Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Adblock Plus VS PrivacyNotes

Compare Adblock Plus VS PrivacyNotes and see what are their differences

Adblock Plus logo Adblock Plus

AdBlock Plus is a browser extension for Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and several other popular browsers that prevents intrusive ads like pop-ups and malicious code from appearing on websites you visit.

PrivacyNotes logo PrivacyNotes

Zero-knowledge encrypted notes, tasks, journals, files, and passwords in one app. Your keys never leave your device. One-time price, no subscription. Hosted in Switzerland.
Visit Website
  • Adblock Plus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-18
  • PrivacyNotes Journal
    Journal //
    2026-06-25
  • PrivacyNotes Settings
    Settings //
    2026-06-25
  • PrivacyNotes Website
    Website //
    2026-06-25

PrivacyNotes is a zero-knowledge encrypted workspace that brings your notes, tasks, journals, files, and passwords into one app, so you stop juggling four separate subscriptions.

Everything is encrypted on your device with XChaCha20-Poly1305 before it ever syncs. Your keys are derived from a recovery phrase that never touches our servers, so we cannot read your content, your filenames, or anything else. This is real zero-knowledge, not a marketing label.

Five pillars, one encrypted app:

  • Notes - a live markdown editor with note-to-note links, tags, and fast full-text search
  • Tasks - native checklists and task management next to your notes
  • Journals - daily entries with built-in mood, sleep, and medication tracking
  • Files - an encrypted vault for images, audio, and attachments
  • Vault - lock sensitive notes and logins behind a PIN or biometrics

Built for privacy, not surveillance:

  • No ads, no trackers, no analytics, ever
  • Sign in anonymously with a recovery phrase or with Google. No email or personal details required.
  • Open core: the encryption layer and database schema are published for independent review
  • Burn notes: self-destructing shares the server cannot read

Pricing that respects you:

  • Free covers every pillar with two-device sync and offline use
  • Pro is a one-time free, not a subscription, adding unlimited devices, note history, and more storage
  • Optional storage add-ons when you need them

Works on web, macOS, and soon iOS, Android, Windows and Linux with a responsive mobile layout. Import from Apple Notes, Standard Notes, Google Keep, Obsidian, and markdown in a few clicks.

Adblock Plus

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-
Startup details
Country
Germany

PrivacyNotes

$ Details
freemium $48.0 / One-off (Early adopter price)
Platforms
MacOS Web Firefox Google Chrome Edge Safari
Release Date
2026 June
Startup details
Country
Switzerland
Employees
1 - 9

Adblock Plus features and specs

  • Blocks Ads
    Effectively blocks a wide variety of ads, including banner ads, video ads, and pop-ups, enhancing the web browsing experience.
  • Improved Speed
    By blocking ads, it can increase the speed at which web pages load, particularly on sites with heavy ad content.
  • Privacy Protection
    Helps to protect user privacy by preventing ad trackers from collecting data on browsing habits.
  • Customizable Filters
    Allows users to create custom filter lists to block specific content or ads from particular websites.
  • Open Source
    The source code is open to the public, allowing for transparency and contributions from the community to improve the product.

Possible disadvantages of Adblock Plus

  • Ad-Blocking Whitelist
    Adblock Plus allows certain 'acceptable ads' to be shown by default, which might not align with user expectations of an ad-free experience.
  • Potential for Website Breakage
    Some websites might not function correctly when ads are blocked, which can disrupt the user experience on those sites.
  • Revenue Impact on Websites
    Websites that rely on ad revenue may experience reduced income, which can affect the quality and availability of free content on the web.
  • Resource Usage
    Running the Adblock Plus extension can consume system resources, potentially impacting browser performance.
  • Complex Configuration
    Customizing filters and settings can be complex for non-technical users, potentially leading to suboptimal use of the tool.

PrivacyNotes features and specs

  • Privacy-focused
    PrivacyNotes is designed with privacy as a core principle, aiming to keep your notes secure and away from third-party access, which appeals to users concerned about data confidentiality.
  • Encryption
    The service typically emphasizes encryption to protect note content, meaning your data is scrambled and less vulnerable to unauthorized reading if intercepted or stored.
  • Ephemeral notes
    Many privacy note services offer self-destructing or temporary notes that automatically delete after being read or after a set time, reducing the digital footprint left behind.
  • Simple and lightweight
    Such tools often provide a clean, minimal interface focused on quick note creation and sharing without unnecessary features, making it easy to use.
  • No account required
    Privacy-oriented note apps frequently allow you to create and share notes without registration, lowering the barrier to entry and reducing personal data collection.

