Skiff is thrilled to announce the release of a new option to log into Skiff with Brave Wallet. Over 55 million individuals browse the internet using Brave as their primary browser every month. Skiff is excited to partner-up with Brave to give as many people as possible seamless and secure access to Skiff Mail and Pages.

This integration is technically groundbreaking and provides all Brave users access to privacy-respecting, end-to-end encrypted collaboration. Internally, Skiff already functions a lot like a crypto wallet - safeguarding key pairs and other sensitive information for your documents, identity, and team. We’ve written about this in past blogs on collaboration and in our technical whitepaper. Using Brave Wallet’s ability to encrypt and decrypt data, Skiff is able to create an account and end-to-end encrypt documents and email using the wallet.

If you are on the Brave Browser, you’ll now see an option to “Login via Brave Wallet” on the 

Once you click “Login via Brave Wallet” you’ll immediately be prompted to sign a login token - an attestation that you own your Ethereum wallet:

As the final step, you’ll then be asked for your encryption public key, which is used to secure your Skiff login token and password. From there, the normal Skiff login process begins - choosing a theme (light or dark mode), setting a display name, enabling account recovery and finally setting up your new Skiff Mail email alias.

That’s it! You’ll then have access to writing, collaboration, and sharing — all with your Brave Wallet address.

Skiff is thrilled to announce the release

 of a new option to log into Skiff with a MetaMask wallet. Tens of millions of individuals already browse the internet with an Ethereum address as a primary form of identity. Now, Skiff has joined the ecosystem of forward-looking services that offer them seamless access.

This integration is technically groundbreaking (see more below) and provides all Ethereum wallet-holders access to privacy-respecting, end-to-end encrypted, and decentralized collaboration. Internally, Skiff already functions a lot like a crypto wallet - safeguarding keypairs and other sensitive information for your documents, identity, and team. We’ve written about this in past blogs on 

. Using similar functionality in the MetaMask wallet (such as eth_decrypt), we’re able to automatically create a Skiff account directly from a user’s wallet.

, you’ll now see an option to “Login via MetaMask” on the 

 login page. If you don’t have the MetaMask extension, this button remains invisible.

Once you click “login via MetaMask,” you’ll immediately be prompted to sign a login token - an attestation that you own your Ethereum wallet. You will first have to authenticate with your MetaMask wallet using a password. 

As the final step, you’ll then be asked for your encryption public key, which is used to secure your Skiff login token and password. From there, the normal Skiff login process begins - choosing a theme (light or dark mode), setting a display name, and enabling account recovery. For your collaborators’ sake, we highly encourage setting up a display name!

That’s it! You’ll then have access to writing, collaboration, and sharing — all with your Ethereum wallet address.

Now that we’ve covered the wallet-based login process, let’s dive into how it works behind the scenes!

First off, if you have the Metamask extension installed, you will see the option to log in with your wallet. If you don’t, you’ll see the familiar email-password login.

When you connect to Skiff with a new Ethereum wallet, the first thing we ask you to do is to verify that it’s actually you. To do this, we generate a challenge message with your wallet address and a random string for you to 

. We call this challenge message skiffLoginToken, which you can see in the Metamask prompt. This 

 attacks and other impersonation strategies that could compromise your information’s security.

After verifying that this digital signature is valid, we can rest assured that you’re not being impersonated. At this point, Skiff’s 

 relies on private / public keypairs that are subsequently encrypted with your password, which is never stored or sent over any network. But since the whole point of logging in with our wallet was to eliminate site-specific passwords, we won’t ask you to create and remember a password. Instead, we randomly generate a password, ask you to 

, and then store the encrypted result (which can be decrypted with your MetaMask wallet) for future reference. Your unencrypted password 

 leaves your browser (so we can’t ever see it!) and only you hold the keys to unlock your encrypted password.

That’s it! Using only your Metamask wallet, you’re securely logged in and ready to start securely collaborating on Skiff!

When logging in with an Ethereum wallet that you’ve used before, the process looks a little different. To start, we will still ask you to verify your identity with the same challenge-response authentication. Next, you’ll retrieve your password so you can generate your private and public keys for accessing all your end-to-end encrypted data on Skiff. We query your encrypted password in our database and then 

. As with Skiff’s email-password login process, your plaintext password never leaves the browser, ensuring that everything you do on Skiff remains truly private.

