A One-Time Secret Alternative
If you are comparing tools for sharing a secret that self-destructs, here is what Burn the Secret offers.
One-Time Secret helped popularize a simple, powerful idea: paste a secret, get a link that works once, and let it disappear after it is read. It is a well-known open-source tool, and if it fits your needs it is a reasonable choice. This page is not a takedown of it. Instead, it explains what Burn the Secret provides so you can decide which tool matches how you actually work.
The shared idea: links that self-destruct
Both tools are built around the same core mechanic. You enter a secret, the tool produces a link, and the secret is destroyed once it has been viewed. This is a far safer pattern than email or chat, because there is nothing left in a message archive to leak later.
What Burn the Secret offers
Here is exactly what you get, described in plain terms so you can compare it against whatever else you are evaluating:
- Client-side, zero-knowledge encryption. Secrets are encrypted in your browser with AES-256-GCM. The key rides in the URL fragment, which browsers never send to servers, so the server only ever stores unreadable ciphertext.
- One-time, self-destructing links. The secret is permanently deleted after it is viewed.
- Optional passphrase. Add a passphrase the recipient must enter, and share it over a separate channel.
- Configurable expiration. Set how long a link stays valid before it expires on its own.
- File attachments. Share files, not just text.
- A REST API. Generate links programmatically for onboarding, provisioning, and automation.
- Free and no signup. You do not need an account to create a link.
How to choose
The honest answer is that it depends on your priorities. If you need to self-host on your own infrastructure, an open-source project you deploy yourself may be the better fit, and you should evaluate the options on their own merits. If you want a hosted tool that is free, requires no signup, encrypts in the browser, and supports passphrases, file attachments, and an API out of the box, Burn the Secret is designed for exactly that. The best way to decide is to try sharing a real secret and see how the flow feels.
Want to see it in action? Create a secure link on Burn the Secret.