Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
addy.io vs Runbox
Where addy.io and Runbox differ
| Compare |  addy.io | Runbox ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1 | €1.66 |
| Free plan limits | Unlimited standard aliases, 10 active shared domain aliases, 1 recipient, 2 alias domains, 10MB monthly bandwidth | Free trial only (30 days): 1 GB email storage, 100 MB file storage, 20 recipients per day; no permanent free plan |
| End-to-end encryption | No end-to-end encryption of stored mail; optional GPG/OpenPGP encryption of forwarded messages to the recipient's own public key, including attachments and optional encrypted subject | No default end-to-end encryption; email is encrypted in transit only, and true E2EE is opt-in per message via S/MIME or PGP between sender and recipient |
| Jurisdiction | GB | NO |
Same on both: Custom domains (Yes), Open source (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- addy.io scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.4.
- Pricing model: only addy.io offers Free.
Our verdict on each
addy.io
addy.io suits people who want a fresh address for every site without a new mailbox for each one, and it starts on a free plan. Paid tiers begin at $1, under the €4.38 secure email median, though stored mail is not end-to-end encrypted.
Runbox
Runbox suits readers who want a full inbox with a custom domain, open source code and apps across every major platform, and who can accept that mail is encrypted in transit rather than end to end by default. The budget plan starts at €1.66, and there is no permanent free tier.
Score breakdown
| Area | addy.io | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.9HigherEntry is $1 against a €4.38 secure email median, and the free plan covers unlimited standard aliases. | 9.7Budget plan entry of €1.66 against a median of €6.84 and a long term median of €3.97. |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Privacy | 9.5Higher | 9.3 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | addy.io | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Norway |
How they place
| Ranking | addy.io | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 63 of 280 | 68 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 13 of 60 | 15 of 60 |
Where these facts come from
addy.io
- addy.io: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Runbox
- runbox.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.runbox.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | addy.io | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free, BudgetCovers more | Budget |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Runbox Solutions AS |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Norway |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2000 |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, Community | Email, Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | addy.io | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Raycast | Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Macos, Linux |
| Logging policy | Self-hosted Umami analytics with no cookies or personal data, no Google Analytics; Nginx access and error logs record IP addresses, rotated daily and retained 3 days, used only to improve the service and prevent abuse | Server logs for system administration only; email delivery logs kept 10 days, web interface usage logs 1 month; no third-party tracking, no web beacons |
Pros and cons
addy.io
Pros
- The free plan allows unlimited standard aliases, plus shared domain aliases and alias domains, so building a large set of addresses costs nothing.
- Custom domains are supported, so aliases can sit on a domain you already own instead of a shared one.
- Open source, so the alias and forwarding logic can be read and checked by anyone.
Cons
- Support runs on email, help centre and community, so anything urgent waits for a written reply or a community thread.
- The free plan's recipient limit and monthly bandwidth allowance are tight, so more than light forwarding means paying.
- Jurisdiction is GB, which puts the contract and any dispute under a single country's rules.
Runbox
Pros
- Custom domains are supported, so the mailbox can run on an address on a domain the reader owns.
- The web interface is open source, so the client side can be read rather than taken on trust.
- Apps cover web, ios and android, so one mailbox works in a browser and on phones and desktops.
Cons
- End-to-end encryption is a per message setting: email is encrypted in transit, and true end-to-end encryption is opt-in per message via S/MIME or PGP between sender and recipient, so key handling falls to the reader on the budget plan at €1.66.
- Free plan: no, so the cheapest way in is a time-limited trial with a fixed allowance of mail and file storage and a cap on recipients per day, rather than a mailbox that stays free.
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, so there is no live chat or phone line for anything urgent.
Who each suits
addy.io
Who it suits
- People signing up to lots of sites who want a new alias for each and can begin on the free plan.
- Readers who want custom domains on an address they own, with apps across browsers rather than a system-level setting.
- Users happy to forward mail onward and who judge the service on open source and price rather than on encrypted storage.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end-to-end encrypted mail storage: addy.io encrypts only forwarded messages, and Posteo at €1 is the other option here at a close entry price.
- Apple users already set up inside that ecosystem, where Apple's alias generator at $0.99 is the shorter path, while addy.io's $1 buys open source aliases across iOS, Android and Web.
Runbox
Who it suits
- Readers who want a full mailbox on a domain they own, with apps on web, ios and android and support on email, help centre and community.
- People who treat transport encryption as enough and will set up S/MIME or PGP for the conversations that need more.
- Long-standing account holders who value that the web interface is open source and that logs are kept for system administration only.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end-to-end encryption switched on by default, since here it is opt-in per message through S/MIME or PGP between sender and recipient.
- Price-first readers who can live with something simpler: addy.io lists $1 and Apple Hide My Email lists $0.99, both under the budget plan at €1.66.
- Readers unwilling to start on a trial, since the free plan is no and the budget plan at €1.66 is the entry.
Current offers
addy.io
Current offer
Discount code
Notesnook 25% off first year: 25% off first year
addy.io paid subscribers (Lite, Pro, Duo or Family) only; no commission received by addy.io
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Windscribe 3 month Pro trial then annual Pro plan: 3 month Pro trial, then 49 USD per year
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Kagi 3 months of Professional plan free: 3 months free
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Tuta 25% off first year: 25% off first year
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
EasyOptOuts 25% off for life: 25% off for life, 5 sign-ups per coupon
US customers only; addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Runbox
Current offer
Free trial
30-day free trial of all plans: 30 days free, no credit card required
Every new Runbox account starts with a free 30-day trial so you can try the service before committing. No payment details are required to start.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
First month free when subscribing during the trial: 1 month free
You can skip the trial and pay for your selected plan right after signing up, and still receive your first month free.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
60-day full money back guarantee: 60 days
We also offer a 60-day full refund policy, so if you subscribe and change your mind you can request a full refund within 60 days.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
addy.io
Is there a free plan, and what comes with it?+
Yes. The free plan allows unlimited standard aliases, and adds shared domain aliases, alias domains, a recipient limit and a monthly bandwidth allowance. That is enough for light use without paying anything. Beyond that, paid plans in the free and budget range start at $1.
How much does addy.io cost at the entry point?+
Entry is $1, which sits under the €4.38 median for secure email brands and below the €8.94 upper marker. You can also stay on the free plan as long as the allowance suits, which is the practical way to judge the service first.
Runbox
How much is Runbox at the start of a subscription?+
The budget plan starts at €1.66, and that is the entry figure used when comparing providers. Custom domains are supported on the plan, so the mailbox can run on an address the reader owns. For orientation, the median entry price across the brands compared is €6.84, which places Runbox below the middle of the group.
What happens to the price at renewal?+
The published figure is an entry price of €1.66 for the budget plan, with no separate renewal rate stated alongside it. Across the brands compared, the median long term price is €3.97 and the median first year price is €49.95. Check the plan terms before the first bill rather than assuming the entry figure carries over.