Mailbox for Laravel: Preview & Test Rendered Email | Mohamed Said [Skip to content](#main) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01KT78WE565VEMM3PSNQAAB0MH.png) Mohamed SaidLaravel Backend Engineer ](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [Home](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [Projects](https://www.msaied.com/public/projects) - [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) - [Certificates](https://www.msaied.com/public/certificates) - [About](https://www.msaied.com/public#about) [ Contact](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) Menu Menu ---- Close - [HomeStart here](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [ProjectsCase studies](https://www.msaied.com/public/projects) - [ArticlesEngineering notes](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) - [CertificatesCredentials](https://www.msaied.com/public/certificates) - [AboutHow I work](https://www.msaied.com/public#about) - [ContactGet in touch](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) [Start a conversation](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/201094619204) [Email](mailto:hello@msaied.com) 1. [Home](https://www.msaied.com/public) 2. / 3. [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) 4. / 5. [Laravel](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?category=laravel) 6. / 7. Mailbox for Laravel: Preview and Test Rendered Email Without a Separate Mail Service [Laravel](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?category=laravel) [Composer Pacakge](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?category=composer-pacakge) Mailbox for Laravel: Preview and Test Rendered Email Without a Separate Mail Service ===================================================================================== Mailbox for Laravel captures outgoing email and displays it at /mailbox inside your app. Built by Redberry, it provides a local inbox, HTML/text previews, attachment downloads, and a test API for asserting on rendered messages. ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp) [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com/public#person) Published 30 Sep 2026 · Updated 1 Oct 2026 · 3 min read ShareCopy linkCopied ![Mailbox for Laravel: Preview and Test Rendered Email Without a Separate Mail Service](https://cdn.msaied.com/724/4dd058c33317d4ae56d30142f381b680.png) On this page +1. [What Is Mailbox for Laravel?](#what-is-mailbox-for-laravel) 2. [Installing the Package](#installing-the-package) 3. [Browsing the Local Inbox](#browsing-the-local-inbox) 4. [Asserting on Rendered Messages in Tests](#asserting-on-rendered-messages-in-tests) 5. [Capturing and Delivering at the Same Time](#capturing-and-delivering-at-the-same-time) 6. [Production and Security Considerations](#production-and-security-considerations) 7. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways) What Is Mailbox for Laravel? ---------------------------- Mailbox for Laravel is a package built by [Redberry](https://redberry.international/mailbox-for-laravel-email-testing/) and maintained by Nika Jorjoliani. It intercepts every outgoing email your application sends and stores it in a local inbox accessible at `/mailbox` — no separate mail service or background process required. It supports Mailables, mail notifications, and `Mail::raw()` messages. The package requires **PHP 8.3 or later** and is compatible with **Laravel 10 through 13**. --- Installing the Package ---------------------- Install Mailbox as a dev dependency, run the install command, and set the mailer: ```bash composer require redberry/mailbox-for-laravel --dev php artisan mailbox:install ``` ```env MAIL_MAILER=mailbox ``` The install command publishes assets, configuration, and runs the package migrations. By default, captured messages are stored in a dedicated SQLite database at `storage/app/mailbox/mailbox.sqlite`. You can also point it at an existing database connection or use the file store. > **Staging note:** If your staging environment runs `composer install --no-dev`, install Mailbox as a regular dependency instead. --- Browsing the Local Inbox ------------------------ Open `/mailbox` in your browser to inspect captured messages. The dashboard lets you: - Switch between **HTML**, **plain-text**, and **raw** message views - Preview or download **attachments** - **Search and filter** by recipient - See the message list update **without a manual page refresh** --- Asserting on Rendered Messages in Tests --------------------------------------- Once an email is captured, the package's test API lets you assert on the fully rendered output — not just the Mailable class. This means you can verify the actual HTML your users will see. ```php use Redberry\MailboxForLaravel\Facades\Mailbox; Mailbox::assertSentCount(1); Mailbox::firstSent() ->assertHasSubject('Order Confirmation') ->assertHasTo('buyer@example.com') ->assertSeeInHtml('Order #12345') ->assertHasAttachment('receipt.pdf', 'application/pdf'); ``` The optional `InteractsWithMailbox` trait clears captured messages before each test and exposes `$this->mailbox()` as an alternative to the facade. You can also assert on the text body, sender, headers, and attachment count. When a test captures multiple messages, pass a callback to `firstSent()` to select the right one. --- Capturing and Delivering at the Same Time ----------------------------------------- With `MAIL_MAILER=mailbox`, messages go to the dashboard only. To also deliver them through a real mailer, use the `MAILBOX_DECORATE` option: ```env MAIL_MAILER=mailbox MAILBOX_DECORATE=smtp ``` --- Production and Security Considerations -------------------------------------- - Mailbox is **disabled by default in production**. If `MAIL_MAILER=mailbox` is set while `MAILBOX_ENABLED=false`, emails will not be sent at all — keep your normal production mailer configured. - On staging, protect `/mailbox` with authentication and define a restrictive `viewMailbox` gate. Captured messages may contain password reset tokens and personal data. - Automatic pruning is off by default. Set `MAILBOX_RETENTION_SCHEDULE=true` to enable daily cleanup based on your configured retention period. --- Key Takeaways ------------- - Drop-in local inbox at `/mailbox` — no external service needed - Captures Mailables, mail notifications, and `Mail::raw()` calls - Stores messages in a dedicated SQLite file by default - Test API asserts on rendered HTML, recipients, subjects, and attachments - `MAILBOX_DECORATE` lets you capture *and* deliver through a real mailer - Disabled in production by default; secure the dashboard on staging - Automatic message pruning available via `MAILBOX_RETENTION_SCHEDULE=true` --- For full documentation, configuration options, and the complete testing API, see the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/RedberryProducts/mailbox-for-laravel). *Source: [Mailbox for Laravel: Preview and Test Rendered Email — Laravel News](https://laravel-news.com/mailbox-for-laravel)* - [Laravel](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=Laravel) - [Email Testing](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=Email%20Testing) - [Laravel Packages](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=Laravel%20Packages) - [Developer Tools](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=Developer%20Tools) - [PHP](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles?search=PHP) Frequently asked questions --------------------------- Does Mailbox for Laravel require an external mail service like Mailtrap or Mailhog?No. Mailbox for Laravel captures outgoing email internally and displays it at /mailbox inside your application. No separate mail service or background process is needed. Can I use Mailbox for Laravel on staging as well as local development?Yes. If your staging environment runs composer install --no-dev, install the package as a regular dependency rather than a dev dependency. Protect the /mailbox route with authentication and a restrictive viewMailbox gate, since captured messages may contain sensitive data like password reset tokens. How do I assert on the actual rendered HTML of an email in a Laravel test?After sending an email through the Mailbox mailer, use the Mailbox facade or the InteractsWithMailbox trait. Call Mailbox::firstSent() and chain assertions such as assertSeeInHtml(), assertHasSubject(), assertHasTo(), and assertHasAttachment() to verify the fully rendered output. ![Mohamed Said](https://cdn.msaied.com/01M22N44A70A5MC2S599JP0MPH.webp)About the author ---------------- [Mohamed Said](https://www.msaied.com/public#person)Senior Backend Engineer specializing in Laravel, scalable SaaS platforms, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. I build secure, high-performance web applications that help businesses grow. [About](https://www.msaied.com/public#about) [GitHub ↗](https://github.com/EG-Mohamed) [LinkedIn ↗](https://www.linkedin.com/in/msaiedm/) [WhatsApp ↗](https://wa.me/201094619204) [Email Address ↗](mailto:hello@msaied.com) [My CV ↗](https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1MF20IPRJyzfy32mhEutjL5EpSls0w2Q8/view) [Previous articleLaravel Release Cycle: Versions, Support Policy, and Dates](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/laravel-release-cycle-versions-support-policy-and-dates) [Next articleWhat's New in Laravel 13.34: Worker Crash Tracking, Timeout Signals, and More](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/whats-new-in-laravel-1334-worker-crash-tracking-timeout-signals-and-more) On this page ------------- 1. [What Is Mailbox for Laravel?](#what-is-mailbox-for-laravel) 2. [Installing the Package](#installing-the-package) 3. [Browsing the Local Inbox](#browsing-the-local-inbox) 4. [Asserting on Rendered Messages in Tests](#asserting-on-rendered-messages-in-tests) 5. [Capturing and Delivering at the Same Time](#capturing-and-delivering-at-the-same-time) 6. [Production and Security Considerations](#production-and-security-considerations) 7. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways) ### Have a technical challenge? Tell me what you’re building. I reply within two working days. [Start a conversation](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) Related articles ----------------- [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/740/cce86edc21eddcbdd2f2454fadaf9c70.png) · 3 min read### The Pipeline Pattern in Laravel: Custom Pipelines Beyond Middleware 5 Oct 2026 ](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/the-pipeline-pattern-in-laravel-custom-pipelines-beyond-middleware-1) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/739/2d6897fdcdcf090613f96f72a64b8a78.png) · 4 min read### MySQL Full-Text Search in Laravel: Indexes, Relevance Scoring, and Boolean Mode 4 Oct 2026 ](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/mysql-full-text-search-in-laravel-indexes-relevance-scoring-and-boolean-mode) [ ![](https://cdn.msaied.com/738/073696a3fefe18bec825beec5ac658f5.png) · 4 min read### Laravel Queue Rate-Limited Middleware: Throttling Jobs Without Losing Work 4 Oct 2026 ](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles/laravel-queue-rate-limited-middleware-throttling-jobs-without-losing-work) Have a technical challenge? ---------------------------- Tell me what you’re building. I reply within two working days. [Discuss your project ↗](https://www.msaied.com/public#contact) © 2026 Mohamed Said · Built with Laravel, meant to last.Senior Backend Engineer specializing in Laravel, scalable SaaS platforms, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. I build secure, high-performance web applications that help businesses grow. - [Home](https://www.msaied.com/public) - [Articles](https://www.msaied.com/public/articles) - [Certificates](https://www.msaied.com/public/certificates) - [GitHub](https://github.com/EG-Mohamed) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/msaiedm/) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/201094619204) - [Email Address](mailto:hello@msaied.com) - [My CV](https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1MF20IPRJyzfy32mhEutjL5EpSls0w2Q8/view) - [Sitemap](https://www.msaied.com/public/sitemap.xml)