The email address has been the internet’s default login credential for so long that it’s easy to lose sight of alternative (and often superior) approaches. With the emergence of Web3 and the continued decentralization of the internet, new forms of identity — such as an Ethereum wallet address or a unique encryption keypair — are already proving their advantages to both user autonomy and privacy.

Metamask logins are only a first step. Skiff is already developing new features to ensure that private, decentralized collaboration remains seamlessly accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of how they choose to access it.

Log in with Metamask

: Privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted, open-source, Web3-native email.

Skiff Mail is built to be the next generation of email. Since the mid 1990s, email has brought an unprecedented degree of collaboration to the world - allowing scientists to share research, families to stay in touch, and the professional world to function.

Yet even as email has been adopted by billions of individuals, most large mail providers still have woeful privacy protections — allowing users’ messages to be read, processed, and stored by third parties.

Skiff Mail shifts the paradigm with simple and intuitive privacy. Skiff never stores unencrypted copies of any messages sent on Skiff Mail - and every Skiff-to-Skiff messages is end-to-end encrypted. Sign up, log in, and every message you send is owned by you.

Privacy applies beyond messages sent to and from Skiff Mail. Every message received from an external, third-party mail provider is immediately encrypted - ensuring only users have access to unencrypted copies of their emails.

Open-sourcing has always been a central piece of our strategy at Skiff, allowing us to build trust with our community and deliver transparent and trustworthy privacy. This is why we have decided to open-source the entire Skiff Mail product on launch. Visit 

Skiff Mail is also Web3 native. Sign up for Mail with a crypto wallet (currently MetaMask and soon Brave Wallet) to collaborate while completely owning your data. Just like Skiff's Workspace product, users have the option to store data on Protocol Labs' decentralized storage network IPFS, and also to send emails to/from their ENS addresses.

To use Skiff Mail, sign up for a Skiff account at 

Skiff Mail features instant, privacy-preserving search. Full text search has been a key feature in Skiff’s collaboration platform - allowing you to search through workspaces containing thousands of files instantly. We have brought this search function to Skiff Mail, allowing for message, subject, to/from/cc search, and more. Skiff’s search is completely open source - read more about Skiff search on 

Mobile and desktop apps for sending, receiving, and notifications are crucial for using email. Skiff Mail launches with fully featured mobile apps for iOS and Android as well as a fully featured macOS desktop app. Check them out below:

Skiff Mail lets you sign in, send, and receive mail using a crypto wallet. For the first time, send directly to an ENS address using Skiff. Read more about our wallet integration on Skiff’s 

Every Skiff Mail user receives 10 GB of free storage to send and receive mail and attachments. As we transition out of Skiff Mail Alpha into future versions, we’ll support additional storage and paid plans.

Introducing Skiff Mail

Most of us can’t remember the last time we went 24 hours without using the internet. Through the portals created by web browsers, we search for new restaurants in our area, hotels we want to stay at, and the latest news from around the globe.

In short, we use the internet to find out all the information we need in the course of our daily lives - and, today, we ingest an incredible amount of information. We constantly use browsers - Google Chrome, Firefox, and 

 - yet, most of us never stop to think about how private and secure these browsers really are.

Since we search the internet for all types of information, log into our most important accounts through web browsers, and use browsers as communication and collaboration tools, it is of the utmost importance that the browsers we use respect our privacy.

In this piece, we will share more about the most private web browsers currently in the market that you can use for safe, secure, and free internet use.

. Firefox has a storied reputation as a reliable and secure browser since its founding in 2002. While Brave (see more below) and Firefox share many of the same privacy features you would expect in a privacy-respecting browser, one big difference is the fact that Firefox is run as a not-for-profit organization while Brave is a for-profit organization. (However, note that Brave does not make any money from selling or collecting your personal data, in contrast to big tech giants Google and Facebook.)

