shouldiuse.io

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VERDICT

Should I use 1time?

One-time encrypted links for sharing passwords and API keys — free and open source - 1time.io

Worth it. Use it if you occasionally need to hand someone a password or API key without emailing or Slacking it — it is free, open source, and zero-knowledge. Do not build enterprise secret management on it: no audits, no support SLA, and independent evidence is thin.

Confidence

Low. Based on ~14 public sources; most 1time.io evidence is vendor-authored, independent reviews are scarce, and many '1time' results describe an unrelated time-tracking product.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence found
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Hosted

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Self-hostedFree (open source)

Best for

  • Developers sharing API keys one-off
  • Self-hosters
  • Agencies sending client credentials
  • Occasional password handoffs

Not for

  • Enterprises needing SOC 2, audits, or vendor SLAs
  • Teams wanting shared credential vaults — use a password manager
  • Anyone needing access logs or audit trails
  • Buyers who require paid support

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Self-hosting means running and patching Go and Redis yourself

medium

No paid support or SLA; free project relies on community help

low

Review searches mostly surface an unrelated '1time' time tracker — vet sources carefully

low

Recipients may find one-time secret links confusing; expect explanation overhead

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free and open source
  • Zero-knowledge: server cannot read shared secrets
  • End-to-end encrypted, self-destructing links for passwords and API keys
  • Self-hostable with Go and Redis
  • Developer API included

Cons

  • No team management, audit logs, or compliance features
  • Free project: no support SLA or enterprise help
  • Category confuses non-technical recipients, per sysadmin complaints
  • Guess: appears to be a small single-maintainer project; longevity risk

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/06/2026 - 10 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x4review x5security x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free, open source, no paid tiers
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Guess: hosted simple; self-host needs Redis
  • Feature depth: 2/5. Links, generator, API; no team features
  • Support quality. No support evidence found
  • Security posture: 4/5. Zero-knowledge E2EE, open source; no audits found
  • $0 Price Free and open source
  • Yes Free tier Hosted service and self-hosting both free
  • Go + Redis Self-host stack Per r/selfhosted post

Pricing

Hosted

Free

  • One-time encrypted links
  • Password generator
  • Developer API

Self-hosted

Free (open source)

  • Go + Redis deployment
  • Full control of your data

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

user feedback is thin: self-hosters describe it as a small, simple secret-sharing app, while sysadmins note recipients often find one-time secret links confusing.

“1time is a small self-hosted app for sharing secrets”
Reddit, r/selfhosted
“Explaining a "One Time Secret" to users is infuriating...”
Reddit, r/sysadmin
Full analysis

Based on ~14 public sources; most 1time.io evidence is vendor-authored, independent reviews are scarce, and many '1time' results describe an unrelated time-tracking product.

Free open-source zero-knowledge links for one-off password sharing; not an enterprise secrets manager.

Methodology

Based on ~14 public sources; most 1time.io evidence is vendor-authored, independent reviews are scarce, and many '1time' results describe an unrelated time-tracking product.

Sources

  1. 1time.io homepage1time.io
    official
  2. About 1time.io1time.io
    official
  3. 1time.io security page1time.io
    official
  4. GitHub: shingrus/1time.io securitygithub.com
    security
  5. Reddit r/selfhosted: 1time self-hosted one-time secret sharing (Go + Redis)reddit.com
    review
  6. Reddit r/sysadmin: Explaining a One Time Secret to usersreddit.com
    review
  7. 1time.io blog: OneTimeSecret alternative1time.io
    official
  8. hackdb: 1ty.me listing referencing 1time.iohackdb.com
    review
  9. AlternativeTo: OneTimeNote alternatives (mentions 1time.io)alternativeto.net
    review
  10. TrustRadius: 1time (unrelated time-tracking product)trustradius.com
    review

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