Alternatives to spamgourmet

[jim]

Hello,
Since about a year or two, I'm moving to use my own domain name as temporary or disposable email addresses.
It cost me around US$15 a year.

Can you provide more details? Where do you get a Cpanel hosting account for $15/year? Is the DNS registrar and DNS hosting account the same company? You create a unique sub-domain for each service you sign up for?

For example if want to create an email address to use with Acme Company, you'd create an email address that looked like acme@acme.mydomaincom? And then you create a catch-all email forwarding for acme.mydomain.com? If you get spam you blackhole the entire sub-domain?

I assume with this solution you lose the ability to send emails from your sub-domain.mydomain.com (or mydomain.com)?

[voltage]

Can you provide more details? Where do you get a Cpanel hosting account for $15/year? Is the DNS registrar and DNS hosting account the same company? You create a unique sub-domain for each service you sign up for?

For example if want to create an email address to use with Acme Company, you'd create an email address that looked like acme@acme.mydomaincom? And then you create a catch-all email forwarding for acme.mydomain.com? If you get spam you blackhole the entire sub-domain?

I assume with this solution you lose the ability to send emails from your sub-domain.mydomain.com (or mydomain.com)?

Sure.

Let's say my domain name is: example.com
Then I create a sub-domain: voltage
So all email will be: *@voltage.example.com

If I want to create an email address to use with Acme Company, I create: acme@voltage.example.com and it is forwarded into real-email@voltage.example.com
For xyz: xyz@voltage.example.com --> real-email@voltage.example.com
For abc: abc@voltage.example.com --> real-email@voltage.example.com
So I just need to check real-email@voltage.example.com for all incoming emails.

If Acme Company spam me, then I change the setting for acme@voltage.example.com into :blackhole:, or you can use :fail: if you prefer, so the incoming emails will be rejected. But no worry, xyz@voltage.example.com and abc@voltage.example.com still able to receive incoming emails.

The real-email@voltage.example.com is POP3 account, so you are able to send emails. If you would like to send as xyz@voltage.example.com then you could create an Identity in your Email Client or Webmail as xyz@voltage.example.com.

For name servers, you could use your registrar or your web hosting company. For me, I prefer to use name servers of my hosting company, so I won't need to change anything if they switch into new IP address. If you use sub-domain, at your root domain name you need to setup A & MX record for your sub-domain or if supported you can use NS records.

Cpanel is the most popular hosting control panel, but personally I prefer Direct Admin since it is cheaper and easier to change email forwarding setting.
For Cpanel you need to create a new rule then delete the old one.
For Direct Admin, you just need to change setting directly, usually indicated by pencil icon.

You can view web hosting offers on Webhostingtalk.com:
https://www.webhostingtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4

If you ask me, I use Hostens.com for Cpanel and Hostmantis.com for DirectAdmin.
Hostens' Cpanel costs around US$18 a year (Sorry, I forgot the exact amount) and Hostmantis's DirectAdmin costs around US$12 a year.

Thank you.

[voltage]

Other methods:

2. Use Email Forwarding From Your Registrar

Buy a new domain name for US$10 then setup email forwarding at your registrar.
Example:
acme@example.com --> real-email@isp.net
abc@example.com --> real-email@isp.net
xyz@example.com --> real-email@isp.net
If Acme send spams, then change the forwarding of acme@example.com into blackhole address or just delete the email address to reject incoming emails.
Pros: Cheaper, it only cost you the domain registration.
Cons: Usually email forwarders at Registrar is limited, around 50-100 only (Name Cheap and Name Silo).

3. Use Catch All As Default

Like method 1 (on my previous post), but by creating a catch-all email address for @voltage.example.com into real-email@voltage.example.com
So you can easy signup for services as you like without creating email forwarding.
If Acme send spam, then you create acme@voltage.example.com and set into "blackhole:
Pros: Easier for daily uses.
Cons: There is no record which services you have been signup, unless they send emails.

Personally for me, I prefer method 1 (On my previous post).
Yes, the method will need me to create an email address for every service.
But:
- I already have a domain name.
- Cpanel or DirectAdmin allows unlimited email forwarder addresses.
- I can know what the services I have been signup.

[jim]

Wow, thanks for the detailed responses! Really appreciate it. I understand your solution much better now, but I actually have a few more questions now.