In 2017 Firefox rebuilt their entire browser engine so that Firefox would be comparable in speed and efficiency to other browsers in the market like Google Chrome and Safari. Firefox also has a vibrant 

 which allows you maximum customization with thousands of browser extensions and add-ons available. One thing to note about Firefox is their default search engine is Google, but this can easily be changed in settings to more privacy focused search engines like DuckDuckGo (more on this below) or 

To download Firefox on all platforms including macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and Windows, visit the MozillaFirefox website here: 

Brave is a free and open-source web browser founded by Brendan Eich (

) and Brian Bondy in 2015. Brave is a chromium based browser with over 62 million monthly active users. Brave is one of the best privacy-focused browsers in the market at the moment. 

, cross-site cookie tracking, fingerprinting, and more. Brave also displays to users some of the information that they are blocking from third parties. Brave’s many other privacy features include a privacy focused search engine, VPN service, and VoIP platform. Brave also includes its very own cryptocurrency wallet built-in to the browser (Brave Wallet).

Brave is available on all platforms including macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and Windows. You can download the Brave Browser here: 

DuckDuckGo started off as a private search engine which eschews user data collection and emphasizes top-notch security features and privacy protections. 

, pop-ups, and third-party cookies from tracking you while you use DuckDuckGo’s search engine. DuckDuckGo has one of the best browsers currently available on iOS and Android 

and is currently developing their own desktop browser

 which they aim to make one of the most secure browsers available in the market. DuckDuckGo is a great choice for those who want a privacy-focused browsing experience. Your ip address is never tracked in DuckDuckGo and an ad-blocker is default enabled for maximum browser security.

Safari is the default browser available on all Apple devices and one of the most popular browsers in the world. In recent years Apple has worked to improve the privacy functionality of Safari. Additions such as 

, anti-malware features to stifle hackers has pushed Safari closer to being a private browser than other big tech browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Safari even works to prevent browser fingerprinting, a method used to track users online activities across the internet. While Safari does store your cookies and browsing history by default, you can search in a private browsing mode which will ensure your web browsing history will not be stored on your device. Safari is also very customizable with lots of extensions available for download.

While Safari is not as purely and completely focused on online privacy as some of the other web browsers on this list, it is still a respectable choice to shore up vulnerabilities and protect your personal data from web pages, social media sites, and hackers who are trying to collect and sell your data.

Safari comes pre-installed on all iPhone, iOS, and Mac devices. You can also install Safari on many non Apple devices as well.

Opera is another chromium based browser which includes by default a built-in ad-blocker, 

, messaging functionality, and over 2,500 customizable browser extensions. Opera claims you can browse the web longer than any of its major competitors because Opera uses less resources in general and offers users privacy features, like an ad-blocker that optimizes Opera’s performance. If you are not satisfied with Opera’s default browser and are looking for an upgrade, Opera also offers specialized browsers for Cryptocurrencies (

Opera is available on most operating systems including Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Check out their website here: 

Vivaldi was founded in 2016 by one of the co-founders of Opera, so the team behind Vivaldi has tons of experience building browsers with 

. Vivaldi is designed for technical users and customization first in mind. Vivaldi has tons of great plugins as well as internal settings that let users create and experience a truly personalized browser experience. From custom keyboard shortcuts to expert tab management there is something for everyone with Vivaldi. Some of the great built-in privacy features available include tracking protection, pop-up blocker, secure mobile sync, ad blocker, and a private calendar.

The Tor Browser is a web browser that uses something called the Tor Network to anonymize 

. The Tor Browser makes it impossible for your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and other third parties to track your online activities, regardless of whether you are on WiFi or using some other form of internet connection. The Tor Browser was founded and is maintained by the Tor Project. The Tor Project is a nonprofit, and thus runs the Tor Browser without any profit motive.

While the Tor browser provides one of the most private and anonymized web browsing experiences available, it comes with the drawback of being slower than its rivals when it comes to browsing the internet.

When most us think about private browsing, we think about using 

. The question is: How secure is our browsing really when we are in incognito mode?

The answer is: Not as much as you think. While incognito mode deletes all information associated with a website visit or search when you close your tab or window, it does nothing to prevent the websites you are visiting from gaining information about you from using things, like trackers. Your browsing history might be protected in incognito mode but you should still be careful about what you are looking at through your search engine of choice.

