MailGuard
Addy.io
MailGuard vs Addy.io: Why Bandwidth Limits Should Be A Thing of the Past
Addy.io (formerly AnonAddy) is a fantastic tool, but its bandwidth caps can handle heavy users? MailGuard offers a truly unlimited alternative.
MailGuard vs Addy.io: The Battle for Unlimited Privacy
Startups often pivot, rebrand, and evolve. Addy.io (formerly AnonAddy) is one of the most respected names in the email privacy space. It is open-source, trustworthy, and run by a dedicated developer.
However, Addy.io operates on a traditional server model, which means bandwidth costs money. This is why their free and lower-tier plans have monthly bandwidth limits (e.g., 100MB/month).
MailGuard is different. We are built on the Cloudflare Edge. We don't worry about servers or bandwidth, so neither should you.
The "Bandwidth Anxiety" Problem
With Addy.io's "Lite" plan ($12/year), you get 100MB of bandwidth per month.
- Scenario: A service you signed up for starts sending you large PDF reports or high-res image newsletters.
- Result: You burn through your 100MB cap in a week. Your privacy service stops forwarding mail, or you are forced to upgrade to the Pro plan ($36/year).
MailGuard has NO bandwidth limits. Whether you receive 10 emails or 10,000, whether they are text-only or contain 50MB attachments—we process it all. Our architecture scales infinitely.
Feature Showdown
| Feature | Addy.io (Lite) | MailGuard (Pro) | The Winner? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~$12/year | $24/year | Addy.io (Price) |
| Bandwidth Limit | 100 MB/month | Unlimited | MailGuard |
| Reply limit | 50 / day | Unlimited | MailGuard |
| Custom Domains | 1 | Unlimited | MailGuard |
| GPG/PGP | Yes | No (Coming Soon) | Addy.io |
| Mobile App | Yes (Community) | No (Web) | Addy.io |
| Architecture | SaaS / VPS | Serverless Edge | MailGuard |
| Smart Expiry | Manual | Automated (.7d) | MailGuard |
| Auto-Sender Lock | No | Yes | MailGuard |
Deep Dive: Where MailGuard Wins
1. The Custom Domain Freedom
Addy.io charges you based on resources. Their Lite plan grants 1 custom domain. Their Pro plan grants 20.
MailGuard Pro grants unlimited custom domains. If you are a web designer, an agency owner, or just a domain hoarder, you can add all your domains to MailGuard without paying a cent more. We believe your privacy shouldn't be taxed per domain.
2. The Cloudflare Advantage
Speed matters. Addy.io servers are located in specific regions. If you are in Australia and the server is in Germany, your email takes a detour.
MailGuard runs on Cloudflare Workers, which deploy to hundreds of locations simultaneously.
- When a sender in Tokyo emails you, MailGuard processes it in Tokyo.
- When a sender in New York emails you, MailGuard processes it in New York.
- Result: Near-instant forwarding with zero latency penalty.
3. Intelligent Filtering (Again)
Like SimpleLogin, Addy.io is a "forwarder." It forwards what it gets. MailGuard is a "firewall." It inspects what it gets. Our Smart Scan features ensure that even "Burned" aliases can still receive critical security notifications (OTPs, password resets), preventing the "I locked myself out" nightmare common with strict aliasing services.
Verdict
- Choose Addy.io if: You are on an extremely tight budget ($12/yr is hard to beat), you send very few emails, and you need PGP encryption right now.
- Choose MailGuard if: You hate limits. You want unlimited bandwidth, unlimited custom domains, and intelligent filtering without checking a usage meter every month.
Stop counting megabytes. Switch to MailGuard and experience unlimited privacy.