We make Protect text, so we are not neutral, and for website logins we recommend a password manager, not our notepad. Here is how the two fit together.
Why not just a passwords.txt file?
It is the most common "password keeper" there is, and the weakest:
- anyone who uses your computer or your account can open it;
- malware looks for exactly such files;
- cloud backups and sync folders copy it to other places, unencrypted;
- a note app that syncs it in plain text puts it on someone else's server.
If you have such a file, move its contents into something encrypted and delete it.
What a password manager does well
Password managers (for example Bitwarden or Proton Pass) are built for logins:
- they generate a unique password for every site;
- they fill it in on the right site only, which also protects against phishing pages;
- they sync the encrypted vault across your phone and computers;
- most also have secure notes for small pieces of text.
They need an account, and your encrypted vault lives in the provider's cloud. Their notes are a side feature: fine for a few lines, awkward for longer text.
What an encrypted notepad does well
An encrypted notepad such as Protect text is built for writing secret text:
- every note is encrypted with your password (AES-256-GCM, PBKDF2-SHA-256 with 600,000 rounds);
- notes stay only on your computer, and the extension has no network access;
- no account, nothing to sign up for, works offline;
- a real notepad: headings, checklists, pins, colors, search;
- hidden text blurs a password on screen; the clipboard is cleared 30 seconds after a copy;
- a password generator and a recovery key if you forget the password.
It does not fill in logins and does not sync between devices.
Side by side
| Password manager | Protect text | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Website logins | Secret notes, codes, PINs, details |
| Autofill on websites | Yes | No |
| Account and cloud | Yes | No |
| Works offline | Usually read-only or limited | Fully |
| Sync between devices | Yes | No (encrypted backup file) |
| Long notes, checklists, formatting | Basic | Yes |
| Forgotten master password | Depends on the service | Recovery key |
| Price | Free and paid plans | Free |
What goes where
| Secret | Where |
|---|---|
| Logins for websites and apps | Password manager |
| Two-factor recovery codes | Encrypted notepad (and a paper copy) |
| Wi-Fi, router and alarm codes | Encrypted notepad |
| Card PINs, passport and ID numbers | Encrypted notepad |
| Private notes, drafts, client details | Encrypted notepad |
| The password manager's master password | Your memory, or paper in a safe place |
Should I keep my master password in Protect text?
Better not on the same computer. If that computer is lost or compromised, both would be at risk. Keep the master password and Protect text's recovery key on paper, away from the computer.