No matter which browser you end up using, it is always important to keep your online information and data as secure as possible. One way of doing this besides using a privacy-focused web browser is using a product like 

Skiff is dedicated to making privacy-first and end-to-end encrypted products more accessible and user-friendly. This is why Skiff has built a comprehensive privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted, and Web3-native platform.

 empowers users to communicate privately and confidently with an end-to-end encrypted, secure, and private email address, allowing for the most comprehensive and efficient wallet to wallet communication available.

 lets users write and store sensitive information that can be easily shared with collaborators, without ever breaking client-side encryption. Users also have the option to store their pages on the InterPlanetary File System for a decentralized experience.

 enables users to store all their files, regardless of file type, on a privacy first, end-to-end encrypted platform. These files can be easily accessed, downloaded and, retrieved. All your files are encrypted on your device, and, if you choose stored on IPFS; all files remain end-to-end encrypted and censorship resistant.

Web Browser Privacy Appendix and Glossary

 Tracking cookies are pieces of information that are stored on your computer by websites that you visit. They are used to 

 and can be used to store information such as login details, website preferences and shopping basket contents. Tracking cookies can be placed on your computer by advertising networks in order to deliver targeted ads. They can also be used by website owners to track how you use their site and to see which pages you visit most often.

: Ad blockers are software programs that 

prevent tracking cookies from being placed

 on your computer. They can also block other types of online advertising, such as banner ads and pop-ups. Ad blockers can make it harder for website owners to track your activity and can make it more difficult for advertising networks to deliver targeted ads. Some ad blockers also block content that you may want to see, such as videos or articles.

: The Tor Network is a system that allows users to browse the internet anonymously. It does this by routing traffic through a series of volunteer-run servers, which makes it hard for anyone to track where the traffic is coming from or going to. 

 is often used by people who want to avoid being tracked online, or who want to access websites that are blocked by their government or ISP.

: Chromium-based browsers are web browsers that use the open-source 

 web browser engine. This engine is also used by Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and a number of other browsers. Chromium-based browsers tend to be privacy-conscious when compared other browsers, as they can be modified and optimized or allow users to install ad blockers and other privacy-enhancing extensions. They also tend to have built-in features that make it harder for websites to track your activity, such as fingerprinting protection.

: A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a private network tunnel that encrypts and transmits netork traffic while it travels 

. A VPN allows users to securely access a private network, or to browse remotely and privately through public networks. A VPN service is essential for anyone who wants to keep their online activity private and secure.

: An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides internet access to individuals and businesses. The ISP provides the customer with a modem and an internet connection, and the customer pays a monthly fee for access to the internet.

The most private web browsers

One of the most substantial innovations in the blockchain and crypto spaces over the last few years has been the widespread adoption of cryptocurrency wallets. Wallets such as 

 have been downloaded, purchased, or used by tens of millions of users around the world. Wallets are the most basic form of crypto identity - safeguarding the private keys needed to transact, own tokens, and sign attestations

There are many advantages and benefits to using different kinds of crypto wallets, including custodial, non-custodial, and hardware wallets - some of which we will discuss in this piece - but something that has not been possible until very recently has been the ability to send messages directly between crypto wallets. New players in the Web3 field, such as 

 have been busy building the Web3 communication protocols and platforms for the future of communications.

In this piece we will cover how you can message a crypto wallet directly, either from your own crypto wallet, or in some cases, using a standard email address.

Before we get into how you can easily and securely message any crypto wallet with only a wallet address, we’ll first cover what a cryptocurrency wallet is and a few tips on how they work.

A cryptocurrency wallet is any device, hardware, software, or service that stores cryptocurrency private keys. 

 the most basic form of crypto identity associated with any wallet address on any chain. As a result, you will always have an associated private key with all wallets you use for every cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Ethereum or Solana. Private keys are one 

part of an asymmetric cryptographic keypair

; all private keys are derived from the particular 

 used on a given chain. For example, ETH keypairs use the 

. There are many different types of wallets, but the most common form are software wallets which exist as extensions on your web browser (such as 

Each wallet will also have an associated public key. You can think of your wallet’s public key as the public address of your wallet; unlike private keys, which are needed to generate signatures or prove ownership over a token, a public key can be widely shared. Depending on the blockchain in question, your address may be some transformation of your public key, such as a hash or a certain subset of characters.

