Firefox Relay Review: Is it the Best Email Alias Service for You? -

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If you want to stop giving your real email address to every single newsletter, coupon, or freebie site, “Firefox Relay” promises a simple way out: disposable email aliases that forward messages to your real inbox. In this deep-dive review, you’ll learn what Relay does well, where it stumbles, how it compares with alternatives, and whether it’s the right privacy tool for your daily life.

Read on for practical tips, caveats, and links to sources so you can decide with confidence.

What is Firefox Relay?

Firefox Relay creates “email masks” (aliases) that forward messages to your real inbox. Use an alias when a site asks for your email, and your real address stays private. You can disable or delete aliases later if one starts attracting spam. It’s available as a web service and integrates with Firefox.

Key features

Free tier: You get five free email masks to start. That’s handy for everyday signup protection.
Premium tier: Pay to get unlimited custom masks plus advanced controls (pricing and availability vary by region). Premium also adds extra features such as promotional email filtering and phone masking in supported countries.
Replying to messages: Premium users can reply to forwarded emails (within limits). Free users can receive messages, but replying from the alias is restricted. If you need a two-way anonymous email frequently, check the premium rules first.
Phone masking: Firefox Relay offers phone number masking in some countries (the U.S. and Canada are included for premium phone features). That’s useful if you want to give a burner number for texts or verification calls.
Privacy posture: Mozilla positions Relay as privacy-first — messages are forwarded and not stored long-term on their servers, and Mozilla says it does not read the content as part of the forwarding service. (Always read the privacy policy for legal details.)

How it works

Sign in with your Firefox account or create one at relay.firefox.com.
Create an alias (it may look like xxxxx@mozmail.com or similar).
Use that alias whenever a site asks for email. The sender mails the alias; Relay forwards the message to your real mailbox.
If the alias gets noisy or unwanted, disable or delete it. Done — no more random newsletter spam in your main inbox.

Real-world pros and cons

Pros

Simplicity: You don’t need to manage another inbox — Relay forwards to your primary account.
Trust: Mozilla is a community-focused nonprofit with a long privacy track record, which matters when you hand them alias forwarding. Many users trust Relay for that reason.
Integration: Relay integrates into Firefox and the Firefox ecosystem for easier alias creation when browsing.
Phone masking (premium): Adds a useful layer for SMS-based signups or verification calls without exposing your real number.

Cons

Site rejections: Some sites block disposable or alias email domains. Firefox Relay’s mozmail addresses have previously been added to disposable email blocklists, which can prevent sign-ups. If a registration fails, you might need to use a real email or another alias provider.
Reply limits: Free users generally cannot reply from an alias; premium allows replies but under time/usage limits — so Relay is great for one-way signups but less convenient as a full anonymous mailbox.
Not a full mail client: Relay forwards only — it’s not designed to be your day-to-day email provider. For full two-way aliasing and advanced rules, look at dedicated alias services like SimpleLogin or AnonAddy. (More on alternatives below.)

Comparison: Relay vs. the competition (short)

Apple “Hide My Email”: Great for Apple users embedded in that ecosystem; Relay is more platform-neutral and browser-integrated.
SimpleLogin / AnonAddy: Offer more flexible two-way aliasing, custom domains, and advanced rules; they’re often favored by privacy power users. Relay’s strength is simplicity, and Mozilla’s reputation.

Pricing and availability

Mozilla offers a free tier with five aliases. Paid plans expand alias limits and add features such as unlimited custom masks, promotional filtering, and phone masking. Pricing and availability of Premium features vary by country; check the Relay site or the Mozilla support pages for current plans and rollout regions.

How to set up Relay (quick steps)

Go to relay.firefox.com and sign in with your Firefox account.
Create a new email mask from the dashboard.
Use the alias on sites where you don’t want to share your real address.
In settings, turn on promotional filtering or phone masking if you’re a Premium user.

Practical tips and best practices

Use Relay for newsletters, one-off signups, and questionable sites — not for bank or government email. Keep your main address for critical accounts.
If a site rejects Relay aliases, try a different provider or use your main address for that specific service. Don’t assume rejection means Relay is broken — many sites block disposable domains by policy.
If you plan to reply regularly using an alias, budget for Premium or choose a two-way alias provider like SimpleLogin.

Privacy — can you trust it?

Mozilla says Relay forwards messages and does not read or retain them beyond what’s necessary to provide the service. Mozilla’s nonprofit background and public commitments to privacy make Relay more trustworthy than many unknown startups — but remember: any forwarding service adds an extra hop between sender and your inbox. For very sensitive communications, use your primary secure email or end-to-end encrypted channels.

Verdict — Who should use Firefox Relay?

Use Firefox Relay if:

You want a simple way to stop newsletter spam and protect your address.
You already use Firefox and like the browser integration.
You value Mozilla’s privacy-first brand and prefer a straightforward, low-friction solution.

Consider something else if:

You need robust two-way aliasing and custom domains.
You frequently run into sites that block disposable domains (you may need a paid alias provider or fallback).
You want to start emails from an alias without paying for Premium.

Bottom line

Firefox Relay is a smart, no-nonsense tool that solves a real problem: your inbox getting filled by services you don’t care about. It’s easy to use, backed by Mozilla, and ideal for one-way signups. If you need full two-way alias capabilities or run into sites that reject alias domains, evaluate paid alias providers as alternatives. Otherwise, Relay is an excellent first step toward a cleaner, less spammy inbox.

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