Postdate vs Flowvault
Updated
Flowvault time-locks text notes for free and publishes its code. It uses the same drand network as Postdate Timelock. Postdate locks text and files behind one countdown page, and also offers Basic with a delete link.
At a glance
| Postdate | Flowvault | |
|---|---|---|
| How it reaches people | A link with a countdown. Share it today and it opens at your time. | A link to a time-locked note. |
| What you can send | Text and up to 10 files. Up to 100 MB with the $3 option. | Text up to 128 KiB. Its time-lock form takes no files. |
| Account or email | None, for you or the people you share it with. | None. |
| How far ahead | Up to one year ahead, and at least 5 minutes. | Presets from 5 minutes to 1 year, or an exact date. |
| Price | Basic is free within 7 days and 1 MB. Otherwise $3 once per Postdate. Timelock is always $3. | Free, supported by donations. |
| Who can read it early | Encrypted in your browser. Basic: Postdate holds the key and promises not to read it. Timelock: the key needs a future drand release. | Encrypted in your browser to a future drand round, with an optional password. |
| After it opens | Stays open for 1 hour to 30 days, as you choose. | No expiry stated. |
| Deleting it | Basic has a private delete link. A Timelock cannot be deleted by its sender. | Notes are write-once and cannot be deleted. |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Japanese. | English. |
| Source code | Not published. | MIT licensed and self-hostable. |
Facts about Flowvault come from its own pages, checked on . Services change, so check their current terms before you choose.
Which one to choose
Choose Postdate when
- You want to lock files, up to 10, behind the same countdown as your message.
- You want the people opening it to see a countdown page with Add to calendar.
- You want the choice of Basic, with a private delete link, when you may need to cancel.
- You want it to stop opening after a period you choose, from 1 hour to 30 days.
- You or the people opening it read Spanish, French, German, Portuguese or Japanese.
Choose Flowvault when
- Your message is text and you want a drand time-lock for free.
- You want open source code you can read or host yourself.
- You want a password on top of the time-lock.
Create a new Postdate Basic: free within 7 days and 1 MB after encryption. $3 up to 1 year and 100 MB after encryption.
Common questions
Do Postdate Timelock and Flowvault use the same encryption?
Both encrypt in your browser for a future round of drand, the public randomness network. Neither link can open before that round is published, assuming drand and the encryption stay secure.
Can I time-lock files with Flowvault?
Its time-lock form takes text up to 128 KiB. Flowvault has a separate file send that is not time-locked. Postdate Timelock locks up to 10 files and 100 MB in one Postdate.
Why pay $3 for Postdate Timelock?
The $3 covers files up to 100 MB, an opening date up to one year away and a hosted countdown page. If your message is short text, Flowvault does the time-lock for free.
Sources
More comparisons
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