VaelMail frequently asked questions
VaelMail is private email with receive-only aliases and sign-in by a 16-digit account number. These are the answers to what people ask before they sign up.
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Account and sign-in
How do I sign in to VaelMail?
With your 16-digit account number at vaelmail.com/login. There is no password and no email address to type. You can add a second factor: an authenticator app, passkeys (as a second factor) and recovery codes.
What do I need to create an account?
Choose an address and a domain (vael.email, reca.st or extradit.ing; vael.email is the default) and a plan. VaelMail does not ask for a name, phone number, recovery email or ID. It then shows you a 16-digit account number, which is the only way in.
What happens if I lose my account number?
The account cannot be recovered. There is no reset email and no staff override, which is the point of the design. Store the number in a password manager or on paper, and keep your recovery codes.
Does VaelMail require a phone number or ID?
No. Accounts are created and used without a phone number, a real name or a government ID. The terms say VaelMail will never require KYC.
Can I protect my account further?
Yes. Turn on an authenticator app, add passkeys as a second factor, and save the recovery codes. VaelMail also sends sign-in alerts for new devices with a one-time link to report it, offers a panic lock that signs you out everywhere and revokes app passwords, and has a security checkup page.
Addresses, aliases and domains
Which domain is which?
vaelmail.com is the website and webmail. Your main address is on @vael.email, @reca.st or @extradit.ing; @vael.email is the default and is for main addresses only. Receive-only aliases are on @vael.pw, @reca.st or @extradit.ing; @vael.pw is the default and is for aliases only. Sending from your main address requires Plus.
What is a receive-only alias?
An address on @vael.pw, @reca.st or @extradit.ing (@vael.pw by default) that delivers into your inbox but cannot send. Give each website its own alias; if one leaks you can delete it without touching your main address. Free includes 3 custom and 50 random aliases. Plus includes 50 custom and unlimited random aliases.
Can I send email from an alias?
No. Aliases only receive. Sending is from your main address and requires Plus.
Can I use my own domain?
Yes, on Plus: up to 3 domains. Verify each with a DNS TXT record at _vael-verification.yourdomain, point MX at mail.vael.email, and choose up to 25 explicit recipient addresses per domain. Custom domains receive only and have no catch-all. VaelMail re-checks DNS every 24 hours.
Can I use Thunderbird, Apple Mail or K-9 Mail?
Yes. Generate app credentials in your dashboard and connect any IMAP client to mail.vael.email, port 993 with TLS. Sending over SMTP is part of Plus: port 587 with STARTTLS, or port 465 with TLS. Your account number is never used in a mail app.
How much storage do I get?
Free includes 50 MB and Plus includes 1 GB. Individual messages can be up to 40 MB.
Plans and payments
What does Free include?
Free costs nothing and receives mail for as long as you keep the account: 50 MB of storage, 3 custom aliases, 50 random aliases, the webmail, the no-JavaScript site, and IMAP access. Free accounts cannot send.
How much does Plus cost?
Plus is prepaid: €5 for 1 month, €13.50 for 3 months, €25 for 6 months, €48 for 12 months when paying with cryptocurrency. With Telegram Stars it is €6 for 1 month, €16.20 for 3 months, €30 for 6 months, €57.60 for 12 months. Plus adds sending from your main address, 1 GB of storage, 50 custom aliases, 3 custom domains, SMTP and priority support.
How do payments work?
Plus is prepaid with cryptocurrency (Monero, Bitcoin, Litecoin, USDT, USDC and others) through a non-custodial invoice from the payment processor Heleket, or directly with Telegram Stars through @vaelmail_bot. There is no card, no recurring billing and no billing profile.
Can I pay with Monero?
Yes. Monero is one of the accepted coins. Available networks and minimum amounts are shown at checkout, because they can change.
Does Plus renew automatically?
No. Time is prepaid and extended when you top up. When it ends there is a 30-day grace period in which receiving and your stored mail continue and sending stops; after that the Free limits apply.
Can I get a refund?
VaelMail does not give voluntary refunds. The terms explain the exceptions and who pays processor and network fees.
Encryption and privacy
Is my mail encrypted?
Mail is encrypted on disk and in backups. You can also turn on the encrypted mailbox, which seals stored mail and the search index with a key only you hold. OpenPGP in the browser is end-to-end when the other person also uses OpenPGP. Mail from other providers still reaches the server as it arrives.
What is the encrypted mailbox?
An opt-in setting under Security. It encrypts your stored mail and search index with a mailbox key that VaelMail never stores, so VaelMail cannot recover it: if you lose the key, that mail is gone. While it is on, moving mail needs the mailbox unlocked, snooze is unavailable, and mail apps that use app passwords cannot read your mail. You can turn it off again with your account number, second factor, mailbox key and a typed confirmation.
Is VaelMail zero-knowledge?
No, and VaelMail does not claim it. Mail from other providers arrives at the server before it can be sealed, and the server decrypts mail in memory while you are signed in and unlocked. Some metadata, such as dates, sizes and folders, stays visible to the server. Backups made before you turned the encrypted mailbox on keep the old readable copy until they expire.
How does OpenPGP work on VaelMail?
Your OpenPGP key pair is created in your browser when you turn on the encrypted mailbox. After that, messages are encrypted and decrypted on your device, so the server handles only ciphertext. Public keys are published for your main address only and never for aliases. You can export your private key (do it before turning the encrypted mailbox off, which deletes the key pair), and an offline decryption tool is available as a single file that makes no network requests. On the no-JavaScript site the server decrypts for a single page view and labels it clearly.
What does VaelMail keep?
Only what is needed to run the service, for as long as it is needed. There are no advertising analytics, fingerprinting or session replay, and remote images in messages are blocked by default. The privacy policy lists each category and its retention schedule.
What is the warrant canary?
A dated, PGP-signed statement at vaelmail.com/canary that is renewed monthly after a manual review. A valid signature shows the statement is authentic and current; it is an attestation, not proof.
Access and tools
Can I use VaelMail without JavaScript or over Tor?
Yes. There is a script-free site at nojs.vaelmail.com, a Tor onion mirror and an I2P mirror, all linked from the footer. Rich-text compose, rule editing and some interactive features are not available there.
What is VaelMask?
A browser extension for VaelMail that creates receive-only aliases on sign-up forms and fills in verification codes. The setup guide and its privacy policy are on this site.
Who runs VaelMail and how do I reach support?
VaelMail is an independent service. Write to vael-support@vael.email or use the support bot on Telegram. VaelMail is not affiliated with the email security company Valimail.
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