Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

umami VS PrivacyNotes

Compare umami VS PrivacyNotes and see what are their differences

umami logo umami

A simple and open-source own your website analytics.

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
  • umami Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-22
  • 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.

umami

Website
umami.is
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
Platforms
-
Release Date
-
Startup details
Country
United States

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

umami features and specs

  • Streamlined Content Management
    Umami offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies managing articles, pages, and multimedia content. Its intuitive design makes it easy for users to organize and publish content efficiently.
  • Flexibility and Customization
    Umami provides robust customization options, allowing users to tailor the platform to their specific needs. This includes custom themes, plugins, and APIs for extended functionality.
  • SEO Optimization
    Umami includes built-in SEO tools to help users optimize their content for search engines, improving visibility and driving organic traffic.
  • Multilingual Support
    The platform supports multiple languages, making it accessible for a global audience and allowing users to reach diverse demographics.
  • Community and Support
    Umami has a supportive community and comprehensive documentation that provides valuable resources and assistance for troubleshooting and development.

Possible disadvantages of umami

  • Learning Curve
    New users might experience a steep learning curve due to the myriad of features and customization options available on Umami, requiring time to become proficient.
  • Server Requirements
    Umami requires specific server configurations to run efficiently, which might pose a challenge for users with limited technical expertise or hosting options.
  • Cost
    While Umami offers powerful features, it can be cost-prohibitive for small businesses or individual users when considering premium plugins and additional functionalities.
  • Maintenance
    Users need to regularly update the system and plugins to ensure security and optimal performance, which can be time-consuming and technically demanding.
  • Limited Built-in Analytics
    The platform's built-in analytics tools may not be as comprehensive as required by data-driven businesses, necessitating third-party integrations for advanced analytics.

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 umami

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Umami is considered good for users who prioritize privacy and want a no-frills analytics tool.

Why this product is good

  • Umami is a simple, privacy-focused web analytics tool. It's open-source and self-hostable, providing insights into website traffic without compromising user privacy. It doesn't use cookies or collect personal data, making it compliant with privacy regulations like GDPR. It's an excellent choice for those looking for a lightweight and straightforward analytics solution.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized website owners
  • Developers seeking a customizable analytics platform
  • Privacy-conscious individuals and organizations
  • Those looking for an alternative to Google Analytics

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

umami videos

Umami Burger Review

More videos:

  • Review - The Original Umami Burger REVIEWED!!

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 umami and PrivacyNotes)
Analytics
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
0 0%
100% 100
Web Analytics
100 100%
0% 0
Task Management
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing umami 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 umami and PrivacyNotes

umami Reviews

Top 5 Self-Hosted, Open Source Alternatives to Google Analytics
Use Case Example: A portfolio website for a freelance designer utilizes Umami to monitor visitor interactions and optimize content accordingly.
Source: zeabur.com

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, umami seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 97 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.

umami mentions (97)

  • Self-hosted Umami still gets blocked by adblockers if your subdomain is named umami
    I self-host Umami for my SaaS, ParserBee. The main reason I picked it: privacy-friendly, cookie-less, first-party analytics that adblockers supposedly leave alone because the script comes from your own domain. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • My app didn't go "viral". My AWS bill did.
    Umami told me Clew Directive got 14 visits last month. AWS told me I owed $31 for it. That works out to $2.21 a visitor, which would make it the most expensive free learning-path tool in California. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Chris Banes' Skills Repo: Claude Code Meets Android Development
    Also a small tooling aside โ€” if you're tracking how often skills get used across your team (or just want analytics on your dev blog without the GDPR cookie banner dance), privacy-focused options like Umami or Plausible give you full data ownership and a much lighter footprint than Google Analytics. I migrated two side projects to Umami last year and haven't looked back. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Running 3 SaaS products on a single Hetzner CCX23
    Augur targets EU-regulated buyers. Putting Google Analytics on its landing page would be a self-own. I run Umami inside Augur's stack โ€” same Docker Compose, same Postgres pattern, same backup discipline โ€” privacy-clean, cookie-banner-free, GDPR-easy. The analytics endpoint is internal to the stack; nothing leaves the box. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Migrating Off Google Analytics: Umami vs Plausible vs Fathom
    So this post is about something I've been chewing on for months but finally moved on: ripping Google Analytics out of three side projects and picking a privacy-focused alternative. Specifically, I'll compare Umami, Plausible, and Fathom โ€” the three I actually evaluated โ€” and walk through the migration steps that worked for me. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
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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 umami and PrivacyNotes, you can also consider the following products

Plausible.io - Plausible Analytics is a simple, open-source, lightweight (< 1 KB) and privacy-friendly web analytics alternative to Google Analytics. Made and hosted in the EU, powered by European-owned cloud infrastructure ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ

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

Fathom Analytics - Simple, trustworthy website analytics (finally)

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

Matomo - Matomo is an open-source web analytics platform

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