Side by side
Features as described on each service’s own website and documentation, checked in September 2026. PrivateBin is open-source software that many people host; limits vary between installations, so its column describes the software.
| TxtVanish | Privnote | Pastebin | PrivateBin | Onetime Secret | Password Pusher | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works without an account | Yes | Yes | For guest pastes | Yes | Yes, with limits | Yes, for basic pushes |
| Self-destructs after reading | Yes, 1–100 views | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, one view | Yes, set number of views |
| Time-based expiry | 1 hour to never, or a date | Yes | 10 minutes to 1 year, or never | Minutes to never | Up to 7 days (14 with a free account) | Yes, in days |
| Password on the link | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (passphrase) | Yes (passphrase) |
| Syntax highlighting | 23 languages | No | 200+ languages | Yes | No | No |
| File attachments | Up to 10 MB, kept 7 days | No | No | If the host enables it | Not listed | On paid plans |
| Edit after sharing | Yes (editable notes) | No | With an account | No | No | No |
| Open on another device | Short code and QR code | No | No | No | No | QR code pushes |
| Sender sees when it was opened | Yes (sender link) | Email when destroyed | No | No | Yes (private status link) | Audit log |
| Where encryption happens | On the server, at rest (AES-256) | In your browser | Not stated | In your browser | On the server | On the server |
| Open source | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Pick by the job
Handing one person a password or a code
Every tool above can do it. TxtVanish adds the “Show message” step that keeps chat-app previews from using up the view, and a sender link that shows when it was opened. If your company wants an audit trail of who shared what with whom, Password Pusher is built around that.
Moving text between your own devices
This is where TxtVanish is different. A six-character code you can type on a laptop, or a QR code you can scan with a phone, gets text across in a few seconds without an app or a login. See phone to computer.
Publishing code for everyone
Use Pastebin. It supports far more languages, and its public pastes, accounts and folders are made for code you want people to find. TxtVanish pastes are never listed or indexed, which suits private handovers but not publishing. More in our Pastebin comparison.
When the service itself must not be able to read your text
Choose a tool that encrypts in your browser, such as PrivateBin or Privnote: the key travels in the link and never reaches their server. If you’d rather not trust anyone else’s server at all, PrivateBin, Onetime Secret and Password Pusher are open source and can be run on your own.
Notes you keep and update
TxtVanish is the only tool here that lets you edit a note after sharing it without an account: the private sender link is your key. See save text online.
Last checked: September 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@txtvanish.com.