scrutch
The secure and minimalistic Markdown editor, note pad and writer
About scrutch
scrutch is a non-bloated, end-to-end encrypted online editor that pairs the joy of writing with uncompromising focus and privacy. There's no sign-up, login, tracking, or ads — you just open a tab and write, in private or together with others, from any browser or as a PWA. Every text is encrypted with AES-256 on your device before it leaves it, so the server never sees your clear-text content.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- True end-to-end encryption with keys that never leave your device
- No account, login, or cookie banners — start writing instantly
- Extremely focused, distraction-free writing experience
- Works offline and installs as a PWA on mobile
- Honest, voluntary pay-what-you-want pricing with no forced paywall
Cons
- Markdown only — no rich-text editor, images, files, or templates
- No folders, tags, or organizational features for managing many notes
- Not currently open-source, so the encryption can't be fully independently audited yet
- Lost encryption keys are unrecoverable by design
- No built-in spell or grammar checking
Key Features
End-to-end encryption
Content is encrypted client-side with AES-256 (keys derived via PBKDF2) before it ever leaves your device. The encryption key is stored only on the client and never sent to servers.
No sign-up or login
Open a browser tab and start writing instantly. No account, no email, no cookie banners — each new text generates a unique slug and encryption key automatically.
Markdown writing
A distraction-free Markdown editor with support for elements like task lists, deliberately leaving out rich-text clutter to keep the focus on writing.
Secure sharing
Share a text by sending the public URL and encryption key, optionally combined into a private URL. The key is appended via URL hash so it never travels in the HTTP request.
Offline and PWA support
Works offline and installs as a Progressive Web App on mobile, keeping local copies on your device and syncing back when you're online again.
Privacy by design
No tracking, no cookies, no ads, and no AI or third-party processing of your content. Even payment information through Paddle cannot be linked to your encrypted texts.
Pricing
- Full editor access, no paywall
- No sign-up or login required
- End-to-end AES-256 encryption
- Markdown editing with task lists
- Secure sharing via private URLs
- Offline and PWA support
- Everything in Free
- Support ongoing maintenance and development
- Cancel anytime
- Local currency and VAT may apply
- Everything in Free
- Save 2 months vs monthly
- Support ongoing maintenance and development
- Local currency and VAT may apply
- Everything in Free
- One-time contribution instead of a subscription
- No recurring commitment
- Host your own instance behind a firewall
- Custom branding
- Keep encrypted data in your own hands for regulatory needs
- Request a quote
Best For
Private journaling and notes
Capture personal thoughts, journals, or sensitive notes knowing the content is encrypted on your device and unreadable to the server.
Securely sharing sensitive text
Send confidential snippets, credentials, or drafts to someone by sharing a private URL, keeping the content end-to-end encrypted in transit and at rest.
Distraction-free drafting
Writers and developers who want a clean, minimal Markdown canvas to draft ideas without the clutter of feature-heavy editors.
Quick ephemeral capture
Jot down a quick idea in any browser tab instantly without creating an account or installing anything.
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