Privnote alternative: OncePad vs Privnote
Both create an encrypted note that disappears. The difference is whether the link is the key.
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
Privnote popularised the self-destructing note: write it, get a link, and by default it burns when read. Like OncePad it needs no account, and Privnote's privacy policy says its servers cannot decrypt a note without the unique link. If you only need a note that disappears after one read, Privnote does that job.
The core difference: the link is the key
Privnote's privacy policy says the unique link binds the decryption key to the note and that the key is contained in the link. That keeps the operator from reading stored notes, but it also makes the link the complete credential: whoever obtains it can open the note. OncePad separates the two: the link carries no key and leads to a page that asks for a generated 7-word passphrase. Someone with only the link or only the words cannot decrypt; previews and scanners cannot burn it because reveal requires a deliberate second step.
Side by side
| Feature | OncePad | Privnote |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption location | Browser, before upload (end-to-end) | Official policy says notes are encrypted and the service lacks the link/key |
| Key placement | Derived from a generated passphrase sent separately; no key in link | Decryption key is contained in the unique link |
| File support / limit | One browser-encrypted file up to 25 MB | No file sharing documented on privnote.com |
| Expiry | Exactly one reveal or 24 hours | First access by default; optional timed removal; unread notes removed after 30 days |
| Accounts | No account or cookies | No registration required; policy documents first- and third-party cookies |
| Open-source status | Hosted app source not publicly released | No public source repository linked in the official pages reviewed |
When Privnote may suit you better
If you want the recipient to open the note with a single click and nothing else, or you want a read-notification or a longer timer, Privnote's one-link model is simpler to hand over. The trade is that the link must be treated as the secret itself.
When OncePad is the better fit
If the link is going somewhere you don't fully control — a ticket, a group chat, an email that gets forwarded, or a channel with preview bots — you want a link that opens nothing on its own. OncePad's two-channel design is built for precisely that, with a strong passphrase generated for you.
Last verified: August 18, 2026. Descriptions of Privnote are based on its primary documentation and are given in good faith; editions, limits, and policies change, so verify them before deciding. Privnote is a trademark of its respective owner and is not affiliated with OncePad.