Comparison

Secret Notes vs Private Note Encrypted

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

Head to head
About

Secret Notes

Features
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Trove is where your private thoughts live behind real encryption. Every note is locked with AES-256 — the same standard trusted by security professionals. Your password is never stored, never synced, never seen by anyone. It lives only in your head. Forget it, and not even we can open the note. That is the whole point. WHY TROVE • AES-256 encryption with 600,000-round key strengthening • Your password is never saved to disk, to iCloud, or to our servers • The note list and encrypted text stay visible without a password — decryption happens only in memory, only when you ask • No account, no sign-up, no tracking, no ads ONE ENCRYPTED LOCKBOX FOR EVERYTHING Bank details, passwords, a private journal, a secret diary, login codes, confidential ideas, a quick brain dump — keep your whole stash in one secure vault. FEATURES • Encrypted notes, private journal and secure diary in one app • Voice dictation — speak your notes, transcribed on-device (audio never leaves your iPhone) • Color tags to organize and archive your notes • Optional iCloud sync — your encrypted vault follows you across iPhones and survives reinstalls • Local-only mode if you prefer nothing ever leaves the device • Share an encrypted note with a friend over any channel — only someone with the password can open it • Search by title or date • Clean, fast, forced dark mode SHARING Send an encrypted note to anyone — over Messages, Mail, AirDrop, any channel. Share the password separately... Only the person who knows it can open the note, so it stays safe even if the channel is not... PRIVACY BY DESIGN Trove cannot read your notes. There is no backdoor, no recovery, no hint. Strong encryption means only you hold the key. We collect nothing about your content — what you write stays yours. DISCLAIMER Application cannot add photos, videos to notes by decision of developer. Trove is for text only — by design. Encrypted media is intentionally not supported to keep the app safe and simple PREMIUM Unlock unlimited notes, sharing, importing and more: • Weekly or Monthly plan • 3-day free trial for new subscribers • Cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple ID account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID account settings after purchase. Your secrets deserve a real lock. Keep them in Trove. Privacy Policy: https://lukematpyt.github.io/securenotes-legal/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://lukematpyt.github.io/securenotes-legal/terms/ Support: https://lukematpyt.github.io/securenotes-legal/support/

About

Private Note Encrypted

Features
Read full description

Private Note lets you send a secret message that self-destructs the moment it is read. Your message is encrypted on your device with AES-256-GCM before it ever leaves. We only ever store unreadable ciphertext — never your text or your key. The instant the recipient opens it, it is permanently deleted. No copies, anywhere. WHY PRIVATE NOTE • Zero-knowledge: our servers never see your message or your key • Read once, then gone forever — no recovery, no archive, no backup • No accounts, no phone number, no tracking, no ads • Unread messages auto-expire after 7 days • All data stored and processed in the EU (GDPR-compliant) HOW IT WORKS 1. Write your secret and choose an encryption key 2. Create a secure link — only ciphertext is uploaded 3. Share the link, and give the key separately 4. The recipient opens it once, enters the key, and the message is destroyed PERFECT FOR Passwords, API keys, access codes, private messages — anything you don't want lingering in an inbox or chat history. Reading notes others send you is always free. A Private Note Premium subscription unlocks unlimited secure-link creation. SUBSCRIPTION Private Note Premium is an auto-renewable monthly subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at purchase confirmation. It renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://private-note.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://private-note.app/privacy Private Note is built on a simple principle: privacy is a right, not a feature.

Screenshots

Secret Notes3 screens
Private Note Encrypted3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Private Note Encrypted at 15.0 against Secret Notes's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

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

Both are free to download. Secret Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Private Note Encrypted sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Secret Notes ships an update every 2 weeks, Private Note Encrypted every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
Secret Notes versus Private Note Encrypted: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSecret NotesPrivate Note Encrypted
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB52 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperLukasz MacczakZONESOFT S.R.L.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Secret Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Secure Notes - Weekly$2.997 Days
  • SecureNotes Monthly$9.991 Month
1 purchases

Private Note Encrypted

Subscriptions1
  • English$3.991 Month

Questions

Is Secret Notes free?
Secret Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Private Note Encrypted free?
Private Note Encrypted is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Secret Notes or Private Note Encrypted have ads?
Neither Secret Notes nor Private Note Encrypted shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Secret Notes or Private Note Encrypted?
Secret Notes ships an update every 2 weeks, and Private Note Encrypted every 11 days. Most recently, Secret Notes was updated on October 31, 2026 and Private Note Encrypted on October 28, 2026.

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