Blog

Practical writing on private messaging, end-to-end encryption, and ephemeral communication. Also see the use cases and the French edition.

• Btwinus vs Privnote: which one should you use to share a secret?

  A one-shot note that burns after reading versus a live chat that never touches a server, and why the recipient being offline is the deciding factor.

• Btwinus vs OneTimeSecret: which one should you use to share a secret?

  An open source, self-hostable secret link with server-side encryption versus a chat with no server at all. When to store briefly and when to store nothing.

• Btwinus vs ChatCrypt: which one should you use for a private chat?

  An encrypted group room relayed through one server versus a direct two-browser connection. Pick by headcount first, then by who you are willing to trust.

• Btwinus vs otr.to: which one should you use for a private chat?

  Two browser-only P2P chats that both say "no servers". Only one means it literally, and the difference is how the two browsers get introduced.

• How to share a password without leaving a copy behind

  Email, Slack, and WhatsApp all keep a copy of every password you send. Why that's a problem, and the safer ways to do it.

• Encrypted chat with no account: how Btwinus puts AES-256 in a link

  The technical anatomy of an account-free, server-free, end-to-end encrypted chat, and why "no account" is harder than it sounds.

• Signal vs Telegram vs Btwinus: which one is actually anonymous?

  An honest comparison of three different approaches to private messaging, including where Btwinus does and doesn't fit.

• For journalists: how to receive anonymous tips without leaving a server trail

  A practical guide to receiving anonymous tips with the lowest possible friction and the smallest possible trail.