PrivacyNotes

What it is

Spec sheet

What it does

PrivacyNotes combines encrypted notes, tasks, files, journals, bookmarks, contacts and a password-style vault in one personal workspace.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Product

PrivacyNotes is an end-to-end encrypted personal workspace for notes, tasks, files, a vault, journals, and bookmarks.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Integrations

Sign-in can use Google, Apple or GitHub, while Bitwarden, browser passwords and browser bookmarks have import paths.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Founded

2026Read 23 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

AI policy

The app has no AI features, performs no background AI processing, and does not train models on user content.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

API and SDKs

The published materials describe an internal sync REST endpoint but provide no public developer API or SDK for third-party applications.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com

Burn notes

Burn notes create one-time encrypted links that are deleted after reading and otherwise expire between one hour and seven days.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Client encryption

Notes are encrypted on the device before synchronization using XChaCha20-Poly1305, with keys derived from a 12-word BIP-39 phrase.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Company ownership

Lifetime Labs says PrivacyNotes began in 2025 with two Swiss developers and was funded from the PrivacyTools.io owner's personal savings without venture capital.Read 14 Oct 2026 · lifetimelabs.dev

Company structure

The maker identifies itself as Lifetime Labs LLC, a US company whose core team is German and Swiss with Philippine freelancers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · lifetimelabs.dev

Compliance statement

The service says synced ciphertext is hosted in Zurich, Switzerland and that it uses row-level security keyed to the user's public key.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Demo

A full browser demo is available without signup or email, saves nothing, makes no server calls, and clears when the tab closes.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Documentation

The help center contains detailed security, recovery, import, storage, platform and troubleshooting articles, plus a public roadmap and changelog.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Encryption

The clients encrypt note data locally with XChaCha20-Poly1305 before synchronization.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Exports

Notes can be exported as Markdown, HTML, PDF or encrypted backups.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

File storage

Attachments accept arbitrary file types and are encrypted like notes; free files are capped at 5 MB and Pro files at 50 MB.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Imports

Supported import sources include Evernote, Apple Notes, Apple Journal, Google Keep, Obsidian, Notesnook, Standard Notes, Simplenote, Samsung Notes, Bitwarden, browser data and Markdown.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Independent limitation: cloud dependence

Privacy Guides participants noted that extra storage requires recurring payment and that users relying on hosted sync have less storage flexibility than local-file tools.Read 14 Oct 2026 · discuss.privacyguides.net

Independent limitation: maturity

The Substack review said the mobile apps were still beta and that the web app was the most reliable option at that time.Read 14 Oct 2026 · cr1337.substack.com

Independent limitation: recovery

Independent coverage repeatedly warns that losing a self-custody phrase without a signed-in device makes recovery impossible.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itsfoss.com

Independent limitation: task reminders

A Privacy Guides forum tester reported that the task system lacked reminder functionality and platform notifications.Read 14 Oct 2026 · discuss.privacyguides.net

Independent praise: feature breadth

It's FOSS highlighted the combination of Markdown notes, vault entries, journals, files, imports and burn-after-reading sharing.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itsfoss.com

Independent praise: portability

It's FOSS liked the desktop ability to edit local Markdown files in place without conversion.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itsfoss.com

Independent praise: pricing

A Substack reviewer considered the $48 lifetime Pro price inexpensive compared with several separate subscriptions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · cr1337.substack.com

Independent praise: privacy

It's FOSS described client-side encryption and Switzerland-hosted storage as the product's central privacy benefit.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itsfoss.com

Journal

Journal entries can track mood, sleep, energy, activity and medication, with Pro charts and doctor PDF export.Read 14 Oct 2026 · cr1337.substack.com

Key model

A device-generated 12-word BIP-39 phrase derives the user keys and can provide account access without email or a password.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Licence

The web, desktop and mobile client code is licensed under AGPL-3.0; the sync backend remains closed.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com

Notable news

The full client code became AGPL-3.0 open source on August 31, 2026.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com

Notable release

The July 7, 2026 changelog added native Linux .deb packaging, ARM support and 100 MB files for storage subscribers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Notes editor

The editor supports Markdown, rich formatting, tags, full-text search, folders, note links, tables, callouts, mathematics and syntax highlighting.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Offline use

The app is local-first, so reading, writing, and searching work without an internet connection and changes sync when connectivity returns.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Open source

The web, desktop, and mobile apps and their encryption code are published on GitHub under the AGPL.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Platform availability

Apps are available for web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS, with signed downloadable releases.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Rating on Apple App Store

5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratingRead 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com

Recovery limitation

Under self-custody, losing the 12-word phrase with no signed-in device means the notes cannot be recovered by the company.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Security controls

Optional two-factor sign-in, biometric or PIN app locks, screen-capture hiding and signed releases are documented.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Security reporting

Security vulnerabilities can be reported to [email protected], with coordinated disclosure offered when needed.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Self-hosting

The client is downloadable and open source, but the hosted sync backend is not offered as a self-hosted deployment.Read 14 Oct 2026 · reddit.com

Server location

The synchronized copy is stored on servers in Zurich, Switzerland, and the server stores encrypted blobs rather than readable note text.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

Sign-in choices

Users can create a vault with a phrase and no email, or sign in with Google, Apple, or GitHub; provider sign-in can use server-held or device-only key custody.Read 30 Sep 2026 · privacynotes.app

System requirements

Native apps require macOS 13+, Windows 10+, iOS 17.4+, Android 7.0+ or Linux with webkit2gtk 4.1; modern browsers can use the web app.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Tasks

Tasks are checklist-oriented items collected in a dedicated Tasks view.Read 14 Oct 2026 · itsfoss.com

Vault

The Vault stores logins, payment cards, SSH keys and TOTP secrets using structured fields.Read 14 Oct 2026 · privacynotes.app

Plans and prices

Every PrivacyNotes plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Who it suits

Verdict

Where Specifiction places it

• Secure Notes Apps#5 of 308.9