Onetimesecret Alternative with Time Capsules
Onetimesecret is a long-standing, well-regarded tool for sharing secrets that self-destruct after one view — and it is open source and self-hostable, which deserves real credit. Secret Note (saklama.com) targets the same job with a different set of trade-offs: zero setup, encryption performed entirely in your browser with the key kept out of the server's reach, and date-locked Time Capsules.
Quick facts
- Secret Note encrypts every note in the browser with AES-GCM-256 before anything leaves your device.
- The decryption key travels in the URL fragment (after #); browsers never send this part to the server, so the server stores only ciphertext.
- Notes are free and require no account; they burn on first read or expire after 1 hour to 30 days.
- Premium (99.90 TRY/year) adds up to 5-year retention, 4x note size, and Time Capsules.
- A Time Capsule keeps a note locked until a date you choose; the date lock is a server policy, not a cryptographic timelock, and the content stays end-to-end encrypted either way.
- The service is built in dependency-free vanilla Node.js, and no third-party tracking runs without consent.
Comparison with Onetimesecret
An honest comparison — the two tools make different trade-offs rather than one being strictly better:
| Feature | Secret Note (saklama.com) | Onetimesecret |
|---|---|---|
| One-time secrets (burn on read) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encryption in the browser; decryption key never sent to the server | ✓ (AES-GCM-256, key in URL fragment) | — (in the default flow the secret is sent to the server over TLS and protected server-side) |
| Open source and self-hostable | ✗ (not open source yet; the client-side crypto code is served unminified and readable on every load) | ✓ |
| Zero-setup hosted service, free, no account | ✓ | ✓ (hosted version) |
| Time Capsules (notes locked until a chosen date) | ✓ (Premium) | ✗ |
| Retention up to 5 years | ✓ (Premium) | — |
| Turkish interface and Turkish support (plus English) | ✓ | — |
— : not offered or not documented at the time of writing.
Where Onetimesecret is the better choice
If you want to run the service on your own infrastructure and audit the full server code, Onetimesecret's open-source, self-hostable model is the right fit — Secret Note does not offer self-hosting today. Teams with compliance requirements that mandate self-hosting should pick Onetimesecret.
Where Secret Note is the better choice
Client-side encryption by default. Every note is encrypted in the browser and the key never reaches the server, without any extra steps. You can verify this in your devtools network tab: only ciphertext is transmitted.
Time Capsules. Write a letter today and lock it until a birthday, an anniversary, or a date up to 5 years away. The server refuses to release the ciphertext before the date. Stated honestly: this is a server-enforced policy, not a cryptographic timelock — but the content is end-to-end encrypted at all times.
Zero setup, two languages. No installation, no account, and a full interface in both Turkish and English.
Frequently asked questions
Is Onetimesecret insecure?
No. Onetimesecret is a mature tool with a transparent, open-source codebase. The comparison here is about trade-offs: default client-side encryption and Time Capsules on one side, self-hosting and full code auditability on the other.
Can saklama.com read my notes?
No. Encryption happens in your browser and the key travels in the # part of the link, which browsers never send to the server. The server stores only ciphertext and cannot decrypt it.
How does the Time Capsule work?
Your note is encrypted in the browser as usual. Until the opening date you set, the server does not release the ciphertext to anyone — even someone holding the link cannot open it early. The lock is server policy rather than a cryptographic timelock, and we say so plainly.
What does Premium cost and include?
Premium costs 99.90 TRY per year and adds retention up to 5 years, roughly 4x the note size, and Time Capsules. The free tier — one-time or 1-hour-to-30-day notes, no account — stays free.