If anyone wants to send cryptocurrency or an NFT to your wallet, they will 

 need to know your public key. Your private key, on the other hand, should never be shared with anyone. If your public key is like your public address, your private key is like the password to your bank account. Hackers and malicious actors are always trying to steal users private keys and drain crypto wallets, so be sure to never divulge your private key to anyone.

You might be wondering how users can be sure they are transacting with the real owner of a wallet. This is done by 

, Signing a message with a crypto wallet is a way to prove that you own the wallet and that you approve of the message. This can be used to sign transactions, to prove ownership of a wallet, or to sign a message from another person. To sign messages, you will need to use the private key associated with your wallet - another reason to be extremely guarded whenever using your wallet and private key. This signature will prove that you are the owner of the wallet and that you approve of the message.

While it is fairly straightforward for even new crypto users to sign and complete transactions using a browser based crypto wallet, there were previously no robust systems for communicating directly between crypto wallets. Users have had to rely on Web2 methods of communication, such as using text messages, phone numbers, messaging apps, or Discord to communicate between owners of crypto wallets. These platforms have been 

large sources of fraud, scams, malware, and spyware

Recently, however, newcomers to the wallet messaging space have released protocols and products to allow for private and direct communication between crypto wallets. So, whether you are doing a bitcoin transaction, or participating in any other form of smart contract, consider using one of these tools to help you communicate effortlessly with other crypto wallet owners.

 is an all-in-one Web3-native and privacy-first suite for communication and collaboration. Skiff Mail allows for end-to-end encrypted email, similar to other private email providers, as well as linking crypto wallets to an email account for seamless, private, wallet communication. This allows users to not only receive emails directly to their wallet address (which would be [wallet-address]@skiff.com), but also to send and receive emails to any standard email provider, such as Gmail or Outlook.

Skiff Mail currently supports connecting MetaMask Ethereum wallets, Coinbase Wallet, Brave Wallet, 

Skiff’s products are not limited to crypto wallet messaging. Skiff also offers fully decentralized private document collaboration and file storage. The decentralization is accomplished by 

leveraging the InterPlanetary File System

 (IPFS) network created by Protocol Labs.

 is another end-to-end encrypted and decentralized messaging tool. Unlike Skiff, which uses some of the customs and protocols from email for crypto wallet communication, dm3 acts more like an instant messaging service between users who have a MetaMask wallet and an 

dm3 also allows user to freely store messages in a variety of different ways, including locally on their browser, a local file, on IPFS, or on any other personal cloud storage provider.

dm3 is a great web3 messaging service if you prefer instant messaging style messages over email and you only need to communicate with other users who have an ENS domain and MetaMask wallet.

XMTP is a Web3 communication protocol built by 

. Unlike Skiff and dm3, XMTP is a protocol which other services and tools can implement to allow for wallet to wallet communication. The protocol is designed to be fully decentralized and aims to use cryptography and economic disincentives built into the protocol to reduce spam, scams, theft, and fraud.

XMTP is only available through an early access program at the moment but is a great choice for those who want to implement their own Web3 communication capabilities within their services without building out the infrastructure from scratch themselves. If you are a developer looking to build products in Web3 communication, we encourage checking out XMTP as well.

Communicating directly with a crypto wallet yields numerous benefits, including for trustworthy communications, facilitating transactions, and providing key anonymity benefits.

: On wallet-integrated communication platforms, such as Skiff, using a wallet can facilitate more trustworthy communications, either signed by your wallet or on a platform that requires wallet attestations.

: On DeFi platforms or crypto marketplaces, using a wallet for communication can help facilitate transactions or buyer/seller negotiations. For example, using 

, you could send and receive information about selling your ENS name on a single communication platform.

: A wallet is simply a private key. So, if you generate a new crypto wallet, you could easily create an email address for 

anonymous, secure, and private communications

The ability to communicate directly between crypto wallets solves a huge pain point for crypto consumers and users who often still find themselves in situations where there is no easy way to send a message to a counter-party in a transaction. Crypto wallet communication is in its early days but some players, like those above, are already offering users great utility and value which will no doubt will only improve with time.