Analysis of Adblock Plus

Overall verdict

  • Adblock Plus is generally considered effective for users who want a simple solution to block unwanted ads without much configuration. However, some critics point out that it participates in an 'acceptable ads' program, allowing certain non-intrusive ads to be displayed by default, which may not align with all users' expectations of an ad blocker.

Why this product is good

  • Adblock Plus is a popular browser extension that blocks intrusive ads, which can enhance user experience by speeding up web page loading times and reducing clutter. It also adds a layer of privacy by preventing tracking scripts from loading, and it can help protect users from malicious ads that might contain malware.

Recommended for

    Adblock Plus is recommended for casual internet users looking for a straightforward and easy-to-install ad-blocking solution. It is also suitable for users concerned with online privacy and who prefer not to be tracked by advertisers.

Analysis of PrivacyNotes

Overall verdict

  • I don't have verified, specific information about PrivacyNotes (privacynotes.app) to make a reliable assessment of its quality, security practices, or features. I cannot confirm details about its encryption methods, privacy policy, company background, or user reviews.

Why this product is good

  • Unable to verify claims about encryption or zero-knowledge architecture without independent confirmation
  • No access to current user reviews, ratings, or reputation data for this specific service
  • Cannot confirm company legitimacy, ownership, or track record
  • Unable to verify uptime, reliability, or actual security audit results
  • No information available on pricing structure or terms of service specifics

Recommended for

  • Before using, research independently via security audit reports if available
  • Check for third-party security reviews or penetration testing results
  • Verify the company's privacy policy and data handling practices directly on their site
  • Look for user reviews on independent platforms rather than relying on marketing claims
  • Consider established, well-audited alternatives if handling highly sensitive information

Adblock Plus videos

Adblock Plus: Now Serving You More Ads! - The Know Tech News

PrivacyNotes videos

No PrivacyNotes videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Adblock Plus and PrivacyNotes)
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Ad Blockers
100 100%
0% 0
Task Management
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Adblock Plus and PrivacyNotes.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

PrivacyNotes's answer:

Honestly? We have no idea, and that is the entire point. Signup is anonymous (a recovery phrase or Google, no email or personal details), the app ships zero analytics and zero trackers, and zero-knowledge encryption means we cannot see who you are or what you store. We could not name a single customer if we tried. A privacy product that tracked its users closely enough to brag about them would be missing the plot.

What makes your product unique?

PrivacyNotes's answer:

PrivacyNotes is the only zero-knowledge encrypted workspace that keeps notes, tasks, journals, files, and a password vault behind one set of on-device keys. Most privacy apps do one of those well and rent it to you monthly. We do all five, encrypt everything with XChaCha20-Poly1305 before it leaves your device, and charge once instead of forever. The encryption core is open core, published so the claims can be verified rather than trusted.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

PrivacyNotes's answer:

Three reasons:

  • One app, not four subscriptions. Standard Notes, Day One, and Lunatask each rent you a slice (notes, journaling, tasks). PrivacyNotes covers all of them plus files and a vault, for a fair one-time fee.
  • Real zero-knowledge. Your keys come from a recovery phrase that never touches our servers, so we cannot read your notes, your filenames, or your metadata. Some encrypted apps leave note or task metadata in the clear; we do not.
  • Verifiable, not just trusted. The crypto and schema are open core and published for review, and there is no ad, tracker, or analytics anywhere in the app.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

PrivacyNotes's answer:

Privacy-conscious individuals and independent professionals who handle information they would not want a vendor reading: lawyers, journalists, healthcare and mental-health practitioners, developers, security specialists, researchers, and founders. It also fits anyone who simply wants one private home for their notes, tasks, journaling, and wellness tracking instead of spreading them across surveillance-funded apps.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

PrivacyNotes's answer:

React, TypeScript, Vite and Tailwind CSS.

What's the story behind your product?

