Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Solo VS PrivacyNotes

Compare Solo VS PrivacyNotes and see what are their differences

Solo logo Solo

Personal kanban boards hosted on your own server

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.
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  • Solo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-06
  • 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.

Solo

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

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

Solo features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Solo offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies navigation and usability for freelancers.
  • Comprehensive Invoicing
    The app provides robust invoicing features, enabling users to create and manage invoices easily.
  • Expense Tracking
    Solo allows for seamless tracking of expenses, helping freelancers monitor their financials with minimal effort.
  • Income Estimator
    The income estimator feature helps freelancers predict their earnings based on ongoing and upcoming projects.
  • Tax Calculation
    Solo includes automated tax calculation tools to assist freelancers in understanding their tax obligations.
  • Mobile Compatibility
    The app is mobile-compatible, making it convenient for users to manage their freelancing business on the go.
  • Financial Reports
    Users have access to detailed financial reports that provide insights into their income and expenses.

Possible disadvantages of Solo

  • Subscription Cost
    Solo requires a subscription, which could be a financial burden for some freelancers, especially those just starting out.
  • Limited Customization
    The app may offer limited customization options for invoices and reports, which might not meet all user preferences.
  • Feature Overlap
    Some users may find feature overlap with other tools they are already using, potentially making Solo redundant.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, some users may experience a learning curve when first using the app.
  • Customer Support
    There may be limitations in customer support availability, which can be challenging when users face issues.
  • Internet Dependency
    The app requires an internet connection to access all features, which can be a drawback for users with unreliable connectivity.

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 Solo

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Solo is a good tool for its intended audience. Users find it beneficial for maintaining financial discipline and ensuring accurate tax compliance. However, its effectiveness might vary depending on the specific needs of the user, and some might prefer more comprehensive accounting software.

Why this product is good

  • Solo (getsoloapp.com) is designed to help freelancers and independent workers manage their income, taxes, and expenses more efficiently. It offers features such as automatic tax savings, mileage tracking, and expense categorization. Users appreciate the seamless integration with bank accounts and the app's user-friendly interface. Solo App is particularly beneficial for those who may not have the time or expertise to handle financial tracking manually.

Recommended for

  • Freelancers
  • Independent contractors
  • Gig workers
  • Self-employed individuals
  • Anyone in need of simple and automated financial organization

Solo videos

Solo: A Star Wars Story - Movie Review

More videos:

  • Review - Solo: A Star Wars Story - Movie Review
  • Review - Solo: A Star Wars Story - The Perfect SPOILER Review For Everybody!

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 Solo and PrivacyNotes)
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Tech
100 100%
0% 0
Task Management
76 76%
24% 24

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Solo 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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What are some alternatives?

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

Cash App - The easy way to send, spend, bank, and invest.

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

Payzo - Accept credit cards with zero coding (for freelancers)

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

Facebook Pay - Send money to your friends via Messenger

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