Instagram for Gmail, a feed where mail expires
FreeFreeFree tier
About Instagram for Gmail, a feed where mail expires
Mizzle Mail transforms your Gmail inbox into an ephemeral, Instagram-style feed. Emails appear in a scrollable timeline and automatically decay after 7 days, encouraging you to act on what matters and let the rest vanish. The tool uses IMAP and SMTP with a Gmail App Password (no OAuth) and syncs all actions directly to Gmail flags and labels. It is fully open-source, self-hostable, and built with a vanilla JavaScript frontend and an Express relay. Actions like starring, reading, replying, sharing to calendar, or downloading are mapped to native Gmail operations, with no local state stored.
Key Features
Scroll inbox like an Instagram feed
Emails automatically decay after 7 days
Actions synced to native Gmail flags and labels (star, read, reply, share to calendar, download)
No local state; everything stays synced to Gmail
Uses IMAP and SMTP with a Gmail App Password – no OAuth required
Self-hostable and fully open-source
Vanilla JavaScript frontend with no dependencies
Optional login gate for deployed instances
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Ephemeral design reduces inbox clutter and encourages decisive action
- Fully open-source and self-hostable – full control over your data
- All actions are synced directly to Gmail, so changes persist across devices
- Simple setup with just a Gmail App Password and Node.js
- No third-party servers or OAuth dependencies
Cons
- Requires a Gmail account with 2-Step Verification enabled to generate an App Password
- Email decays automatically after 7 days – no built-in way to keep messages indefinitely without manual export
- Web UI login gate is optional; deployed instances risk exposure if not configured
- Free hosting tiers (e.g., Render) block SMTP ports, so reply functionality may fail on such platforms
- Free tiers that sleep on idle cause slow first loads
- Only works with Gmail accounts
Best For
Managing email overload by focusing only on timely messagesTemporary or disposable email handling for specific projectsReducing inbox clutter with automatic email expirationPrivacy-conscious email management with self-hosting
FAQ
What happens to my emails in Mizzle Mail?
Emails automatically decay and disappear after 7 days. You can export important ones to Google Calendar or download them before they vanish.
How does Mizzle Mail interact with my Gmail account?
It uses IMAP for reading and SMTP for sending, authenticated via a Gmail App Password. Actions like starring or marking as read are synced directly to Gmail flags and labels.
Is Mizzle Mail secure?
It never stores your email on external servers – all state is in Gmail. You self-host the relay on your own server. A login gate (HTTP basic auth) is recommended for any deployed instance.