What Makes Us Different
Most online tools follow the same playbook: upload your file to their cloud, process it on their servers, store it for an unspecified period, and require you to create an account so they can build a profile around your usage. Some go further - scanning file contents for advertising signals, sharing metadata with analytics partners, or retaining your data indefinitely for "service improvement."
We built topriv to be the opposite of that model. Here is how our approach compares:
- In-memory processing vs. cloud storage - Traditional tools write your uploads to disk and keep them in cloud storage buckets. Our tools process files entirely in RAM. When the operation finishes, the memory is freed and your data ceases to exist on our infrastructure.
- Zero retention vs. hours or days - Many competitors keep your files for 24 hours, 7 days, or even longer. Some never clearly state when files are deleted. We delete immediately - the moment your output is ready, the input is gone.
- No accounts vs. mandatory sign-up - Requiring accounts lets services build detailed usage profiles, track your conversion history, and monetize that data. We require no accounts, no email addresses, and no personal information of any kind.
- No tracking vs. extensive analytics - Most free tools offset their costs by tracking users aggressively - fingerprinting browsers, setting persistent cookies, and selling behavioral data to advertisers. We do not set tracking cookies or run user-level analytics.
- Open source vs. black box - Our .priv format and its tooling are fully open source. You can inspect the code, verify the cryptography, and build your own implementations. Trust should be verifiable, not assumed.
We believe this approach proves that powerful digital tools and strong privacy are not mutually exclusive. You do not have to sacrifice one to get the other.