What is Privnote and why look for an alternative?

Privnote is a free website that turns a note into a link that self-destructs after it is read. People look for alternatives because they want client-side encryption they can verify, a password on the link, a longer or timed expiry, to keep a copy for themselves, or simply an open-source tool they can self-host.

Which Privnote alternative is the most secure?

Tools that encrypt in your browser or app before anything is uploaded, and that keep the key out of the server’s hands, are the strongest: Dash, PrivateBin, Bitwarden Send and Yopass all work this way. Dash puts the key in the URL fragment, which browsers never send to the server, and lets you add a separate password.

Can I make a note that deletes itself on my own device?

Yes. Dash has self-destructing notes: set a note to delete after one hour, twelve hours, a day, a week, a month or a custom time, and a countdown badge shows how long is left. It is useful for one-time codes, temporary passwords and anything you do not want lingering.

Do these services let me add a password to the note?

Dash, PrivateBin, Bitwarden Send and One-Time Secret all support an extra password or passphrase, so you can send the link through one channel and the password through another.

Are burn-after-reading notes actually gone?

Once the encrypted blob is deleted from the server, nobody can recover it, but anyone who opened the note could have copied or screenshotted it first. Treat self-destructing notes as a way to limit exposure, not as a guarantee that a recipient cannot keep what they saw.

Dash Notes

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Self-destructing notes

Privnote Alternatives for Notes That Destroy Themselves

Privnote made burn-after-reading links famous. These five tools do the same job with encryption you can check, passwords you can add, and expiry you control.

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No account needed

Works offline

AES-256 encrypted

Updated September 2026 · By the Dash team

A self-destructing note solves a specific problem: you need to hand someone a password, a door code or a sentence you would rather not leave sitting in a chat log. Privnote does that with one text box. The alternatives below add the things Privnote leaves out: encryption that happens on your device, a password on the link, a timer instead of a single view, and, in Dash’s case, a copy that stays encrypted in your own notes.

We make Dash, so it is listed first. It is also the odd one out: a full notes app rather than a web form. If you only ever need to send one secret, PrivateBin or Yopass will feel more direct.

The best Privnote alternatives in 2026

1.
Dash
Our app
Write the note in a real notes app, then share it as an end-to-end encrypted link, optionally with a password, that expires in 30 days. Or set the note itself to self-destruct on a timer.
Best for
Sharing a note you also want to keep, encrypted, for yourself
Price
$14.99 one-time on Mac; free on iPhone and the web
Privacy
Encrypted on your device; the relay sees only ciphertext
- Key travels in the link fragment, never sent to the server
- Optional password and QR code for in-person handoff
- Self-destructing notes with a countdown: 1 hour to 30 days
- Not a one-click web form; it is a notes app
- Links expire after 30 days rather than on first read
- Recipient needs a browser, not the app
2.
PrivateBin
Open-source, zero-knowledge pastebin. Notes are encrypted in the browser and can burn after reading.
Best for
A free Privnote-style form you can self-host
Price
Free and open source
Privacy
Zero-knowledge; server stores ciphertext
- Burn after reading
- Self-hostable
- Password option
- You must trust whichever instance you use
- Plain interface
- No app; browser only
3.
Bitwarden Send
Send text or files with an expiry, a view limit and a password, from inside the Bitwarden password manager.
Best for
People who already use Bitwarden
Price
Free for text; files need a paid plan
Privacy
End-to-end encrypted
- Max views and expiry dates
- Password protection
- Trusted, audited vendor
- Requires a Bitwarden account
- Files are a paid feature
- Overkill for one quick note
4.
One-Time Secret
The classic: paste a secret, get a link that works once.
Best for
Sending a single password or key
Price
Free; paid plans for extras
Privacy
Encrypted at rest; open source and self-hostable
- Truly one-time links
- Optional passphrase
- Open source
- Short character limit on the free tier
- Server-side encryption, not zero-knowledge by default
- No formatting
5.
Yopass
Open-source secret sharing with client-side encryption and one-time or timed expiry.
Best for
Developers who want something simple to self-host
Price
Free and open source
Privacy
Client-side encrypted
- Encryption happens in the browser
- One-time or time-based expiry
- Easy to self-host
- Bare-bones
- No password option on some setups
- Text only

Encrypted share links and self-destructing notes — try Dash

How Dash share links work

The note is compressed and encrypted on your device with AES-256-GCM. For short notes the ciphertext rides inside the link itself, after the #, which browsers never send to any server. For longer notes the encrypted blob is uploaded to a relay that cannot decrypt it and deletes it after 30 days. You can add a password on top, share it by QR code in person, and the recipient decrypts in their browser with nothing to install.

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Send it encrypted. Keep it encrypted.

Dash is $14.99 one-time on Mac and free on iPhone. Share links and self-destructing notes are built in.

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Privnote Alternatives for Notes That Destroy Themselves

The best Privnote alternatives in 2026

Dash

PrivateBin

Bitwarden Send

One-Time Secret

Yopass

How Dash share links work

Get Dash Today

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Self-destructing notes

Encrypted note sharing

Encrypted notes app

Send it encrypted. Keep it encrypted.