How can you message a crypto wallet?

 has made the next generation of products for writing, sharing, and collaborating popular among consumers. Big tech and startups alike have offered new productivity solutions, from 

. Similarly, new note-taking formats and features, such as markdown formatting, mobile sync, and project management functionality, have made consumer expectations for new note-taking apps significantly higher.

However, with new AI features and constant data breaches, consumers must be incredibly careful when choosing to trust a note-taking app. 

In this blog, we’ll walk through many of the newest and most popular apps for note-taking, personal productivity, and corporate communications (wikis, document sharing, and more). In particular, we’ll cover key areas to consider for more privacy and security-minded users, including these apps’ privacy policies and encryption protocols.

For a detailed overview of the best note-taking apps, check out our guides:

 is an app that ensures that the notes you store in it are only accessible by you and nobody else. This is done by encrypting the notes with a key that only you know, meaning that even if somebody managed to get access to the app's servers, they would not be able to read your notes. As we store more personal information in our notes than in our homes, this degree of privacy is essential

End-to-end encryption for files is a way of encrypting data so that only you or an intended recipient can access it. This is in contrast to traditional methods of encrypting data, which typically involve the use of a central server. End-to-end encryption ensures that no one but the intended recipient can read the data, even if it is intercepted by a third party. This makes it an essential tool for protecting sensitive data, such as medical records or financial information.

: End-to-end encryption is a communication method where only the people communicating can read the messages. This type of encryption requires the use of two unique keys, one of which is public and one of which is private. The public key can be shared with anyone, but the private key must be kept secret. In order for two people to communicate using end-to-end encryption, they must first exchange public keys. Once they have done so, each person can use their own private key to encrypt messages before sending them. The recipient can then use the sender's public key to decrypt the message.

In the notes context, end-to-end encryption means only the person writing notes can see them, or any intended recipients if sharing. Given how prevalent end-to-end encryption is in all messaging apps (

), we expect privacy-first and encrypted notes app to support it.

: For a privacy or security minded user, 

 may yield important security protections from unauthorized access to your account. Even if someone knows your password, they won't be able to access your account unless they also have your second factor, which could be a code from your phone or a fingerprint.

: AES-256 bit encryption typically means a provider using a basic good practice to encrypt data at rest instead of storing it in plain text. Generally, this provides quite a week layer of protection as it fails to mitigate any privacy risks from the provider, law enforcement or others accessing data, or if the note-taking provider suffers a data breach where employee credentials or login credentials are exposed (which is unfortunately 

). As a result, this standard does not live up to most consumer needs for a secure note-taking app.

Google Keep, Evernote, Apple Notes, Microsoft OneNote?

Unfortunately, the most popular consumer productivity apps were not built with strong consumer privacy protections in mind. Most products have great usability and compatibility features, including web apps (accessible from all web browsers, including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox), mobile apps, and cloud synchronization, that we use to evaluate privacy-focused alternatives. All note-taking products below have either free versions or student plans for accessibility.

 is incredibly popular, compatible across many devices, and easy-to-use. The company introduced many of the modern rich text processing features all note-taking apps use today, such as embeddings, pinned or favorite notes, and simple tagging and organization tools for individual notes. It provides simple synchronization across devices and mobile apps.

However, Evernote provides relatively weak privacy protections - the service does not offer end-to-end encryption and has suffered from significant 

 in the past. Given this, we recommend choosing a service with end-to-end encryption, 2FA, and more sophisticated privacy protections.

: Apple notes is native to every Apple device, including iPhones, iPads, Mac, and more. Notes also synchronize to users’ iCloud accounts, enabling simple backup for quick notes and writing. As a result, it is a popular default choice for consumers. By default, notes are not end-to-end encrypted, but consumers can create “secure notes” that are end-to-end encrypted with a user-chosen 

. This does add a level of privacy protections and optionality for users but not the same level of privacy-by-default that the cloud services mentioned below can provide.

 is a familiar product to existing Dropbox users. It provides a very simple, minimalist text editor with a basic set of features for planning, distributing tasks, and working together - suggesting a more team-based usage context. Notes, as with all files on Dropbox, are not end-to-end encrypted. For Dropbox users, we recommend reading our blog on encrypted cloud storage 

: Google Keep is generally quite similar to Apple Notes in privacy and 

. Notes are “encrypted in transit” and “at rest,” but not end-to-end encrypted, yielding many of the same privacy concerns that plagued the note-taking products mentioned above.

