The short version. Privilio is an encrypted contacts app for iPhone and the web. Your contacts and private notes are encrypted on your device with a key made from a passphrase only you know, then synced as ciphertext. Our servers store scrambled data they can't read.
What "encrypted contacts app" should mean
Almost every contacts service says your data is "encrypted". Usually that means it is encrypted on the way to the server and on the server's disks, while the provider holds the keys and can read it. That protects against someone stealing a hard drive. It does not stop the provider, a breach of the provider's systems, or a request to the provider from seeing your address book.
Privilio uses end-to-end encryption. The key never leaves your devices, so the server has nothing readable to hand over. The trade-off is real: because we don't hold your key, we can't reset your passphrase for you. See the security page for the full design and its limits.
What you can do with Privilio today
- Keep your people in one private place. Name, job title, company, an email and a phone number, plus tags (VIP, Work, Personal, Investor) and pinned contacts.
- Write private notes. Add timestamped notes to any contact: where you met, what you talked about. They are encrypted like everything else.
- Search on your device. Search runs over your decrypted contacts on the device you're using, by name, company or job title, with tag filters.
- Sync between iPhone and web. Add a contact on your phone and see it at app.privilio.ca. Android is coming soon.
- Bring your contacts with you. Import from CSV or vCard (.vcf) files, and export to JSON, CSV or vCard at any time. See how to move your contacts over.
- Use the PIN-protected Vault (Pro). Move your most sensitive contacts behind a 4-digit PIN, hidden from your main list. Free to start; Pro adds the Vault.
- Recover your account. Setup gives you a one-time recovery code, a backup way in if you forget your passphrase.
How the encryption works, briefly
- Your passphrase is stretched with
scryptinto a 256-bit key that exists only on your device. - That key wraps a random data key. Each contact is then sealed with
XChaCha20-Poly1305under the data key, with a fresh random nonce. - Only the ciphertext, a nonce and a few bookkeeping fields are uploaded. Your passphrase and keys are never sent to us.
Our database is hosted on Supabase in AWS ca-central-1 (Canada) and holds only ciphertext. Sign-in is handled by Clerk, which may process sign-in data outside Canada. Privilio is operated by Adapting Services Limited, a Canadian company.
What we can still see, and what Privilio doesn't do
Honest limits matter more than slogans in a privacy product:
- Metadata is visible. We can see that an account exists, how many encrypted records it has and their rough size, and when they were changed. IP addresses are kept briefly for security and abuse prevention.
- No independent audit yet, and the apps are not open source. The algorithms and libraries are standard and well reviewed, but Privilio's own implementation hasn't been audited by an outside firm.
- The Vault is an extra lock, not extra cryptography. Vault contacts use the same data key as everything else; the PIN protects the app's interface.
- It is not your phone's built-in address book. Privilio doesn't read or write the iPhone Contacts database, and it doesn't plug into caller ID or Messages. A contact's Call button opens your phone's dialer.
- Simple contact records. One email and one phone per contact, and no photos, birthdays or street addresses today.
- A lost passphrase plus a lost recovery code means lost data. That is the price of zero-knowledge.
- A compromised phone or browser can read your contacts while the app is unlocked. No encryption app can prevent that.
Coming soon
Voice notes Coming soon
Speak a quick note after a conversation and have it filed on the right contact. Not available yet.
AI connector Coming soon
Let an AI assistant such as Claude, ChatGPT or Grok Bot look up your contacts, read-only and by your choice. Anything an assistant retrieves is visible to that AI provider. Not available yet. Read the plan.
Compare options: Privilio vs Google Contacts, iCloud and Dex.
Frequently asked questions
What is an encrypted contacts app?
It is a contacts app that encrypts your contact data so that the company running it can't read it. With true end-to-end encryption, contacts are encrypted on your device with a key only you hold, and the server stores only ciphertext. Many apps encrypt only in transit and at rest, which means the provider still holds the keys.
Is iCloud Contacts end-to-end encrypted?
No. Apple's documentation lists Contacts as encrypted in transit and on the server with the keys held by Apple, and it is not among the categories covered by end-to-end encryption, even when Advanced Data Protection is turned on.
Can Privilio read my contacts?
No. Your contacts and notes are encrypted on your device before they sync. Our servers store only ciphertext and we never receive your passphrase. We can see that an account exists, how many encrypted records it has, their approximate size and when they changed.
What happens if I forget my passphrase?
Use the one-time recovery code the app shows you at setup. Because we don't hold your key, we can't reset your passphrase or recover your data. If you lose both your passphrase and your recovery code, your data can't be unlocked by anyone.
Is there an Android app?
Not yet. Privilio is available for iPhone and on the web today, and Android is coming soon.
Is Privilio free?
It is free to start. Pro adds the PIN-protected Vault. The current plan details are in the App Store listing.
Does Privilio replace the Contacts app on my iPhone?
No. Privilio is a separate, private contact store. It doesn't read or write your iPhone's built-in Contacts, and it doesn't connect to caller ID or Messages.
Where is my data stored?
Our database is hosted on Supabase in AWS ca-central-1 (Canada) and holds only ciphertext. Sign-in is handled by Clerk, which may process sign-in data outside Canada.
Last reviewed 26 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email smartin@adapting-services.ca.
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