MailDrop

Overview

MailDrop gives people a disposable inbox in a browser and developers a REST API for creating temporary mailboxes and reading incoming messages. It suits short-lived sign-ups and verification flows where a lasting email address would be unnecessary.

Its appeal is no-registration access paired with a usable API free tier; automatic deletion is the decisive limitation. Choose it for temporary tasks, not accounts whose messages you may need later.

Key features

You can open an inbox without an account, phone number, or personal information, choose a domain, and set a custom prefix. That makes it practical to create an address for a particular sign-up, though you cannot use your own domain. The inbox refreshes every 30 seconds and supports HTML email, verification codes, and attachments that can be previewed or downloaded in a browser.

The REST API can create mailboxes and retrieve incoming mail. Keys are supplied as Bearer tokens in the Authorization header or in the X-API-Key header. A claimed mailbox is readable only by the key that created it, which gives API-based workflows a defined privacy boundary. When a quota runs out, the API returns HTTP 429 and exposes quota state in response headers, so an integration can detect and handle the limit.

Messages are deleted automatically after a temporary period. That is a sensible fit for one-off forms, downloads, trials, and verification, but a poor substitute for an inbox that must preserve account history. MailDrop specifically advises against using temporary addresses for long-term accounts such as banking.

The service is available in seven languages and describes its open-source security and developer utilities as aimed at developers and privacy-conscious users.

Pricing

The free API plan is a permanent trial with no credit card required. Free costs nothing and allows 300 requests per day, one mailbox per 24 hours, all public domains, and community support. This is a low-commitment way to try an integration, but the daily request and mailbox caps make it better for light use than sustained automation.

Starter costs $5 a month for 30,000 requests per month, 10 mailboxes per 24 hours, all public domains, and email support. It suits modest recurring workloads; the mailbox cap remains relevant even with a larger monthly request allowance. Pro is $15 a month and raises the limits to 200,000 requests per month and 50 mailboxes per 24 hours, adding webhook notifications and priority support. Those additions make more sense for workflows that need higher volume or prompt event notification.

Business costs $49 a month and includes 1,000,000 requests per month, 200 mailboxes per 24 hours, webhooks, priority support, and an SLA. It is the plan for larger workloads that need a service commitment, rather than occasional inboxes.

Pay as you go is priced at $11,000, paid once, with no subscription, top-ups from $5, a balance that never expires, and a rate of $1 per 1,000 requests. Its non-expiring balance can suit uneven usage, while the subscription plans provide defined monthly request and mailbox allowances.

Platforms

MailDrop is available on the web and through an API. The browser inbox serves direct, short-term email needs; the API is the option for developers automating mailbox creation and message retrieval.

Who it's for

MailDrop is best for privacy-conscious users who want a temporary address without sharing personal details, and developers who need disposable inboxes in sign-up or verification workflows. The free tier is appropriate for trying an API integration or handling light demand; paid tiers suit increasing request volumes and mailbox needs. Anyone who needs reliable access to old messages should use a lasting email service instead.

Pros and cons

• Pro: No account, phone number, or personal information is required to open a browser inbox, reducing friction for one-off use.
• Pro: Custom prefixes, multiple domains, attachment handling, and a 30-second refresh make the browser inbox more flexible than a bare verification-only address.
• Pro: The API offers a permanent, no-card free tier, key-scoped claimed mailboxes, and explicit quota responses for integrations.
• Con: Automatic deletion makes MailDrop unsuitable for lasting accounts or keeping a useful message archive.
• Con: Custom domains are not supported, and free API use is capped at 300 requests per day and one mailbox per 24 hours.

Alternatives

Disposable Email Services is a category directory for comparing services in this space.

Choose SecureTempMail if you want platform coverage that includes desktop operating systems and extensions, or need its stated premium features such as up to 30-day retention and inbox search; its Premium plan costs $39 a year.

EmailOnDeck is another freemium alternative with Android, iOS, extension, web, and API platforms.

Temp-Mail.org offers Android, iOS, extension, web, and API access; its free messages are stored for up to 1–2 hours and are receive-only, while its monthly premium plan costs $10 a month.

MailTub is a free alternative.

Mohmal is a web-only freemium alternative with a stated free plan that includes an own domain, three inbox records, and three saved messages; Standard costs $4.99 a month.

TempMailPortal is a free Android and web alternative whose messages expire within up to 24 hours.

Emailnator is a web and API freemium alternative; its free tier allows up to 100 addresses at once, with public inboxes and deletion after 24 hours.

Mailinator is a web and API freemium alternative with a free trial and a Verified Pro option that includes unlimited private inboxes and permanent storage.

Verdict

MailDrop is a strong fit for short-lived sign-ups and developer workflows that benefit from an API, especially when the free daily allowance is enough. Its no-registration inbox and clear paid quotas are compelling reasons to choose it; automatic deletion and the lack of custom-domain support are reasons to look elsewhere when continuity or a branded domain matters.