: Notion is also not end-to-end encrypted and not considered a security-minded note-taking app. However, the product’s extensive templates for shopping lists, education, and project management have made it quite popular among consumers and students.

: OneNote is Microsoft’s note-taking addition to their office suite. The product is simple, easy-to-use, and provides a text editor familiar to many current office users. However, notes 

 end-to-end encrypted, which means you may want to take your private notes and thoughts to one of our top picks listed below.

Generally, we highly rank providers that are 

 and easy-to-use, and offer great value for users. Once you commit to a note-taking app, you may want to import years of content from other providers and local files. As a result, it’s important to know that a company’s prices, product features, and policies will not change significantly from when you sign up.

 is a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace that offers note-taking and collaboration, email (Skiff Mail), and file upload, storage, and sharing (Skiff Drive). Every email, file, and note on Skiff is end-to-end encrypted, keeping your personal information private to you. The company also offers a sophisticated technical 

 covering encryption and most client code, and a technical 

Skiff offers iOS, Android, Mac/macOS, and more native applications for their note-taking, collaboration, and mail products, which can easily be 

. Generally, Skiff is well suited for most applications, particularly for users who are looking for a broader collaboration suite (beyond just notes) or may be collaborating in groups or professional organizations.

 is a well-featured note-taking app that provides cross platform apps as well as end-to-end encrypted storage. Standard Notes offers marketing materials emphasizing how encryption, security, and privacy yield critical benefits for collaboration and creativity. Standard Notes’ source code is 

 and links to information about cryptographic audits and security.

For features, Standard Notes emphasizes covering critical note-taking functionality but not overwhelming users. This includes nested folder structures, pinned notes, and daily backups to ensure you can always revert to a previous version of a note, spreadsheet, or todo list. One note for potential users is that the paid plans go up significantly in price, to $59 and $99 per year, and offer additional note-taking features (such as spreadsheets) and more sophisticated backup and retention policies. On some other products on this list (including Skiff), these usability features, like tables, are included in the free plan.

: Joplin is a note taking app that allows users to create and organize notes in a variety of ways. Notes can be created in a variety of formats, including text, images, and audio, and can be organized into notebooks for easy access. Joplin also includes a variety of features for note taking, such as the ability to add tags and search for notes.

, maintains Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows apps, and also offers built in cloud-sync functionality called “Joplin cloud.” Finally, Joplin scores highly on their use of end-to-end encrypted to keep all user notes private. For more convenience features Joplin offers a web clipper directly integrated into the notes app to allow for cataloging, storing, and sharing webpage content. Joplin can also be 

 is a largely different class of note-taking and productivity, where notes become graphs and your mind considered a web of knowledge. Obsidian also offers cross-platform apps for Windows, Linux (multiple distributions), macOS, and other platforms, and is particularly marketed towards more technical users. Note that Obsidian uses a more barebones markdown editor, relying on MD syntax for all text formatting.

For a consumer coming from Evernote, Notion, OneNote, or a similar product, we would advise trying Obsidian along another product on this list as it has the largest learning curve. However, if you are an expert with markdown, experts, linking, and graph views, Obsidian could be an excellent choice. Like many other configuration options, Obsidian leaves end-to-end encryption as an option for the user; you can create either end-to-end encrypted vaults, or “

” vaults where Obsidian maintains a copy of the encryption keys. For this reason as well, unless you are prepared to manage your own keys and passwords, an app like Skiff or Standard Notes may yield a more intuitive experience when privacy is a required first-class feature.

: End-to-end encryption is a type of data security where only the sender and the intended recipient can access data, or a user can encrypt data without giving access to a cloud provider or other party (including law enforcement). The data is encrypted at the source before it is sent over the network, and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. This type of encryption is often used for file storage, so that only the sender and the recipient can access the stored files.

: The best note-taking apps offer robust import, export, and conversion features that allow consumers to easily transfer data in and out. In some cases, this process can be automated to just one or two clicks, such as Skiff’s one-click Google Drive and Docs import. Otherwise, many providers accept imports for TXT files, Doc/Docx files, and markdown (MD) files as well. When you’re transitioning to a new note taking app, having a migration plan is critical to ensure compatibility and accessibility for your information.

