The short answer: only Google can issue @gmail.com addresses, and it doesn’t offer temporary ones. The address at the top of this page is not a Gmail address. It is a free disposable address on our own domain, and it does the job most people want a temporary Gmail for.
Can you get a temporary Gmail address?
Not as a real product. Gmail accounts are permanent until you delete them, and Google has no option for one that expires. What usually gets called “temporary Gmail” is one of three things: an alias of an existing Gmail account, a second Gmail account you create yourself, or a disposable address from a separate service.
Services that advertise temporary Gmail addresses typically hand out variations of Gmail accounts they control. That means someone else runs the inbox, and the address can stop working whenever those accounts do.
Your options compared
| Compare | Gmail alias | New Gmail account | Temporary Mail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ends in @gmail.com | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hides your real address | No | Yes | Yes |
| Needs a Google account | Yes | Yes | No |
| Keeps spam out of your inbox | Only with a filter | Yes, if you never check it | Yes |
| Set-up time | Seconds | Minutes | None |
| How long it lasts | As long as your account | Until you delete it | 30 minutes |
How Gmail aliases work
If you already use Gmail, you have aliases built in. Add a plus sign and any word after your username, and mail to [email protected] arrives in the inbox of [email protected]. Gmail also ignores dots, so [email protected] reaches the same place.
Aliases are handy for sorting mail with filters, but they aren’t private. The site can still see your real address, and many can remove the plus part in a moment. Some forms reject the plus sign altogether, and marketing mail still lands in your inbox unless you filter it.
Which one to choose
- One-time code or sign-up you won’t return to: use the disposable address above
- Sorting mail from a site you trust: use a Gmail alias
- A long-term separate identity: create a second Gmail account
- A site that only accepts Gmail: use an alias or a second account, because a disposable address won’t pass that check
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Gmail service?
No. Temporary Mail is independent and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Google. Gmail is a trademark of Google LLC, and addresses here don’t end in @gmail.com.
Can I receive emails from Gmail users here?
Yes. Mail sent from Gmail or any other provider arrives like any other message, as long as the address hasn’t expired.
Do I need a Google account to use this?
No. There is no sign-up of any kind for a free address. It is created when the page opens.