An email alias is an additional address that delivers to your existing inbox, so you can give different addresses to different people or services without creating separate accounts — and switch any one of them off without touching the others.
Alias, forwarder, plus-address
These three get used interchangeably, and they are not the same thing:
- Plus-addressing (
you+shop@example.com) is free and instant, but it contains your real address. Anyone who wants to can strip the tag, and some sign-up forms reject the plus sign. - A forwarder receives mail at one address and passes it on to a mailbox somewhere else — often at a different provider. It typically cannot send, so replies come from your real address and reveal it.
- An alias is a real address of its own that delivers to your inbox. A good alias service also lets you reply and send as the alias, so the other side never learns the address behind it.
Why one address per signup helps
When every service has its own address, unwanted mail tells you where it came from — and if an address is sold or leaked, you switch that one off and nothing else changes. A single address given to everyone offers neither.
There is more on this in Email aliases, explained.
Aliases at Mailotte
A Mailotte alias is a separately generated address on mailotte.com that delivers to your own inbox. You can see which alias a message arrived through, send and reply from any alias so the recipient only ever sees the alias, and disable one without touching your real address. An alias is a delivery address only — it can never be used to sign in to your account. Free includes 3 aliases, Zen 10, and Haven unlimited.
Questions
Is an email alias the same as a forwarder?
No. A forwarder passes mail on to another mailbox and usually cannot send, so replies reveal your real address. An alias delivers to your inbox and, with a good service, can also send and reply as itself.
Is plus-addressing as good as an alias?
It is convenient, but your real address is inside it, so anyone can remove the tag and reach you directly. An alias does not contain your real address.
Can someone log in to my account with an alias?
Not at Mailotte. Aliases are delivery addresses only and can never be used to sign in.
Related terms
- Catch-all address — Catch-all mailbox
- SPF — Sender Policy Framework
- DMARC — Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance
- All terms