The most useful thing to know before pricing a SimpleLogin alternative is that SimpleLogin isn't a mailbox. It creates aliases and forwards what arrives to a mailbox you already have somewhere else.
That's not a shortcoming — it's the product. But it means SimpleLogin is never your only mail bill, and comparing it against a mail host is comparing two different layers.
What a SimpleLogin Alternative Is Actually Replacing
SimpleLogin's job is to stand between you and the sender. You hand out an alias instead of your real address, mail forwards to your actual mailbox, and if that alias starts attracting spam you delete it without touching the mailbox underneath.
It does that well, it's open source, and it's the right tool for the problem. What it doesn't do is store mail, so you still need a provider for the mailbox itself — Gmail, an employer's Workspace, or a paid host.
So a SimpleLogin alternative is not "somewhere else to put your aliases". It's a question about whether the alias layer and the mailbox should be the same product.
The Pricing, and the Proton Connection
From their pricing page:
| Plan | Price | Aliases | Mailboxes | Custom domains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 10 | 1 | None |
| Premium | $4/mo or $36/yr | Unlimited | Multiple | Unlimited |
Two things worth knowing. SimpleLogin is a Proton AG product, registered in Switzerland — so if you're weighing it against Proton Mail, you're looking at two parts of the same company. And Premium now bundles Proton Pass, which is a password manager rather than anything to do with mail.
The free tier is genuinely useful at 10 aliases. Custom domains need Premium, which is the point where most people comparing a SimpleLogin alternative start doing arithmetic.
Where Aliases Stop Being Enough
Three walls, and they arrive in a predictable order.
Nothing is stored, so nothing can be recovered. An alias that failed to forward has left no copy behind. If the destination filtered it into spam or the account was closed, the message is gone with no server-side record to check.
Replies come from the wrong place. Forwarding solves inbound. Answering as hello@yourbusiness.com needs the mailbox underneath to be able to send as that address, which is a property of your mail host rather than of the alias service.
A shared address needs membership. Point an alias at two people and both receive copies — neither can see the other has replied, so the same customer gets answered twice. That's a shared mailbox, and an alias layer can't provide it at any price.
None of this is a criticism. It's the boundary of what an alias service is for, and SimpleLogin has never claimed otherwise.
Where a SimpleLogin Alternative Changes Shape
Four differences when the aliases live in the mailbox rather than in front of it.
One bill, one layer. Aliases run 30 to 100 per mailbox by plan and catch-all routing covers everything else, so there's no separate subscription in front of your mail.
Mail is stored, so it's searchable and recoverable. Cross-mailbox search runs one server-side query across every folder you can reach, which is impossible when messages only passed through.
Sending as the alias just works, because the alias and the mailbox are the same account rather than two products that have to be configured to agree.
Addresses a team answers get real membership rather than duplicate copies.
The honest trade: SimpleLogin's whole point is that the alias can be thrown away without touching your identity, and using aliases on a domain you own is a different privacy posture from using randomised ones. If disposable, unlinkable addresses are what you want, that's their design and not ours.
The Verdict, Whoever You Are
One person protecting a personal inbox. Stay with SimpleLogin. Ten free aliases, or $36 a year for unlimited, in front of a mailbox you already have is exactly the right tool, and a SimpleLogin alternative would be solving a problem you don't have.
One person with their own domain. Now it's a real question. Premium at $36 a year buys unlimited aliases on your domain, but you're still paying a mail host underneath. Aliases included in the mailbox remove the second bill — the trade being that they're not disposable in the same way.
A team. A SimpleLogin alternative wins here without much argument. Forwarding copies to several people is what causes duplicate replies, and no alias service fixes that. Role addresses become mailboxes rather than forwarding rules, and filters sort them at delivery.
Mail for several companies. An alias layer per client, in front of whatever each client's mailbox provider is, is a lot of moving parts. One account covering up to 1,000 domains with bulk provisioning and setup invites is fewer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SimpleLogin host my email?
No. It creates aliases and forwards to a mailbox you hold elsewhere, so you keep paying a mail provider separately.
How much does SimpleLogin cost?
Free for 10 aliases with one mailbox, or $4 a month — $36 a year — for unlimited aliases and unlimited custom domains, now bundled with Proton Pass.
Is SimpleLogin part of Proton?
Yes, it's a Proton AG product registered in Switzerland. Worth knowing if you're comparing it against Proton Mail, since both come from the same company.
Can I reply from a SimpleLogin alias?
Yes, through their reverse-alias mechanism, but the outbound path still depends on the mailbox behind it. When the alias belongs to the mailbox, sending as it needs no extra mechanism.
Do I need a SimpleLogin alternative if I have my own domain?
Only if you'd rather not pay two subscriptions. Their Premium is genuinely good at what it does; the question is whether aliases in the mailbox cover the same need for you.
Can aliases replace a shared inbox?
No. Forwarding delivers copies, so two colleagues can answer the same customer without knowing. That needs membership in one mailbox.
What happens to my aliases if I stop paying?
Check their downgrade terms before relying on a large alias set, since unlimited aliases and custom domains are Premium features. Aliases on a domain you own move with the domain.
