Privnote and TxtVanish side by side
| Privnote | TxtVanish | |
|---|---|---|
| Self-destructs after reading | Yes | Yes, or after 2 to 100 views |
| Time-based expiry | Yes | 1 hour to never, or a date you pick |
| Confirmation before showing | Yes, by default | Yes, always for self-destructing messages |
| Password on the note | Yes | Yes |
| Know when it was read | Email notification | Sender link with first and last open |
| Short code and QR code for other devices | No | Yes |
| Code with syntax highlighting | No | Yes |
| Edit after sending | No | Yes, as an editable note |
| File attachments | No | One file up to 10 MB, kept 7 days |
| Where encryption happens | In your browser | On the server, at rest (AES-256) |
Where TxtVanish goes further
Moving a note to another device
Switch on Short code and you get a six-character code such as K7Q-M2X next to the link. Type it at txtvanish.com/code on the other device, or scan the QR code on the result page. Handy when the recipient is you, on your laptop, and the text is on your phone.
Notes that change
A Privnote note is fixed once written. On TxtVanish, choose Editable note, and your private sender link lets you update the text later. Everyone with the link sees the latest version. Good for instructions, lists and house details that change.
Code, logs and files
The Code tab keeps indentation, adds syntax highlighting and line numbers, and gives the reader a copy button. And when text isn’t enough, attach a file: a screenshot, a PDF, a config file.
Checking without an email address
Privnote can email you when a note is destroyed, which means giving it an email address. TxtVanish’s sender link shows whether the message was opened and when, and needs nothing from you.
When Privnote is the better choice
Privnote encrypts notes in your browser, with the key carried in the link, so its servers never hold a readable copy. If that is what matters most to you, stay with Privnote, or look at open-source tools such as PrivateBin that work the same way. And if you want an email when a note is destroyed, Privnote does that and TxtVanish doesn’t.
Switching over
- Keep 1 view selected for the same burn-after-reading behaviour.
- Use Password the way you used Privnote’s manual password, and tell it to the recipient separately.
- Save the sender link after creating a note: it replaces the email notification.
Privnote features as described on privnote.com, checked September 2026. For more tools side by side, see the full comparison.