PrivacyNotes's answer:

PrivacyNotes started from a simple frustration: staying organized meant scattering your life across half a dozen apps, most of which could read everything you typed and billed you monthly for the privilege. We wanted one place for notes, tasks, journals, files, and passwords, encrypted so thoroughly that the people running the servers could not read a word of it, and paid for once rather than forever. So we built the encryption first, made the keys live only on your device, and published the crypto as open core so the promise could be checked, not just believed. Everything else grew from one rule: your data is yours, and no one else's to mine.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Adblock Plus and PrivacyNotes

Adblock Plus Reviews

The Best Ad Blockers for YouTube 2024
Adblock Plus: AdBlock is a user-friendly free tool that received solid ad-blocking scores during our testing. It also offers a Premium subscription that can block additional nuisances like site notifications, survey requests, and floating videos.
Best Ad Blockers in 2023: Adblock Plus vs AdGuard vs uBlock Origin and More
Not to be confused with AdBlock Plus, AdBlock is a very simple and straightforward extension that offers ad blocking features, and it works admirably. The user interface is as simple as they come, with the option to pause the extension on the website youรขย€ย™re on โ€” useful if a website wonรขย€ย™t let you access it with such an extension enabled.
Best Ad Blockers
Adblock Plus (again, not to be confused with any variations on its name) is a standalone ad blocker thatโ€™s been around for quite some time. It is not the premium version of another ad blocker or a special edition. Adblock Plus is its own application.
22 NextDNS Alternatives
AdBlock Plus claims to be one of the most feature-rich and out-of-the-box ad blockers for smartphones, tablets, and PCs. People love having it because of its excellent adblocking mechanism and capabilities. AdBlock Plus extension is available for users who want to have a customized and controlled web experience. You can remove ads and malware from all the online destinations...
8 BEST Ad Blockers For Chrome In 2020 [Free Pop Up Blockers]
Not only is Adblock Plus free, but it also features acceptable ads. Instead of charging you the user, AdBlock Plus charges large companies who want to be a part of its acceptable ads program, thereby saving you money whilst allowing companies who depend on ad-generated revenue to continue offering you free content for years to come.

PrivacyNotes Reviews

  1. Feature rich

    The best thing about this: No subscription model, it's a one-time fee for a lifetime license. But you can start for free with the generous freemium model. I only needed to upgrade to pro because I wanted to use the app on my phone, laptop and desktop. Highly recommended! Btw, it's a perfect markdown editor as well, not sure why they don't emphasize this more.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Adblock Plus seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 65 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Adblock Plus mentions (65)

  • How I stay (more) focused with ADHD
    Tip: I use Adblock Plus on desktop, and AdGuard on iPhone and iPad. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • [Vent] YouTube forcing adblock removal, here's what you can do!
    Adblock plus => I only use this one with Edge because Opera has a default adblocker of its own, but this is also a very welcome extension and something that can (and will) keep you safe! Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Why are there differences between the EasyList filter lists mirrors!?
    Why doesn't easylist.to link to its own version of the Fanboy's Annoyance List? Why are the lists (and especially the "EasyList Germany") on the mirror (?) of adblockplus.org more up-to-date than on easylist.to? Source: about 3 years ago
  • Problem with popups
    That can be annoying. Do you see them on Flipboard or when you navigate to the actual website of the article? If that's the case, then it would be up to the website that is hosting the article. I would recommend a good popup/ad blocker like adblock plus. Source: over 3 years ago
  • "He gets us" is taken over my feed
    Try AdBlock Plus, gets rid of a ton of junk. https://adblockplus.org/. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

PrivacyNotes mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PrivacyNotes yet. Tracking of PrivacyNotes recommendations started around Jun 2026.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Adblock Plus and PrivacyNotes, you can also consider the following products

uBlock Origin - Popular and efficient blocker for Chromium, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Thunderbird.

Standard Notes - A safe place for your notes, thoughts, and life's work

AdGuard - Surf the Web Ad-Free and Safely. Shield up!

Apple Notes - Apple Notes functions as a service for making short text notes.

Privacy Badger - Privacy Badger blocks spying ads and invisible trackers. How is Privacy Badger different from Disconnect, Adblock Plus, Ghostery, and other blocking extensions?

Simplenote - The simplest way to keep notes. Light, clean, and free. Simplenote is now available for iOS, Android, Mac, and the web.