Compare email testing tools
A free Mailinator alternative on your own domain
Mailinator is a well-known receive-only email service for QA teams. If you want private inboxes on a domain you already own without a paid plan, Free Domain Mail gives you a catch-all inbox and an API for codes and links. The first domain is free.
Mailinator details checked on 8 October 2026 · First domain free · Receive-only
Switching takes four steps
- Add a domain or subdomain you own. A spare domain or something like qa.yourcompany.com works well, because its MX record will point here.
- Add two DNS records. A TXT record proves ownership and an MX record sends mail to mx.freedomainmail.com.
- Use any address. Every address at the domain receives mail, so each test can use a new one such as signup-1712@qa.yourcompany.com.
- Read it in the browser or the API. Open the private inbox, or call the API to wait for the code or link in the newest message.
Free Domain Mail vs Mailinator
| Free Domain Mail | Mailinator | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | One custom domain, free | Public inboxes free; Verified Pro is free after verification (1 private domain, 2,000 emails a month, 10 MB storage) |
| Cheapest paid plan | First domain free; extra domains are billed per domain | Business: $79 a month, billed yearly |
| Monthly email limit | No monthly quota | 2,000 (Verified Pro) up to 100,000 (Business) |
| Receive at a domain you own | Yes, on the free plan | Private domain for subscribers; a provided subdomain by default |
| Catch-all (any address) | Yes | Yes, on private domains |
| How long mail is kept | 30 days | Public: a few hours. Private: until the storage quota is full |
| API | REST, 60 requests a minute, waits up to 60 seconds for new mail | Yes, with private domains |
| SMS testing | No | Yes |
| Sends email | No, receive-only | No, receive-only |
When Mailinator is the better choice
Pick Mailinator if you also need to receive SMS messages, if several team members need their own seats and roles, or if you want public inboxes at a shared domain with no account at all. It is an established vendor with enterprise plans.
Pick Free Domain Mail if you want the inboxes on your own domain, mail kept for 30 days and no monthly email quota without paying for a team plan.
Moving a test suite
Replace the Mailinator address in your tests with any address at your domain, ideally a new one per run. Then replace the inbox call with one request to GET /api/v1/code?address=…&wait=60, which waits for the message and returns the code it contains. A /api/v1/links endpoint returns the links instead.
How we compared
Mailinator details come from its own pricing page and FAQ (mailinator.com/pricing and mailinator.com/mailinator-faqs), read on 8 October 2026. Plans and prices change, so check their site before you decide. Free Domain Mail is not affiliated with Mailinator; Mailinator is a trademark of its owner.
Common questions
Is Free Domain Mail really free?
The first custom domain is free, with no monthly email quota. Additional domains are billed per domain.
Can I use a subdomain such as qa.mycompany.com?
Yes. Point the subdomain's MX record to mx.freedomainmail.com and mail to any address at that subdomain arrives in your inbox. Mail for the main domain is not affected.
Are the inboxes private?
Yes. Mail to your domain can only be read by your account and your API keys. Only the 10-minute temp mail on the homepage is public.
Does it receive SMS?
No. Free Domain Mail only receives email.