Comparison

Private Notes (Nostr) vs Deep Session

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Private Notes (Nostr)

Features
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Private Notes is an encrypted password manager and secure notes app built on the Nostr protocol β€” a private alternative to cloud-based managers like 1Password or Bitwarden. Every password, login, and note is encrypted on your device before it ever leaves β€” no company, no server, no cloud provider can read it. Only you, with your nsec (and optionally a PIN), hold the key. Your password vault: Store logins β€” username, password, website, and notes β€” right where you need them. Generate strong passwords two ways: memorable "by words" phrases or fully random characters, with strength shown as you type. Copy any field in one tap, and keep everything organized with folders and labels. Your notes, still yours: Markdown notes, folders, and labels live in the same encrypted vault as your logins. Recovery codes, travel plans, reading lists β€” anything you'd trust to a notes app, without trusting a company with the plaintext. Built on real cryptography, not a promise: Your identity is a cryptographic key pair (nsec/npub), not an email and password. Everything is encrypted and signed locally before it's published. A PIN adds a second layer of encryption on top of your keychain-protected key β€” even someone with your nsec can't read your vault without it. The PIN is never written to disk. There's no "forgot password" flow, because there's no password to reset β€” and no backdoor. Back up your nsec somewhere safe; without it, nothing can be recovered. Sync without a company in the middle: Private Notes syncs through Nostr relays β€” servers that store your encrypted vault β€” and you choose which ones to use. Pick public relays, run your own, or use several at once for redundancy: if one goes offline, your vault is still there on the others. No single company holds your data or controls your access. Available now on iOS and macOS. Private Notes is built for: Anyone switching from a cloud password manager who wants a vault that's properly end-to-end encrypted Privacy-conscious users who want full control over their passwords and notes Nostr enthusiasts who want one secure identity across Nostr apps Anyone tired of apps that mine or sell their data Download Private Notes today β€” your passwords and notes: encrypted, decentralized, and always yours.

About

Deep Session

Read full description

Deep Session is a focus timer built for people who want to sit down and do the work - without fuss, without distractions. No accounts. No ads. No subscriptions. Just a timer. How it works Pick a session - Deep Work, Quick Focus, or Long Session - and press start. A warm-up period eases you in, then the timer begins. When you’re done, you’ll see how long you stayed focused. That’s it. No complicated setup, no overwhelming features. Track your progress See your focus hours for today, this week, and this month. Watch your streak grow as you build a daily deep work habit. Every session is saved locally on your device - your data stays yours. What makes Deep Session different Starts in seconds, not minutes No sign-up or onboarding walls No cloud sync, no servers, no tracking Designed to feel calm and quiet Works completely offline Dark mode that actually looks good Built for deep work Deep Session is inspired by the idea that the hardest part of focused work is simply starting. The app removes every barrier between you and your next session. Open it, tap, and begin. Your focus data never leaves your device. There are no analytics, no third-party SDKs, and no data collection of any kind.

Screenshots

Private Notes (Nostr)4 screens
Deep Session4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Deep Session at none against Private Notes (Nostr)'s shown. Private Notes (Nostr)'s advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Private Notes (Nostr) versus Deep Session: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate Notes (Nostr)Deep Session
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyβ€”
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac β€” betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size33 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeralexey popkovUlugbek Samigjonov

In-app purchases

None

Private Notes (Nostr)

No in-app purchases

None

Deep Session

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private Notes (Nostr) free?
Private Notes (Nostr) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Deep Session free?
Deep Session is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Private Notes (Nostr) or Deep Session have ads?
Private Notes (Nostr) shows ads; Deep Session does not.

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