Notes 
Plenty of features: Rich text, code, presentation, sheet, form, kanban, whiteboard and CryptDrive. Encrypted data is hosted in France but you can also self-host it or select another public instance here.
Reviewed by Marco Wollank
CryptPad
cryptpad.fr 4.2 (5)
Rate CryptPad: No account needed
Threat level
Covered
A covered pick. Anyone can use it as a private drop-in, with no setup or know-how. Enough for most people. Threat levels
Our take
The standout here is that encryption happens in your browser before anything reaches the server, so even the host cannot read your docs, and you get a real spread of editors plus CryptDrive. The cost is performance and polish: it can feel heavier and rougher than Google Docs, and large or complex documents show it. Choose it when confidentiality of the document matters more than slickness; for casual collaboration the friction may not be worth it.
GitHub at a glance
cryptpad/cryptpad AGPL-3.0 chainpadcollaborationcollaborative-editingcryptpade2eeend-to-end-encryptionjavascriptreal-time
Stars
8,044
+15 this week
Forks
874
82 watching
Last commit
today
healthy
Latest release
2026.10.0
13d ago, 100+ total
Star history
Issues
80% closed
307
open
1,240
closed
+9 / -37
opened / closed, last 4 weeks
Opened vs closed, last 12 weeks
Commits, last 26 weeks
372 commits, active 25 of 26 weeks
104 contributors since Oct 2014
Languages
- JavaScript 79.9%
- Fluent 10%
- Less 4.3%
- Other 5.8%
Updated daily from the GitHub API. Star tracking since Jun 10, 2026.
Website at a glance
cryptpad.fr
A+ score 120
Strong website security headers
Graded by Mozilla HTTP Observatory, tested today
Inspect this site yourself
Measures the security configuration of the tool's own website, not the privacy of the product itself. A strong tool can still score low here.
CryptPad alternatives
LibreOffice LibreOffice consists of programs for word processing, creating and editing of spreadsheets, slideshows, diagrams and drawings, working with databases, and composing…
PrivMX The complete teamwork experience: Chats & calls, files, tasks, kanban boards, mind maps and calendars. Team members can communicate one-on-one, group chat and section channels.…
Collabora Online Self-hosted online office suite built on LibreOffice, designed to integrate with Nextcloud and ownCloud.
ONLYOFFICE Features: Online document editors, platform for document management, corporate communication, mail and project management tools. Read more: Data Security & Access Control -…
Etherpad Highly customizable open-source online editor providing collaborative editing in real time.
Vikunja The project is still under development and the native apps are not final yet, but the web version works great. Offers an import feature from Todoist, Trello and Microsoft To-Do.
CryptPad license, in plain English
AGPL-3.0 Strong copyleft · network
Free to use, even commercially. Changes must be published under the same license, and running a modified version as a network service counts as distributing it.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Patent use
- Private use
Requires
- Disclose source
- Network use is distribution
- Same license
- State changes
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: The network clause is the point. Anyone who runs a modified version as a hosted service has to publish those changes, so the code handling your data stays inspectable. This is why privacy-first projects reach for AGPL.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.