Firefox Relay alternative
Vend Email vs Firefox Relay: a mask, or an address you own?
Short version: Firefox Relay is a great low-effort way to stop handing out your real address, especially if you live in Firefox. Vend does that job too — then keeps going: full replies and compose, sender rules, folders, branded domains, and aliases you can transfer or sell. Casual masking versus addresses with a future.
The 30-second verdict
Pick Vend Email if…
- You reply to what arrives — support threads, sponsor conversations, store queries — and want full send-and-reply from every alias.
- Addresses in your life are attached to projects, deals, or roles that might change hands — transfers are Vend's core feature.
- You want organisation — folders, tags, sender rules, memorable branded addresses — not just masking.
Pick Firefox Relay if…
- You mostly want one-click masks at signup forms, generated right in the Firefox browser you already use.
- You rarely need to reply through a mask — signups and receipts are the whole job.
- Mozilla's brand and bundled phone masking (US/Canada) appeal to you.
Feature by feature
Relay keeps things deliberately minimal. That's a fair choice — just know what you give up.
| What you get | Vend Email | Firefox Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Private forwarding aliases |
Yes.
|
Yes.
5 free masks, more on premium
|
| Reply from an alias |
Yes.
Reply to anything, any time
|
Partially.
Premium only, with limits
|
| Compose new mail from an alias |
Yes.
Built into the dashboard
|
No.
|
| Choose your own address wording |
Yes.
Pick the exact address, or use a custom domain
|
Partially.
Random masks; custom subdomain on premium
|
| Block & allow senders per alias |
Yes.
Safe and unsafe sender lists
|
Partially.
Block all or promotional mail per mask
|
| Folders and tags |
Yes.
|
No.
Labels only
|
| Custom domains |
Yes.
Fully managed — DNS and renewals handled
|
No.
Subdomain of mozmail.com on premium
|
| Browser extension |
No.
On the roadmap
|
Yes.
Firefox and Chrome
|
| Phone number masking |
No.
|
Yes.
US and Canada, premium
|
| API access |
Yes.
REST API with tokens and OAuth
|
No.
|
| Transfer an alias to another person |
Yes.
Dedicated transfer pages, free or paid
|
No.
|
| Sell an alias with payment built in |
Yes.
Stripe collects before ownership moves
|
No.
|
Feature availability based on each service's public documentation. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
The honest differences
Where Firefox Relay genuinely wins: friction. Nothing beats a mask generated in the form field you're already filling, backed by Mozilla. For pure signup protection with zero learning curve, Relay is a fine answer.
Where Vend wins: everything a mask can't do. Random masks aren't addresses you'd print on a media kit, reply to customers from, or attach to an account you might sell. Vend aliases are real, chosen, brandable addresses with full send and reply, sender rules, folders — and an ownership layer, so the address can move to a new owner when whatever it's attached to does.
The deciding question: is email something you only receive, or something you do? If mail through your masks is read-only, Relay covers you. The moment you need to answer, organise, brand, or hand over an address, you've outgrown a mask.
Moving beyond masks
Keep Relay for throwaway signups
Existing masks keep working, and Relay stays handy for sites you'll never hear from again.
Create Vend aliases for relationships
Stores you'll contact, newsletters you reply to, anything attached to an account with value — give each a named Vend alias you'd be happy to be known by.
Upgrade the addresses that matter as you go
When a masked account becomes important, switch its email to a Vend alias — from then on it's organised, reply-ready, and transferable.
Frequently asked questions
Is Firefox Relay free? Is Vend?
Both have free tiers. Relay's free plan gives you five masks; Vend's free plan gives you working aliases with reply support. Paid plans on both are inexpensive — the difference is what they unlock: more masks vs transfers, domains, and full alias management.
Do I need Firefox to use Firefox Relay? Does Vend care what browser I use?
Relay works best inside Firefox (with a Chrome extension available). Vend is browser-independent — it's a web dashboard plus standard email, so it works identically everywhere.
Can Firefox Relay masks be transferred to another person?
No. Masks are permanently tied to the Mozilla account that created them. Transferability is the core reason Vend exists.
Can I reply from a Relay mask?
Only on the premium plan, with restrictions. Vend supports replying from any alias, plus composing brand-new messages, on every plan.
Which is better for hiding my email from data brokers?
Both keep your real address out of the databases you sign up to — the privacy fundamentals are equivalent. See our guide to hiding your email address for the full playbook.
Graduate from masks to addresses
Create one free Vend alias — reply from it, organise it, and keep the option to hand it over.
Free plan available. No credit card required.