> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.webhooktrap.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Anonymous vs Saved Inboxes: Choosing the Right Mode

> Webhooktrap offers anonymous inboxes for instant testing and saved inboxes for ongoing integrations. Learn the differences and when to use each.

Webhooktrap works in two modes. Anonymous inboxes are available instantly — no account, no sign-up, just an ingest URL you can use right now. Saved inboxes are tied to a free account and persist until you choose to delete them. Both modes capture webhook events identically; the difference is entirely about how long your data sticks around and what features you can use alongside it.

## Comparison

| Feature             | Anonymous | Saved         |
| ------------------- | --------- | ------------- |
| Account required    | No        | Yes (free)    |
| Retention           | 48 hours  | Until deleted |
| Replay history      | No        | Yes           |
| Share links         | No        | Yes           |
| Named integrations  | No        | Yes           |
| Dashboard workspace | No        | Yes           |

## When to use an anonymous inbox

An anonymous inbox is the right choice when speed matters more than persistence:

* **Quick one-off test** — you want to see what payload a provider actually sends before writing any handler code
* **Evaluating Webhooktrap** — you're exploring the product and don't want to commit to an account yet
* **No time to sign up** — you're in the middle of debugging and need an ingest URL in the next ten seconds

Run `curl -X POST https://api.webhooktrap.dev/api/v1/inboxes`, grab the URL, and you're ready. Events you capture are available for 48 hours, which is enough time to inspect the payload and prototype your handler.

## When to use a saved inbox

A saved inbox makes sense for anything you'll return to:

* **Ongoing development** — you're actively building or maintaining a webhook integration and need to re-examine events across multiple sessions
* **Team project** — you want to share events with colleagues using read-only links
* **Named integrations** — you want your Stripe inbox labelled "Stripe Production" and your GitHub inbox labelled "Repo Events", not random IDs
* **Replay history** — you want to replay an event you captured last week to test a bug fix

A free Webhooktrap account is all that's required. Sign up with GitHub, Google, or email and password at [webhooktrap.dev](https://webhooktrap.dev).

## Upgrading from anonymous to saved

If you started with an anonymous inbox and decide you want to keep working with it, sign in to your account — your subsequent inboxes will be saved automatically. If the 48-hour window hasn't expired, you may still be able to view the events from an anonymous inbox, but the cleanest approach is to create a new saved inbox after signing in and re-configure your provider to point at the new ingest URL.

<Tip>
  There's no penalty for starting anonymous. Many developers use an anonymous inbox for a first look at a new provider's payload format, then sign up and create a proper saved inbox once they're ready to build the integration. Your free account persists all future inboxes indefinitely — no time pressure after that first sign-in.
</Tip>