Both tools let you share secrets with self-destructing links. But they differ in encryption model, pricing, and privacy guarantees. Here's an honest, feature-by-feature breakdown.
| Feature | Secure Share | OneTimeSecret | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client-Side Encryption | Both encrypt before data reaches the server | ||
| AES-256-GCM | — | OTS uses server-side encryption, not browser-native AES-GCM | |
| Zero-Knowledge Architecture | — | Secure Share key stays in URL fragment; OTS server can decrypt | |
| Passphrase Protection | Both support optional passphrase; Secure Share uses PBKDF2 600K iterations | ||
| Configurable TTL | Secure Share: 30m–7d free. OTS free tier: up to 7 days | ||
| Bot / Link Preview Protection | — | Secure Share requires manual click to decrypt, blocking Slack/Teams bots | |
| No Account Required | — | OTS requires sign-up for most features; Secure Share is fully anonymous | |
| Generous Free Tier | — | OTS has paid tiers ($49–$149/mo); Secure Share offers a generous free tier | |
| Open Source | OTS is fully open source; Secure Share publishes its crypto source, schema, and threat model | ||
| Custom Branding | — | OTS paid plans offer custom domains; Secure Share does not | |
| API Access | — | OTS offers REST API on paid plans | |
| Self-Hosted Option | — | OTS can be self-hosted; Secure Share is SaaS only |
Your message is encrypted in your browser using the Web Crypto API (AES-256-GCM). The encryption key is placed in the URL fragment (#), which browsers never send to servers. Our server stores only encrypted ciphertext it physically cannot decrypt.
Even if our entire database were leaked, attackers would get nothing but random bytes.
OTS encrypts your secret on their server before storing it. While they use strong encryption, the server does see your plaintext during the encryption process. This means OTS staff (or a compromised server) could theoretically access your secrets.
OTS mitigates this risk with good engineering practices, but it's a fundamentally different trust model.
Secure Share offers a generous free tier with no account required. Core features — passphrase protection, configurable TTL, file attachments, bot protection — are all available at no cost.
OTS offers a free tier with basic features, but advanced capabilities like custom domains, API access, higher limits, and team features require paid plans starting at $49/month for Identity and going up to $149/month for Dedicated.
Don't take our word for it. Our encryption source code, database schema, and threat model are published on GitHub for anyone to audit. You can verify that the key never leaves your browser and that our server stores only ciphertext it cannot decrypt.
No sign-up. No credit card. Just paste your secret and share.
Try Secure Share →