Bitwarden Send alternative: OncePad vs Bitwarden Send
Both encrypt in the browser. The main differences are account requirements and the default key handoff.
Short answer: OncePad is a free, no-account service for sharing a password, secret, or file through an end-to-end encrypted link. The link contains no decryption key, works once, and expires after 24 hours. Files may be up to 25 MB.
Where they agree
Bitwarden Send and OncePad both encrypt text and files on the client before upload, keep the encryption key away from the storage server, let a recipient use a generated link, and support an additional credential delivered separately. Both are legitimate end-to-end encrypted designs; this comparison is about defaults and workflow, not whether one of them “has encryption.”
The core difference: what the shared link contains
A Bitwarden Send link contains the Send ID and encryption key in its URL fragment. The fragment is not transmitted to Bitwarden's server, but anyone who receives the complete link has the key. Bitwarden documents two optional ways to add separation: protect the Send with a password, or manually send the link without its key and deliver the key separately. OncePad makes separation the only workflow: its link never contains a key, and every secret gets a generated 7-word passphrase for the second channel.
Side by side
| Feature | OncePad | Bitwarden Send |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption location | Browser, before upload (AES-256-GCM) | Client-side; AES-256 encryption with a key derived using HKDF-SHA256 |
| Key placement | Derived from a generated passphrase sent separately; no key in link | Encryption key in the URL fragment by default; can be split manually or gated with a password |
| File support / limit | One browser-encrypted file up to 25 MB | File Sends up to 500 MB on web/desktop (100 MB on mobile); paid account or organization required |
| Expiry | Exactly one reveal or 24 hours | Deletion date up to 30 days plus configurable expiration and optional view limit |
| Accounts | No sender or recipient account | Sender account required; an unrestricted recipient can open the public link without an account |
| Open-source status | Hosted app source not publicly released | Core server repository is public under AGPL-3.0; official hosted and self-hosted deployments |
When Bitwarden Send may suit you better
If you already use Bitwarden, need recipient email verification, want configurable view and deletion controls, share files larger than 25 MB, or automate Sends through the Bitwarden CLI, Send is the broader workflow. Its account also gives the sender a place to list and manage active Sends.
When OncePad is the better fit
If you want no account, no installation, one fixed burn-after-reading rule, and a strong second-channel credential without remembering to configure or split anything, OncePad is intentionally smaller. The link is safe to leave in one channel because it never contains decryption material.
Bitwarden's current account, file, deletion, and view options are documented in Create a Send.
Last verified: August 18, 2026. Descriptions of Bitwarden Send are based on its primary documentation and are given in good faith; editions, limits, and policies change, so verify them before deciding. Bitwarden Send is a trademark of its respective owner and is not affiliated with OncePad.