InboxKitten

What InboxKitten is

InboxKitten is a free, open-source disposable email service for testing signup flows and email notifications in web applications. It provides a web interface and API, plus a command-line tool for interacting with the API. Using a temporary address can help people avoid sharing their real email address and reduce unwanted spam. The maker recommends the service for testing or other non-critical emails, not private or important correspondence: InboxKitten.com inboxes are public and messages auto-delete after several hours. The project’s Mailgun setup instructions say received mail is stored for three days, and the service connects to Mailgun to receive messages. Users can clone and deploy their own instance, with documented options including Docker, serverless Firebase or Cloudflare, and localhost or custom deployments. Self-hosting requires Firebase and Mailgun accounts. The project is listed under the MIT license, and the service supports custom addresses, custom domains, and API access. Its facts describe both hosted disposable inboxes and self-hosting, with different practical requirements for each route.

Who it suits

It suits developers testing web-app signup flows and email notifications, or anyone needing disposable email for non-critical messages. Self-hosting may suit users prepared to obtain Firebase and Mailgun accounts.

Limits

Hosted inboxes are public and messages disappear after several hours. Mailgun's documented setup stores received mail for three days, so the service is limited to testing and non-critical email.

Getting started

1. Open https://inboxkitten.com/
2. Use the web interface for a disposable inbox
3. Call the API or use the command-line tool for application testing
4. Create a custom address or custom domain when needed
5. Clone the project for a self-hosted instance
6. Deploy with Docker, Firebase, Cloudflare, localhost, or a custom setup
7. Connect the deployment to Mailgun, with Firebase and Mailgun accounts for self-hosting

Verdict

InboxKitten is designed for disposable addresses in testing and other non-critical use, with web, API, and self-hosted options. Public inboxes and short retention make it unsuitable for private or important messages.