Side by side
Mailinator vs Throwaway
Both stand on temporary email services. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+1
Mailinator offers public temporary inboxes and subscription plans with private testing domains and workflow tools. Consider its receive-only limit and the lack of privacy in public inboxes before using it for a workflow.
Visit Mailinator Free plan APIWeb
Throwaway offers disposable email with configurable expiry and an unauthenticated API, alongside file and image sharing. Note the per-IP limits and the deletion of inbox contents when the selected period ends.
Visit ThrowawayThe facts
| Mailinator | Throwaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, Extension, Web | API, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Business (annual): $79 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | mailinator.com | throwaway.io |
| On temporary email services | #6 of 33 | #29 of 33 |
Mailinator: what it does well
- Free public inbox plan
- REST API supports retrieval and message injection
- SMS can be routed to inboxes or API
- Two-week Business trial
What to know first
- Public inbox messages are readable by anyone
- Mailinator cannot send email or fill out forms
- Business costs $79 a month billed yearly
Throwaway: what it does well
- Inbox creation does not require an account.
- Users can choose inbox expiry periods up to 14 days.
- Optional passwords can lock inboxes.
- The public REST API requires no authentication.
What to know first
- API requests are limited to 300 per IP per rolling week.
- Inbox checks have a separate 300-address limit.
- VPN is in early access; SMS is coming soon.
- Inbox and messages are deleted after expiry.
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