Frequently Asked Questions
What is Plauzible?
Plauzible is a privacy-first password manager. The Plauzible application protects your credentials both online and offline using advanced techniques. These techniques include such things as fake records and unlinkable remote storage to obfuscate your data. Most password managers use a pairing of user name and password to identify the records for a user account. In Plauzible there is no user name and all passwords are valid but only the correct password will unlock the records, giving you access to them.
What does "zero-knowledge architecture" mean?
Essentially, this means we can never see your passwords, files, or personal data. All your sensitive information is encrypted on your device before it ever touches the servers (if you are using the remote sync feature). We don't store your passwords, and we don't have the keys to decrypt anything you save. Even if someone gained full access to our systems, they wouldn't be able to read your data.
In short: your secrets stay yours. Always.
How does local-only mode protect my privacy?
When working in local-only mode, your data is written to storage on your device. In this mode, Plauzible inserts a random number of fake records into your store each time you create a record. This achieves two things. First, as it's not possible to separate the fake records from the real ones, it's impossible for someone to tell how many entries you actually use. Even if your local store is compromised, it will be impossible to differentiate fake records from real ones.
Second, as passwords are the gateway to the records, it is possible for you to maintain multiple groups of records under separate passwords, while still being able to plausibly deny that you are doing so. If you are forced to provide access to your device, you can do so using a password that will only provide a subset of your records. The fake records make it much more difficult to discern whether you are using the application with multiple different passwords.
How is remote storage handled?
When syncing remotely, Plauzible first encrypts the data on your local device before transmitting to the server. In storing your record, the server also does not establish a link between stored records and specific user accounts. Your data will be intermingled with everyone else's data and there is no way to tell which records belong to you. This means that, even if required to do so, it would be impossible to provide access to just your records to a third party.
What platforms are supported?
Plauzible is currently available for Windows, macOS and Linux. Visit the Download section for links.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Plauzible can be used entirely offline for free. In this mode your data will typically only be available on a single device (it's possible to work around this by manually syncing your data between devices, which is something you'd have to do for yourself). If you want to access your passwords from multiple devices, you can sign up for the remote sync feature. There is a monthly subscription fee for the remote sync service.
Can I use Plauzible without syncing to the cloud?
Yes. Plauzible can operate fully offline in local-only mode, offering maximum privacy and full functionality without a mandatory server connection.
Is my data recoverable if I lose or forget a password?
Unfortunately, no. Due to our zero-knowledge design, we have no access to your encryption keys. Losing or forgetting a password means losing access to your data.
Is Plauzible open source?
The client application is open source and can be found on GitHub. There is no intention to make the Plauzible remote sync service open source.