SimpleLogin is a popular email alias service, now owned by Proton and bundled with Proton Pass. If you're already in the Proton ecosystem using ProtonMail, ProtonVPN or Proton Drive, it's a natural fit. The premium tier comes included with Proton Pass Plus, so if you're paying for that anyway it makes sense.
But if you're not a Proton subscriber, or you want privacy protection beyond your email inbox, SimpleLogin doesn't cover it. No phone number privacy, no breach monitoring, no way to send files that disappear after opening. This guide is for UK users working out whether there's a better option for their situation.
What SimpleLogin actually does
SimpleLogin creates email aliases: forwarding addresses that sit between your real inbox and the outside world. You give out alias@simplelogin.com instead of your real address. Mail forwards to you and if an alias starts attracting spam, you delete it. Your real address stays out of it.
It's open source, has a free tier, and supports custom domains, PGP encryption, and replying directly from aliases. Since Proton acquired it, the premium features now require a Proton Pass Plus subscription.
SimpleLogin pricing (2026)
- Free: 10 aliases, limited features
- Premium (via Proton Pass Plus): $2.99/month billed annually, unlimited aliases, custom domains, PGP encryption. Also includes the Proton Pass password manager.
- Lifetime: $199 one-off payment, bundles SimpleLogin Premium and Proton Pass Plus permanently
The Proton dependency
SimpleLogin's premium tier is no longer sold on its own. To get unlimited aliases and custom domains, you need to subscribe to Proton Pass Plus. That's a reasonable deal if you want a password manager anyway, but it does mean you're buying features you might not need just to unlock the email alias functionality.
Worth noting: SimpleLogin is a strong product inside the Proton world. If you already pay for Proton Pass Plus, the email alias features come along for free. If you don't, you're essentially paying for a password manager in order to get email aliases.
Where SimpleLogin falls short for UK users
Like AnonAddy, SimpleLogin solves the email side of the privacy problem. But for most UK users, the phone number is just as exposed, and often used more frequently when signing up for things.
- No UK virtual number. SimpleLogin has no phone number features at all. Every time you enter your real mobile into a sign-up form, a marketplace listing, or a verification screen, it's out there. SimpleLogin can't help with that.
- No identity monitoring. SimpleLogin doesn't check whether your email has appeared in known data breaches. You'd need to check HaveIBeenPwned yourself or pay for something separate.
- No secure file sharing. Sending sensitive documents like a passport, payslip, or contract still happens over email or WhatsApp, with no expiry and no way to control what the recipient does with the file afterwards.
- Not UK-focused. SimpleLogin is a global product with no specific features for UK banking, UK mobile verification, or the kind of everyday privacy situations UK users run into.
How Privify compares
Privify is a UK-built privacy product that covers email aliases, a virtual phone number, identity monitoring, and secure file sending under a single subscription.
Privify pricing (2026)
- Starter: £1.99/month - Email aliases, identity monitoring, and Privify Send. Comes with a 7-day free trial.
- Plus: £6.99/month - Everything in Starter, plus a real UK 07 virtual number with SMS and voicemail forwarding.
- Premium: £10.99/month - Everything in Plus, with voicemail transcription and unlimited forwarding destinations.
When SimpleLogin is still the right choice
There are situations where SimpleLogin makes more sense:
- You're already paying for Proton Pass Plus. If you're in the Proton ecosystem, SimpleLogin premium comes along with your existing subscription. No reason to pay again elsewhere.
- You want to self-host. SimpleLogin is open source and can be run on your own infrastructure. Privify is a hosted service only.
- Email aliasing is genuinely all you need. No interest in phone privacy or breach monitoring? SimpleLogin is a mature, well-supported product for exactly that job.
When Privify is the better fit
- You want to protect your phone number as well as your email. A Privify virtual 07 number means your real mobile never goes into sign-up forms, marketplace listings, or verification screens. SimpleLogin has no equivalent for this.
- You want to know if your data has already been leaked. Privify's identity monitor checks your email against known breach databases. It's the difference between hoping nothing has come up and actually being able to check.
- You're not a Proton user and don't want to become one just for email aliases. Privify is a standalone product. You don't need a password manager subscription to get access to email alias features.
- You share sensitive documents and want them to disappear after opening. Privify Send creates single-access expiring links for things like passport scans, payslips, and contracts. Neither SimpleLogin nor Proton offers anything like this.
The bottom line
SimpleLogin is a genuinely good product inside the Proton ecosystem. If you're already a Proton Pass subscriber, the email alias features are effectively included and there's no reason to look elsewhere. Outside of that, you're paying $2.99/month for a tool that only covers one part of the privacy picture.
Privify Starter at £1.99/month covers email aliases, breach monitoring, and Privify Send from the start, with a 7-day free trial. The Plus plan at £6.99/month brings in a real UK 07 virtual number and rounds out the phone side of things too.
Try Privify free for 7 days
Email aliases, identity monitoring, and secure file sending, all in one UK-built subscription. No card required to start.
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