An alias is an extra address that delivers into an existing mailbox on the same account. A forwarder redirects mail to another address, which can be anywhere, including outside your domain. A shared mailbox is a real mailbox with its own storage that several people can open. Use aliases for alternative addresses for one person, forwarders to send copies elsewhere, and shared mailboxes when a team needs to work from one inbox together.
Here is how each works in practice and how to pick the right one for addresses like info@, sales@ and accounts@.
Quick comparison
| Alias | Forwarder | Shared mailbox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Has its own storage | No | No | Yes |
| Delivers to | A mailbox on the same account | Any address, anywhere | Itself |
| Can send as the address | Sometimes, depends on provider and app | Not by itself | Yes, for people with access |
| Multiple people | Only via the underlying mailbox | Yes, forward to several addresses | Yes |
| Team sees who replied | No | No | Yes, replies are in the shared Sent folder |
| Uses a mailbox licence or slot | No | No | Usually yes |
| Deliverability risk | Low | Higher for external destinations | Low |
Aliases
An alias is simply another name for a mailbox. If Thandi's mailbox is [email protected], you might add aliases [email protected] and [email protected]. All three land in the same inbox.
Good for:
- Name variations and old addresses you want to keep working.
- A role address that belongs to one person, such as
accounts@for a sole bookkeeper. - Keeping addresses alive after a rename or rebrand.
Watch out for:
- Replies go from the main address unless your mail app is set up to send as the alias.
- If the person leaves, remember to move the alias to someone else.
Forwarders
A forwarder receives mail for an address and sends it on to one or more other addresses. [email protected] might forward to both [email protected] and [email protected].
Good for:
- Sending one address to several people.
- Temporarily redirecting a leaver's mail to their manager.
- Catching mail for addresses that do not need a login.
Watch out for:
- Forwarding to external addresses (for example to a personal free webmail account) can hurt deliverability. The receiving server sees your server relaying mail that claims to be from someone else, and SPF will fail for the original sender. DKIM usually survives, but spam forwarded on can damage your server's reputation and some messages may be rejected.
- No record of replies. Each recipient replies from their own address, so the customer may get two answers, or none.
- Privacy. Forwarding business mail to personal accounts moves personal information outside your control, which matters under POPIA.
Shared mailboxes
A shared mailbox is a full mailbox, with its own storage, that several people can access. The team sees the same inbox, can file messages into shared folders and can reply from the shared address.
Good for:
support@,sales@oraccounts@when a team handles the mail together.- Keeping a complete history that stays with the business, not with individuals.
- Handovers: new team members see all previous conversations.
How it is done depends on the provider. Productivity suites like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace have built-in shared mailbox or group inbox features. With standard email hosting, a common approach is a normal mailbox whose login is shared through a password manager, and added to each team member's mail app with IMAP. That works, but everyone uses the same credentials, so change the password when someone leaves. See email hosting vs Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 if shared inbox features are important to you.
Which to use for common addresses
| Address | Recommended | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Name variations for one person | Alias | No extra mailbox needed |
info@ with one person answering |
Alias | Simple and cheap |
info@ read by two or three people |
Forwarder or shared mailbox | Forwarder for awareness, shared mailbox if replies must be coordinated |
support@ or sales@ handled by a team |
Shared mailbox | Everyone sees replies and history |
accounts@ for invoices |
Shared mailbox or alias | Keep a complete record of invoices and payment instructions |
| A staff member who has left | Forwarder to their manager, then remove | Keeps customers' mail flowing |
| Sending to a personal free webmail account | Avoid | Deliverability and POPIA concerns |
What about catch-all addresses?
A catch-all delivers mail sent to any address at your domain, including typos, into one mailbox. It sounds convenient, but it attracts large volumes of spam sent to made-up addresses. Most businesses are better off turning catch-all off and creating the specific aliases they need.
Setting them up
Most email control panels, including Plesk, let you add aliases and forwarding to a mailbox, and create additional mailboxes for shared use. You do not need any DNS changes for aliases or forwarders on your own domain, as long as your MX records already point to your email host. If you are just getting started, follow how to set up email on your own domain, and if forwarded mail is landing in spam, read why your emails go to spam.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an email alias and a forwarder?
An alias delivers into an existing mailbox on the same account; it is just another name for that mailbox. A forwarder redirects mail to one or more other addresses, which can be on any domain.
Can I reply from an alias address?
Often yes, if your mail app is configured to send from that address and your provider allows it. Otherwise replies will come from the mailbox's main address.
Does a forwarder keep a copy of the email?
A plain forwarder does not store anything. Some control panels let you forward and keep a copy in a mailbox at the same time, which needs a real mailbox.
Is it safe to forward work email to my personal Gmail?
It is not recommended. It can hurt deliverability, and it moves business and customer information into an account the business does not control, which is a POPIA risk.
How many aliases can I have?
It depends on your provider and plan. Aliases do not use extra storage, so providers are usually generous with them.
Need business mailboxes, aliases and forwarders on your own domain? See NewHost email hosting, managed on Plesk with local support.