Comparison
Secure Notes vs Notesnook (2026): Simple Phone Vault vs Open-Source E2EE
Secure Notes vs Notesnook in 2026: end-to-end encryption, platforms, vault and app lock, decoy PIN, recovery and price. Honest about where each wins.
Quick answer: Notesnook is the stronger encryption app: open source, end-to-end encrypted by default and available on every major platform. Secure Notes is the simpler phone vault: no account, Face ID locks for the app, folders and single notes, a decoy PIN and voice notes, with a real AES-256 encrypted vault on Android. Choose Notesnook for encrypted sync everywhere, Secure Notes for a quick private lock on your phone.
Secure Notes vs Notesnook at a glance
| Feature | Secure Notes | Notesnook |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | iPhone: no app-level note encryption (iOS Data Protection + app lock; iCloud copies use Apple's standard iCloud encryption). Android: AES-256 vault, no sync | Yes, always on, XChaCha20-Poly1305 with Argon2 |
| Open source | No | Yes, apps and sync server |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android (separate apps, no cross-platform sync) | iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, web |
| Account required | No | Yes, for sync |
| Locks | App, folder and single-note locks with passcode, Face ID or Touch ID | App lock plus one password-protected vault for notes |
| Decoy PIN | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Screenshot / preview protection | iPhone: hide from app switcher (Pro). Android: screenshot blocking on by default | Privacy mode blocks screenshots and app previews |
| Recovery | 12 recovery words restore access to the app | Account recovery key; vault password cannot be reset |
| Sync | iPhone/iPad: your private iCloud (Pro). Android: none | Notesnook servers or self-hosted |
| Price (Oct 2026) | Free, optional Pro subscription or lifetime | Free; Essential $19.99/yr; Pro $69.99/yr; Believer $89.99/yr |
Competitor details checked against notesnook.com and its help center in October 2026. Prices change, so check their site before you buy.
How does Notesnook encrypt notes?
Notesnook encrypts every note on your device with XChaCha20-Poly1305 and derives keys from your password with Argon2. Encryption is always on, only ciphertext reaches the sync server, and both the apps and the server are open source, so the claim can be checked. That is real zero-knowledge, end-to-end encrypted sync.
On top of that, Notesnook offers an app lock with PIN or biometrics, a separate password-protected vault for individual notes, a privacy mode that blocks screenshots, and self-hosting. The tradeoffs: you need an account, the vault password cannot be reset if you forget it, and some features sit on paid plans.
How does Secure Notes protect notes?
On iPhone and iPad, Secure Notes stores notes on the device, where iOS Data Protection encrypts storage, and puts them behind its own passcode, Face ID or Touch ID lock. The app does not add its own encryption layer to notes and is not zero-knowledge in the Notesnook sense. Optional sync (Pro) runs in your own private iCloud database; PixelPort has no server that stores notes.
On Android, Secure Notes encrypts the whole vault with AES-256 (SQLCipher), protects the key with your PIN through Argon2id, and blocks screenshots by default. The vault never syncs; you move it with a password-encrypted backup file. Details are on our security page.
- Locks where you need them. Lock the whole app, any folder or a single note, rather than one shared vault.
- Decoy PIN (Pro). A second PIN opens a separate, harmless notebook.
- No account. Nothing to sign up for.
- Voice notes and photos in the same locked notebook.
- Encrypted backups (Pro). From version 3.8.1 on iPhone, AES-256-GCM files protected by your password.
Which should I use?
Pick Notesnook if you use Windows, Mac, Linux or the web alongside your phone, want open-source code, want to self-host, or need end-to-end encryption above everything else.
Pick Secure Notes if you want a private notebook on your phone that opens with Face ID, locks folders and notes separately, offers a decoy PIN and needs no account. For a broader look at what private really means, read what makes a notes app private and zero-knowledge, explained.
Final recap
Notesnook wins on cryptography, openness and platforms. Secure Notes wins on simplicity and phone-first privacy tools like per-folder locks and a decoy PIN. If you want more options, see the best encrypted note apps and Notesnook alternatives.
Frequently asked: Secure Notes vs Notesnook
Is Notesnook actually zero-knowledge?
Yes. Notesnook encrypts notes on your device with XChaCha20-Poly1305, with keys derived from your password using Argon2, before they sync. The apps and sync server are open source. The Notesnook team cannot read your notes, which is a stronger guarantee than Secure Notes for iPhone offers.
Is Secure Notes zero-knowledge like Notesnook?
No. On iPhone and iPad, Secure Notes does not add its own encryption to notes; it relies on iOS Data Protection plus its passcode and Face ID lock, and optional sync goes to your private iCloud. PixelPort has no server that stores notes. On Android, the app encrypts its vault with AES-256 and does not sync.
Does Notesnook have a decoy PIN?
No, as of October 2026 Notesnook offers an app lock, a password-protected vault for individual notes and a privacy mode that blocks screenshots, but not a decoy PIN. Secure Notes Pro adds a second PIN that opens a separate, harmless notebook if someone pressures you to unlock the app.
Can I self-host Notesnook?
Yes. Notesnook publishes a self-hosted sync server. Secure Notes has nothing to self-host: on iPhone it syncs through your own iCloud account, and on Android the vault stays on the phone except for password-encrypted backup files you choose to make.
Why pick Secure Notes over Notesnook?
Pick Secure Notes for a no-account vault on your phone: lock the app, folders or single notes with Face ID, use a decoy PIN, hide the app from the app switcher, record voice notes and keep password-encrypted backups (iPhone app 3.8.1 and later). Pick Notesnook if end-to-end encrypted sync across computers matters most.
What does Notesnook cost?
As of October 2026, Notesnook has a free plan plus Essential ($19.99 a year), Pro ($69.99 a year) and Believer ($89.99 a year) plans, per notesnook.com/pricing. Secure Notes is free, with an optional Pro subscription or one-time lifetime purchase.
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