TaskNote vs. Notion: Why Your Personal Data Needs Privacy, Not Just Databases
TL;DR:
Notion is built for team collaboration, which requires them to have access to your data. TaskNote is built for personal privacy, which guarantees that only you have the keys. Use Notion for work projects. Use TaskNote for your life.
🛑 The Privacy Gap (The Big Problem)
This is the most critical difference. When you save a note in Notion, you are trusting their employees, their database administrators, and their cloud providers not to read it.
Notion: "Trust Us"
Notion uses standard Encryption at Rest. This means your data is encrypted on their hard drives, but Notion holds the keys.
- Access: Their support staff can technically access your workspace to "fix issues."
- Subpoenas: If a government demands your data, Notion can decrypt and hand it over.
- Hacks: If Notion's central keys are compromised, your data is exposed.
TaskNote: "Trust Math"
TaskNote uses Client-Side Encryption (End-to-End).
- No Access: Your notes are encrypted on your device before they ever touch the internet.
- Zero Knowledge: We physically cannot read your notes. We don't have your password or your encryption keys.
- Proof: Even if the government seizes our servers, they will only find scrambled, nonsensical code.
Think about it: Would you shout your diary entries in a crowded office? That is essentially what you are doing with standard cloud apps.
⚡ Speed & Availability (Offline-First)
Notion is famous for its "spinning wheel." It is a heavy web application that relies on a constant internet connection.
- Offline Mode: Poor to non-existent. You often cannot open pages without Wi-Fi.
- Speed: As your workspace grows, Notion becomes slower.
TaskNote is Offline-First.
- Instant Load: Your data lives on your device. It opens instantly, 100% of the time.
- True Offline: Write in a cabin, on a plane, or in a bunker. We sync only when you connect.
🔓 Ownership (No Vendor Lock-in)
Notion uses a proprietary block structure.
- Export Nightmare: Trying to export a complex Notion workspace often results in a mess of broken HTML and CSV files. You are "locked in" to their ecosystem.
TaskNote respects your data.
- Standard Formats: We use standard Markdown and JSON.
- Portability: You can take your encrypted backup, decrypt it with your key, and move to any other text editor instantly. You own your thoughts, not us.
⚔️ Comparison Table
| Feature | Notion | TaskNote |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Team Collaboration | Personal Privacy |
| Encryption | At Rest (They have the keys) | Client-Side (Only YOU have the keys) |
| Can Staff Read Data? | Yes (Technically possible) | No (Mathematically impossible) |
| Offline Mode | Limited / Unreliable | Full Offline-First |
| Data Format | Proprietary Blocks | Universal Markdown |
| Speed | Can be sluggish | Instant |
🏁 Conclusion: Which one is for you?
Choose Notion if:
- You need to manage a team of 10+ people.
- You need complex databases, Kanban boards, and project management tools.
- You don't mind if a corporation can technically see your data.
Choose TaskNote if:
- You write private journals, business ideas, or sensitive information.
- You want your app to open instantly, every single time.
- You believe that your thoughts belong to you, and no one else.