Why use a subdomain? Just personal preference? I assume this solution works equally well with the root domain?

Do web/dns hosting providers limit you on the number of email subdomains you can have?

If you use sub-domain, at your root domain name you need to setup A & MX record for your sub-domain or if supported you can use NS records.

Why/what A record do you need to use a subdomain?
I understand your web hosting provider is also an email provider? Is this common for web hosting providers to also provide email hosting services?

Is common for web hosting provider to also provide DNS hosting?

Cpanel and DirectAdmin are web host management tools that any hosting provider can use (i.e. they're not tied to a single company)?

If you ask me, I use Hostens.com for Cpanel and Hostmantis.com for DirectAdmin.
Hostens' Cpanel costs around US$18 a year (Sorry, I forgot the exact amount) and Hostmantis's DirectAdmin costs around US$12 a year.

Why do you use two? For example to pull off your solution I could use either Hostens.com or Hostmantis.com?

[voltage]

Wow, thanks for the detailed responses! Really appreciate it. I understand your solution much better now, but I actually have a few more questions now.

It's my pleasure.

Why use a subdomain? Just personal preference? I assume this solution works equally well with the root domain?

I use sub-domain to save money and also "easy switch".

Let's say I order a DirectAdmin account for: host-1.example.com
Since Hostmantis allows unlimited domain (known as add-on domain), then:
- I just put "Under Construction" for host-1.example.com since this sub-domain only acts as account holder.
- I create add-on domain for: voltage.example.com
- If in the future I need another function or purpose, I just create: new-sub-domain.example.com
This made me just only pay one hosting account.
If in the future I need to move voltage.example.com into another server, then I just move that sub-domain and the other sub-domains stay still.

Do web/dns hosting providers limit you on the number of email subdomains you can have?

I'm not sure about other hosting providers, since I use Hostens and Hostmantis, then they allow unlimited email forwarders. For add-on domain, on Hostens it is depend on your plan, since I'm on S10 plan, it only allows 10 add-on domain name. Hostmantis allows unlimited.

Please do not confuse the terms of "add-on domain", it is not means root domain only, but consider it as "full function".
Example: DirectAdmin does not supports email for sub-domain, so you need to add the sub-domain as "add-on domain", so your sub-domain can have email function.

Please be advised that hosting provider usually limit the outgoing email amount, the emails that send or deliver to external address. But for incoming email amount, usually you get unlimited. So the "real-email" better to be placed on the same server with your email forwarders (Same sub-domain or different sub-domain is okay as long as located on the same server).

Why/what A record do you need to use a subdomain?

For A and MX records, it is depend on your IP address.
Let's say your account have IP: 123.123.123.123
Then at your root domain, you setup:
voltage A 123.123.123.123
voltage MX 10 voltage.example.com.

It means web traffic of voltage.example.com will go to 123.123.123.123
And email for *@voltage.example.com handled by voltage.example.com (The same server as your web traffic).

I understand your web hosting provider is also an email provider? Is this common for web hosting providers to also provide email hosting services?

For shared hosting account, you get web, email, file and database hosting at the same server.

Is common for web hosting provider to also provide DNS hosting?

Putting web hosting and DNS on the same provider, it is depend on you. For redudancy, you can use Cloudflare as DNS Hosting and Web at your web hosting provider. But you need to keep up on the news from your web hosting provider in case they change their IP, yes it is seldom, even most of the time the IP never changes. I got account that almost 10 years without any single change of IP address.

Cpanel and DirectAdmin are web host management tools that any hosting provider can use (i.e. they're not tied to a single company)?

Cpanel and DirectAdmin acts as graphical web host management tools, you can create email, add database, etc. There are also Plesk, ISP Manager, etc. But Cpanel and DirectAdmin are the most commons.

If you feel Hostens not good enough, then you can switch to another provider. Just look for Cpanel hosting provider.
If you think Hostmantis is not good, just switch to another DirectAdmin hosting provider.
Just inform your new hosting provider with your old account and they will do the migration for you, but on very rare case, the web hosting provider ask you to migrate by yourself. If this is the case, in my opinion, better look for another new one.
Actually migration between Cpanel to DirectAdmin or vice versa is easy too. Your new hosting provider should able to do it for you.

