Quick answer
How to use addy.io with a custom domain?
Subscribe to addy.io Lite or Pro, add an aa-verify TXT record at host @, enter the domain, then publish MX mail.anonaddy.me (10) and mail2.anonaddy.me (20), SPF, two DKIM CNAMEs and DMARC. That makes 7 records. Postelva registers the domain and hosts the DNS.
The seven DNS records for an addy.io domain
| Record | Type | Host | Value | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | TXT | @ | aa-verify=... (your unique value) | - |
| Mail 1 | MX | @ | mail.anonaddy.me. | 10 |
| Mail 2 | MX | @ | mail2.anonaddy.me. | 20 |
| SPF | TXT | @ | v=spf1 include:spf.anonaddy.me -all | - |
| DKIM 1 | CNAME | dk1._domainkey | dk1._domainkey.anonaddy.me. | - |
| DKIM 2 | CNAME | dk2._domainkey | dk2._domainkey.anonaddy.me. | - |
| DMARC | TXT | _dmarc | v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; adkim=s | - |
Steps for a domain bought at Postelva
Register the domain
Buy it in the Postelva client area and use its DNS editor for the records below.
Take a paid addy.io plan
Free accounts cannot add custom domains. Lite allows one, while Pro, Duo and Family allow twenty.
Publish the ownership TXT
Open the Add new domain dialog, copy the aa-verify string, create a TXT record at host @, then type the bare domain such as example.com and click Add Domain.
Add the mail records
Click Check Records on the new domain and add the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records from the table. For receiving only, the two MX records are enough.
Check records again
After propagation click Check Records. A green status in the Verified Records column means the domain is fully set up; red means MX or the sending records still need fixing.
example.com. TXT "aa-verify=<your unique value from addy.io>"
example.com. MX 10 mail.anonaddy.me.
example.com. MX 20 mail2.anonaddy.me.
example.com. TXT "v=spf1 include:spf.anonaddy.me -all"
dk1._domainkey.example.com. CNAME dk1._domainkey.anonaddy.me.
dk2._domainkey.example.com. CNAME dk2._domainkey.anonaddy.me.
_dmarc.example.com. TXT "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; adkim=s"Which addy.io plans allow a custom domain?
Only paid plans do: Lite allows 1 custom domain, and Pro, Duo and Family allow 20. The addy.io help article read on 12 November 2026 states that free accounts cannot add custom domains. The prices of the plans were not read from an official page today, so check them in your addy.io account before you subscribe.
The domain you add must be a bare name such as example.com, with no protocol and no path, and it cannot already be a verified recipient address on your account. Because one Lite slot covers a single domain, pick the name you intend to keep for years. A name registered at Postelva costs the same every year, for example $12.49/year for a .com, so the slot never ends up attached to a domain whose renewal price jumps. See how much a custom email domain costs for the full picture.
Can you delete the ownership record after setup?
Yes, addy.io says the aa-verify record can be removed once the domain has been added. Keep it if you prefer a complete zone you can audit later; deleting it does not affect mail flow. For a subdomain, the same article says to replace the @ host with the subdomain label, and the mail records then use that label in their hosts as well.
Two details trip people up. The MX values and the DKIM targets in the documentation end with a dot, which marks them as absolute names; many DNS editors append the domain automatically if the dot is missing, producing a broken name. And the DMARC record shown is a ready-made value rather than something unique to you, but you can tighten or relax it later following how to set up DMARC.
What do you get when the domain is verified?
You can create aliases on your domain that forward to your real inbox and, with the sending records, reply from them. The help center lists separate articles for choosing a default recipient per domain, changing the display name used on the domain's aliases, and a catch-all with an alias auto-create regex. Domains can also be deactivated or deleted from the same list.
According to Postelva's survey of 12 November 2026, addy.io's published apex setup counts 7 records, of which only 2 MX records are required to receive forwarded mail, and a .com at Postelva is $12.49/year. The DNS editor supports free DNS hosting with A, AAAA, CNAME, ALIAS, MX, TXT, NS, SRV and CAA records, DNSSEC, and your own nameservers if you prefer (2 to 13). To compare this with plain forwarding, read free email forwarding with a custom domain; for the alias patterns, see how to use a catch-all address and aliases.
addy.io uses two MX records for a custom domain, mail.anonaddy.me at priority 10 and mail2.anonaddy.me at priority 20, and an SPF that ends in -all.
Questions about addy.io and custom domains
Is the aa-verify value the same for every domain?
No. Each domain gets its own string in the Add new domain dialog, so copy it from your account instead of from a guide.
Which records do I need only to receive mail?
The two MX records. Sending and replying from an alias also needs the SPF record, both DKIM CNAMEs and the DMARC record.
Why does my domain show red in Verified Records?
Red means either the MX records or one of the sending records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) does not match. Fix the line, wait for propagation and click Check Records again.
Does addy.io offer a mailbox?
Its help pages describe forwarding and replying from aliases to a recipient you already have. Plan a separate inbox for the final destination.
In summary
- Custom domains need a paid addy.io plan: Lite allows 1, Pro, Duo and Family allow 20.
- 7 records: aa-verify TXT, 2 MX, SPF, 2 DKIM CNAMEs, DMARC.
- MX: mail.anonaddy.me. (10) and mail2.anonaddy.me. (20).
- SPF: v=spf1 include:spf.anonaddy.me -all.
- DKIM: dk1._domainkey and dk2._domainkey point to anonaddy.me.
- The aa-verify value is unique and can be removed after the domain is added.
- Postelva: .com is $12.49/year every year.
Sources (2)
- addy.io - Adding a custom domain — addy.io (read 2026-11-12)
- addy.io - Custom Domains help category — addy.io (read 2026-11-12)