: Most people do not read privacy policies when they sign up for websites or apps. This is a mistake. Privacy policies are important because they tell you what information the company collects about you, how they use it, and whether they share it with others. If you do not read the privacy policy, you may be giving the company permission to do things with your personal information that you do not want them to do. To avoid this, take the time to read the privacy policy before you use any website or app. If you do not understand something in the policy, look for an explanation elsewhere on the website or contact the company to ask for clarification.

: Terms of service are also often inscrutable - lengthy and filled with legal jargon that can be difficult to understand. However, it is important to take the time to read and understand the agreement before agreeing to it. Here are a few tips to help you read and understand a terms of service agreement:

1. Read the agreement in its entirety. Don't just skim through it. In particular, you’ll care about what limits providers may put on your account, or when you may be denied access to your account (when you exceed storage space?).

2. Be aware of what you are agreeing to. For example, if you are agreeing to allow a company to collect your personal data, make sure you understand how that data will be used and what rights you have to it.

3. Make sure you are comfortable with the terms of the agreement before agreeing to it. You should never agree to something you don't fully understand or are not comfortable with.

There are numerous reasons to choose a privacy-first, encrypted notes app that protects your sensitive information above all else. Beyond simply protecting your information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals, encrypting your notes can also help to prevent data loss in the event that your devices are lost, stolen, or accessed by a malicious individual.

Finally, in a world where privacy is generally fleeting and rare, encrypted notes apps keep our personal information private and owned by us - restoring many of the critical expectations we have for our personal writing and communications. We highly recommend trying one of the privacy-first, encrypted note-taking products mentioned above in “our top picks.”

Have any questions? Reach out to us on our 

The best encrypted note taking apps in 2023

 to complete the privacy-first workspace. Our mission is to empower freer, more creative, and more expressive communication and collaboration - and a shared calendar brings us even closer to that future.

Our calendars store a corpus of our lives - our appointments, our contacts, or family gatherings, and much more. They contain a record of where we go - flights, coffee meetings, and birthday parties - and what we’re working on.

Calendars also integrate deeply into the modern workspace. Teams use shared calendars for important meetings; every iOS and Android device relys on calendars for appointments and notifications; event invites are a critical reminder for upcoming meetings or deadlines.

Skiff Calendar is an end-to-end encrypted, private calendar that integrates deeply with Skiff Mail, Drive, and Pages. Skiff Calendar allows sending events and updates to external users, syncs across devices, and is built to be completely privacy-first. Read on for more information about how Skiff Calendar works, how to sign up, and what features are available.

Skiff Calendar is an end-to-end encrypted digital calendar for managing your schedule, planning events, and inviting both Skiff and external users. Skiff Calendar is built to be privacy-first, keeping your external attendees private and end-to-end encrypted, and easy to use, with convenient features you’d expect from any other digital calendar.

We bulit Skiff to be a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace for collaborating and communicating. With hundreds of people now using Skiff, Skiff Calendar brings us even closer to realizing this vision.

Digital calendars have become a crutch for managing our work, schedules, contacts, and personal life. It’s estimated that 70% of internet-using adults use a digital 

. Given the deep intersections between email and calendar - as well as privacy and calendar events - building Skiff Calendar has been a high priority.

Skiff Calendar is available on the web, with mobile apps for both iOS and Android coming soon. Skiff Calendar is compatible with all major browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge, and more. As mobile apps become available, Skiff Calendar will deliver notifications for invites, reminders, and upcoming events.

Every Skiff user has a Skiff Calendar available at 

 It’s free to use for everyone! If you are on a Pro or Business plan, you’ll also have access to a calendar, which can be used for your full team workspace.

If you are signing up for a new Skiff account, navigate to 

, then create your new account. From there, you’ll be able to choose Calendar from the top left corner.

Once you’ve opened Skiff Calendar, you can create events, send invites, and import existing ICS files. We’ll have more import methods coming soon.

Skiff Calendar keeps your private event information completely end-to-end encrypted, including the title, location, details, and all external recipients.

Can I invite exernal (non-Skiff) attendees?

Skiff x Brave

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