This helps a lot if you need to switch to better provider in the future.

Why do you use two? For example to pull off your solution I could use either Hostens.com or Hostmantis.com?

I also use Hostens since Cpanel have "Track Delivery" function, so I can track if the email send out successfully. DirectAdmin do not have this function if you are Regular User. I need to be able to track outgoing emails to check some functions on external destination.

But I mainly uses the DirectAdmin at HostMantis as my temporary email solution, because it is easier for me.

[jim]

But I mainly uses the DirectAdmin at HostMantis as my temporary email solution, because it is easier for me.

Thanks again, of course more questions. I think I understand all the technical set up of this, however I'm not sure of the total costs. Right now I pay NameSilo $9/year for a domain plus $30/year to SimpleLogin for their email forwarding service (so $39 total).

I'd like to understand how much cheaper it'd be for me to switch to your type of solution. For example I understand I could use either Hostens or Hostmantis for $18 or $12/year respectively. Is that the total annual cost or are there other extra fees (for example domain registration)? SimpleLogin (and most email forwarding services) appear to offer email forwarding features (ease of use, reporting, etc.) that you wouldn't get with a web/email provider solution, but I'm try to determine how much extra I'm paying for those features. $39/year vs. $12/year total is a pretty big delta.

You also mentioned using Cloudflare for DNS (which would be optional), I assume they charge for their DNS hosting service?

[voltage]

It's my pleasure.

Let's do the math.

1.
Domain registration at Name Silo: US$ 9 a year.
Let's we calculate with Directadmin at Hostmantis.
DA Entry plan will cost your US$ 11.16 a year.
Use promotional code BF2020 at checkout for 25% off recurring: https://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1830061
Total = US$ 20.16 a year.
That's all.

2.
If you are planning to use root domain name: example.com and no sub-domains, you may go with Cpanel.
Cpanel have more good looking and functions than DirectAdmin.
Domain registration at Name Silo: US$ 9 a year.
Note: I just visit Hostens and they are offering Black Friday Promo for US$9 for the first year.
Check it out: https://www.hostens.com/black-friday/
If you go with the promo, total = US$ 18 for the first year dan then US$ 27.

3.
Cpanel at Hostmantis.
Domain name: US$ 9.
Cpanel Shared Entry plan: US$ 15.36
Use promotional code BF2020 at checkout for 25% off recurring: https://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1830061
Total: US$ 24.36 for one year.

Cloudflare offers free and paid plan, but as a start, maybe we just skip it. Just use the default nameservers for easier setup.
Even more, Hostens uses Cloudflare infrastructure for their nameservers. You may check: ns1.hostens.com and ns2.hostens.com

Yes, you are correct.
Dedicated email provider usually offers much email features compared with all-in-one provider (web, email, file and database at the same server).
But dedicated email provider only offer email.
So it will be back to you on what features you really need.

[jim]

Dedicated email provider usually offers much email features compared with all-in-one provider (web, email, file and database at the same server).
But dedicated email provider only offer email.
So it will be back to you on what features you really need.

Thanks yet again. I think I (finally) understand it all now. An all-in-one provider does not usually offer DNS domain name registration, so whatever they charge I'd need to add on the domain registration cost ($9/year in my case at NameSilo). So the biggest savings I could get (vs. SimpleLogin) is $19/year (using your Hostmantis math). I'm locked into SimpleLogin for a year, but know I enough to evaluate this web hosting solution in a year. It's especially appealing if I decide I want to start hosting a website.

If you'd allow me one more somewhat related question, are you aware of any decent free web hosting providers? The providers you reference look like a good value, but I've got several kids that want to create websites. If they all need their own account then even these low cost providers start to add up...

[voltage]

The free web hosting that I use now is only for static websites: github page and gitlab page.

You can enrolled with Directadmin with add-on domain names.
My directadmin host around 7-9 websites.

[xmoddz]

After the great mambernetics scare of 2020 I've decided find a new email alias/forwarding provider. Based on the info others posted here I quickly my search down to 33mail.com and SimpleLogin.

This is a brief review of my research into 33mail and SimpleLogin. Note I didn't look too deeply into 33mail since it quickly became apparent that SimpleLogin (SL) was a better value for my situation. I also have only been using SL for a couple days, so I'm not an expert on their services either.

