom domains. | $3.33/mo est. via Premium | $1.99/mo via Plus |
| Unlimited aliases, 10 custom domains, solo useanon.li Pro includes unlimited aliases and 10 custom domains. | $3.33/mo est. via Premium | $2.99/mo via Pro |
| 3 seats for a teamanon.li Business is priced per seat at $9.99/seat/mo. | $3.33/mo est. for one account | $29.97/mo via Business |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Alias Email when…
- You just need a small set of throwaway or branded aliases for one inbox.
- You want a simple free aliasing workflow with no API or form features to learn.
- You expect to stay under 10 aliases and only need 1 custom domain.
- You care more about a focused email tool than a broader developer platform.
Pick anon.li when…
- You want aliasing plus API access for automation or integrations.
- You need recipient controls, custom aliases, or a path toward higher alias volume.
- You may use forms, attachments, or other non-email privacy features later.
- You want a product that can scale from solo use to team or enterprise plans without changing vendors.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Alias Email is the cleaner free-tier choice if you mainly want a small aliasing setup and do not need integrations. anon.li is the better pick when you want the alias layer to plug into tools and workflows, because the free tier already includes API access and a broader feature set. If your use is just forwarding mail to one inbox, Alias Email is easier to justify. If you expect to automate, test, or expand into team usage, anon.li has the better growth path.
Read the full listings: Alias Email 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.