Comparison
A lock on the door. A window beside it.
Password-protected notes apps are everywhere, and many protect less than they imply: the lock often gates the screen rather than encrypting the data, titles and note counts stay visible, and free tiers pay their way with ads. Private writing deserves better plumbing.
Are password-protected notes apps actually private?
Check what the password does. In many apps it locks the view while the notes remain readable in storage and backups; titles and note lists often stay visible; and account-synced notes may sit readable on servers. A truly private notes app encrypts on-device, hides that notes exist, and needs no account — which is the shape of a Sealby vault.
Where Locked notes apps shines
- Quick to adopt — often a feature of the notes app you already use
- Fine against casual shoulder-surfing
- Some do encrypt properly — the privacy label and docs will say so
Where it falls short
- The “lock” frequently gates the UI while data stays readable on disk and in backups
- Titles, note counts and the app itself stay visible — the existence of secrets is broadcast
- Account-synced services may hold readable copies server-side unless they state end-to-end encryption
- Free “private notes” apps commonly monetise with ads and analytics
The honest verdict
For mildly private notes, the lock in your current app is fine. For writing that must stay yours — journals, codes, drafts, records — put it where the words are encrypted before they touch storage and nothing shows they exist: a vault, not a lock screen.
Common questions
Is a locked note the same as an encrypted note?
No. A locked note may simply hide behind a password prompt while its contents sit readable in the database and its backups. An encrypted note is ciphertext at rest — without the key it is unreadable everywhere, including to forensic tools and whoever holds the backup.
What should a truly private notes app have?
On-device encryption with a stated cipher, no account requirement, hidden titles and counts, a visible business model instead of ads — and honesty about limits. Bonus: deniability, so the notes can’t even be shown to exist. Sealby checks the full list.
Related: Notes & documents · Private journaling · vs Apple’s locked notes
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