They both seem very similar to SG (SpamGourmet). If you're ok with 33mail's restrictions at $12/year its Premium plan is very affordable. I would have gone with 33mail's premium plan if I just needed protection for my wife and me. However, since I want to be able to protect my whole family I would've needed to bump up to 33mail's Pro plan which is $60/year. For $30/year I believe SL's Premium plan actually gives you more features than 33mail's $60 Pro plan. In other words, if 33mail's $12 Premium plan is too restrictive for you then SL's $30 Premium is probably the best deal. You can compare their prices and features here:
https://www.33mail.com/pricing
https://simplelogin.io/pricing

33mail did work well although i stopped using it quickly due to the way they label their emails

It currently shows this: Eric M 'xxxx@gmail.com' via 33Mail
I would prefer that it was only this: Eric M
Or Eric M via 33Mail

I contacted support and they said they had no plans to change, while this might not be an issue for some, those with OCD lol it makes gmail look weird, i will try SL
The ability to actually BLOCK an alias is important to me rather than have the log

[lwc]

There's a brand new (free) service in town - Firefox Private Relay.

After Mozilla, Apple joined the party too (of course, you'll need to use an iOS OS and pay iCloud+):

Built directly into Safari, iCloud settings, and Mail, Hide My Email also enables users to create and delete as many addresses as needed at any time, helping give users control of who is able to contact them.

More in detail:

A unique, random email address is created, so your personal email address isn't shared with the app or website developer during the account setup and sign in process. This address is unique to you and the developer and follows this format: <unique-alphanumeric-string>@privaterelay.appleid.com

For example, if j.appleseed@icloud.com is your Apple ID, your unique, random email address for a given app might look like dpdcnf87nu@privaterelay.appleid.com. This unique relay address can only be used for communication from the specific app or website developer you created the account with. It can't be reused for other apps or services.

Any messages sent to this address by the app or website developer are automatically forwarded to your personal email address by our private email relay service. You can read and respond directly to these emails and still keep your personal address private.

We don't read or process any of the content in the email messages that pass through our relay service, except to perform standard spam filtering that's required to maintain our status as a trusted email provider. All email messages are deleted from our relay servers after they're delivered to you, usually within seconds.

At any time, you can change the email address that receives forwarded messages from a developer. Or you can choose to turn off email forwarding to stop receiving messages from a developer.

[LarryEngholm]

DuckDuckGo is adding a new email protection service which shares some features with our beloved spamgourmet. It seems likely that the anti-privacy corporations that block spamgourmet addresses will block duck.com addresses, but it may be a reasonable alternative.

It's in beta now. I haven't used it. Currently you can sign up only from their Android or iOS app but hopefully that will change.

They describe it here: https://www.spreadprivacy.com/introduci ... tion-beta/.

[lwc]

DuckDuckGo is adding a new email protection service which shares some features with our beloved spamgourmet. It seems likely that the anti-privacy corporations that block spamgourmet addresses will block duck.com addresses, but it may be a reasonable alternative.

It's in beta now. I haven't used it. Currently you can sign up only from their Android or iOS app but hopefully that will change.

More than a year later, it's finally out of beta. Unfortunately, I haven't tried it yet since it still requires installing something in order to use it. At least now a browser extension is available too and not just a mobile app.

Upsides to Spamgourmet:

1. They automatically remove tracking links and pixels from each mail that passes through them.
2. They check the messages for http links and convert them (based on a closed list they have) to https.

Downsides to Spamgourmet:

1. Only 1 domain is offered (@duck.com). How long till it gets blocked?
2. Their addresses are chosen automatically (i.e. probably Gibberish like their own example avtzqdr@).
3. They offer neither exclusive senders nor counters. That is, use each individual address until you have to close it. i.e. I think most of these addresses will probably be just temporarily.

I think even if they added more domains, points 2 and 3 are even more problemaic. Gibberish temporary addresses will probably raise any blockage and spam flagging chance.

They describe it here: https://spreadprivacy.com/protect-your- ... rotection/

[adb]

i.e. probably Gibberish like their own example avtzqdr@).

spammer and hackers uses such adresses before the @
I would prefer not to be confused with something like that.