Mailboxes and forwarders both give you addresses on your domain, but they behave differently. Choosing the right one avoids confusion later.
Mailbox
A mailbox stores email and lets you send from that address. Use mailboxes for real users, shared teams, and addresses that need a sent-mail history.
Forwarder
A forwarder passes incoming mail to another address. It is useful for simple aliases, but it is not a full account and does not store mail by itself.
Be Careful With Replies
If sales@ forwards to a personal mailbox, replies may come from the personal address unless the mail client is configured properly. That can look unprofessional.
Deliverability
Forwarded mail can sometimes interact poorly with spam checks because the final destination sees mail relayed through another system. For important addresses, a real mailbox is often cleaner.
Use forwarders for convenience. Use mailboxes for addresses that represent the business.
A Mailbox Stores and Sends Mail
A mailbox has credentials, storage and server settings. It can receive messages directly and send authenticated mail using the same address. Use one when somebody needs a dependable business identity, message history, replies from several devices or access through webmail.
A Forwarder Only Redirects
A forwarder passes incoming mail to another address and normally has no login or sent-mail folder. Replies may expose the destination address unless the recipient also configures authorised sending. Forwarded messages can face additional spam checks because they pass through another server.
Avoid Forwarding Loops and Catch-Alls
Do not forward two addresses to one another. Broad catch-all forwarding attracts spam sent to invented recipients and can damage delivery. Create explicit addresses for real purposes and remove obsolete aliases.
Consider Shared Access
For sales@ or support@, a shared mailbox or helpdesk may be more accountable than forwarding to several personal inboxes. Decide who owns replies, how leavers are removed and where message history is retained. Test inbound and outbound delivery after every DNS or provider change.
