PrivacyNotes

PrivacyNotes suits people who want private notes alongside tasks, files, journals, bookmarks, and a vault in one workspace. Its offline access, broad imports, and no-cost plan make it a credible place to start; users relying on self-custody should be prepared to safeguard their recovery phrase.

Overview

PrivacyNotes encrypts notes on the device before synchronization with XChaCha20-Poly1305, deriving keys from a 12-word BIP-39 phrase. Its synchronized copy is stored as encrypted blobs on servers in Zurich, Switzerland, not as readable note text. The company cannot recover notes protected by self-custody if the phrase is lost and no signed-in device remains, so this approach is a poor fit for anyone who cannot securely preserve that phrase.

Users can create a vault with a phrase and no email, or sign in with Google, Apple, or GitHub. Provider sign-in supports either server-held or device-only key custody. The apps have no AI features or background AI processing, and user content is not used to train models. The web, desktop, and mobile apps, including their encryption code, are published on GitHub under the AGPL. Security vulnerabilities can be reported by email, with coordinated disclosure offered when needed.

Key features

The workspace combines notes, tasks, files, a vault, journals, and bookmarks, with full-text search and tags included on Free. Local-first operation keeps reading, writing, and searching available offline; changes sync when connectivity returns. That is a practical advantage for travel and unreliable connections, though Free limits synchronization to two devices.

Imports cover Apple Notes, Obsidian, Evernote, Standard Notes, Notesnook, UpNote, Google Keep, Simplenote, Samsung Notes, Apple Journal, Bitwarden, browser passwords, browser bookmarks, and Markdown files. Google Keep checklists can become native task lists, while Markdown folders can be edited directly from desktop apps or supported desktop browsers. These options reduce friction when moving an existing collection, especially for people with material spread across several services.

Exports are available in Markdown, JSON, HTML, PDF, and encrypted backups. A browser demo runs without signup or email, makes no server calls, saves nothing, and clears when the tab closes. It is useful for inspecting the experience without committing personal data, but it is not a way to retain demo work.

Pricing

Free costs nothing, is free forever, and requires no card or time limit. It includes notes, tasks, files, a vault, journal, bookmarks, sync across 2 devices, 5 MB per file, full-text search and tags, import and export, Burn After Reading, mood and wellness tracking, and dark and light mode. The two-device sync ceiling and small attachment limit make this plan best for trying the workspace or keeping a modest collection on a couple of devices.

Pro costs $48, paid once, billed as a single $48 payment; the early-adopter price is locked before it rises to $89. It adds unlimited devices, the last 20 note versions, read-only and PIN-protected notes, wellness analytics and export, Zen mode, extra themes, 500 MB storage, and a 50 MB per-file limit. Pro is the more practical choice for people syncing across many devices or storing larger attachments. There is no free trial, so Free is the way to assess the app before paying.

Platforms

PrivacyNotes supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. That range makes it viable for users who move between desktop and mobile systems rather than keeping notes within one device family.

Who it's for

Choose PrivacyNotes if you want an encrypted, offline-capable personal workspace with broad import and export options, and value having several kinds of personal information together. It is less suitable if you need company-assisted recovery while using self-custody, more than two synced devices without paying, or files larger than 5 MB on Free.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Device-side encryption and encrypted server storage keep synchronized note text unreadable to the server.
• Pro: Offline reading, writing, and search, plus sync on reconnection, support work without a steady connection.
• Pro: Imports from many note, password, bookmark, and journal sources make migration more flexible.
• Con: Losing the self-custody phrase without a signed-in device means the company cannot restore the notes.
• Con: Free sync is capped at two devices and files at 5 MB each, which may force an upgrade for broader use.
• Con: Pro's $48, paid once price is a substantial upfront commitment, even though it is a single payment.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Secure Notes Apps. Notesnook is worth comparing if you want a free plan with 50 MB storage per month and a free trial. Cryptee is another freemium option whose software and cryptography are open source and can be reviewed independently.

Joplin may suit readers who want a 14-day free trial before its Basic plan at €2.99 a month. Turtl is an option for shared Spaces, with its Basic plan allowing 3 collaborators and 50MB storage. Dash offers ongoing free use for its Web PWA / iPhone plan, offline operation, and no account requirement.

Anytype is another freemium workspace to consider. SilentNotes is a free option for Windows and Android. Notyra is free forever and lets users begin without an account.

Verdict

PrivacyNotes is a strong fit for privacy-conscious users who want notes and related personal tools in one offline-capable workspace, with a generous range of import and export formats. Its main trade-off is clear: self-custody demands care with the recovery phrase, while Free's two-device sync and 5 MB file cap constrain heavier use. Start with Free if those limits suit you; choose Pro for unlimited devices and larger files, or look elsewhere if recoverability without your phrase is essential.