MailGuard
Firefox Relay
MailGuard vs Firefox Relay: Why You Need More Than Just a Browser Plugin
Firefox Relay is a solid basic option, but its attachment limits and bundle-focused model leave power users wanting more.
MailGuard vs Firefox Relay: The "Browser Add-on" vs The Dedicated Platform
Mozilla is a champion of the open web, and Firefox Relay is a noble effort to bring email privacy to the masses. It is simple, easy to use, and comes from a trusted brand.
But for Mozilla, Relay is a side project. It's a perk to sell their VPN bundle.
For MailGuard, email privacy is our entire existence. This focus shows in the features that power users actually need.
The Limitation of "Side Projects"
Firefox Relay has historically struggled with a major technical limitation: Attachment Size. For a long time, attachments were stripped entirely or severely limited (e.g., 150KB or 10MB limits depending on the era). While they have improved, it highlights the "dumb pipe" nature of their architecture.
MailGuard is built on Cloudflare Email Routing. We support attachments up to 25MB (the standard limit for Gmail and others). We don't strip your files. We forward the email exactly as it was sent, headers and all.
Feature Showdown
| Feature | Firefox Relay (Premium) | MailGuard (Pro) | The Winner? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ~$48/year (Standalone) | $24/year | MailGuard |
| Attachment Limit | Often restricted | 25 MB (Standard) | MailGuard |
| Custom Domains | Yes (1 domain) | Unlimited | MailGuard |
| Phone Masking | Yes (Bundled) | No | Firefox Relay |
| Alias Logic | None (Random or Custom) | Advanced (Time/Count) | MailGuard |
| Email Tracker Removal | Yes | No | Firefox Relay |
| Heuristic Filtering | No | Yes (Smart Scan) | MailGuard |
Deep Dive: Where MailGuard Wins
1. The Cost of Privacy
Firefox Relay Premium is often priced around $3.99/month (billed annually) or higher if not bundled with Mozilla VPN. That's nearly double the cost of MailGuard Pro. For that higher price, you get less email functionality (fewer custom domains, less granular control), although you do get phone masking.
2. "Tracker Removal" vs "Filtering"
Firefox Relay's main selling point is stripping trackers (pixels) from emails. This is a cool feature, but it often breaks the formatting of complex HTML emails (newsletters, receipts).
MailGuard takes a different philosopher: Privacy is about Control, not Sanitization. We don't mangle your email content. We prevent the email from arriving at all if you don't want it. And if you do want it, we deliver it pristine. If you are worried about tracking pixels, most modern email clients (Apple Mail, Hey, Proton) block remote image loading by default anyway. You don't need your forwarder to do it.
3. Granular Control
Firefox Relay lets you turn an alias On or Off. MailGuard allows you to:
- Set it to expire in 3 days.
- Set it to only accept 5 emails.
- Set it to lock to the first sender.
We give you a scalpel. Firefox gives you a light switch.
Where Firefox Relay Wins
Phone Number Masking. Mozilla has integrated phone masking into their premium tier. This is a valuable feature that MailGuard does not currently offer. If you need both email and phone masking in one bill, Relay is a strong contender.
Verdict
- Choose Firefox Relay if: You need phone number masking and want to support Mozilla's mission, despite the higher cost and limited email controls.
- Choose MailGuard if: You want a dedicated, professional email firewall. You want unlimited custom domains, standard attachment support, and the automations that save you time.
Stop overpaying for a side-feature. Get dedicated privacy with MailGuard.