Zero-knowledge
We cannot read workspace content
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Quick verdict.
Choose Worklist if content privacy matters more than broad workflow customization. Worklist may help with technical safeguards for regulated workflows, but PHI still requires a written compliance agreement or BAA. Choose monday.com if you need dashboards, automations, integrations, and work-management breadth, and you are comfortable with conventional SaaS access controls.
Feature comparison.
| Feature | Worklist | monday.com |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-End Encryption | ||
| Zero-Knowledge Architecture | ||
| Self-Hosted Deployment Option | ||
| Provider Can Access Workspace Content | ||
| AI Features Can Process Workspace Content | ||
| GDPR Support | ||
| SOC 2 Certified | ||
| ISO 27001 Certified | ||
| Open Source Crypto | ||
| Data Export | ||
| Team Collaboration | ||
| Kanban Boards | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| Automations & Integrations | ||
| Forms & Automations | ||
| Starting price | $8.50/seat/mo | Free up to 2 seats; paid from $9/seat/mo annually |
AI processing means workspace content may be processed when AI features are enabled or used; it does not mean customer data is used for model training.
Want the private option?
Try Worklist in the hosted cloud, or talk to us about the licensed self-hosted Docker image for your own hardware.
Who should choose which?
Choose Worklist if...
- You handle sensitive client or internal project data
- You need strong encryption for regulated workflows
- You do not want server-side AI processing workspace content
- You prefer focused task management over a broad work OS
- You want the provider unable to read encrypted content
- You want a licensed self-hosted Docker option on your own hardware
Choose monday.com if...
- You need dashboards, automations, and reporting
- Your team wants a configurable work operating system
- You need CRM, dev, service, or operations workflows in one suite
- Enterprise governance features outweigh zero-knowledge encryption
- You are managing workflows that are not highly sensitive
Security architecture.
Worklist: zero-knowledge.
Worklist encrypts all data on your device using ChaCha20-Poly1305 before it reaches our servers. We use OPAQUE PAKE for authentication so we never see your password, and the client unlocks encryption keys with an OPAQUE export key plus HKDF. Optional one-time backup keys are user-held; we do not have keys that can decrypt your workspace.
Result: Even if our database is breached, attackers get encrypted blobs. Even if served a warrant, we can only provide encrypted data we cannot decrypt.
monday.com: standard cloud and enterprise controls.
monday.com publishes AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS in transit, ISO 27001 and SOC 2-aligned controls, and least-privilege access practices. This is conventional SaaS security rather than zero-knowledge content encryption.
Result: Provider-side compromise or authorized access paths could expose plaintext content. monday.com can process content for dashboards, automations, AI features, support, and lawful data requests where it is technically able to access that content.
Frequently asked questions.
Is monday.com end-to-end encrypted?
No. monday.com publishes encryption at rest and in transit, but not Worklist-style client-side end-to-end encryption. That means the service can process workspace content in plaintext for product features and authorized support workflows.
Can monday.com employees see my data?
monday.com publishes access controls and policies limiting employee access, but its architecture still permits authorized server-side access to workspace content. With Worklist's zero-knowledge architecture, even our engineers cannot access encrypted workspace content because we do not have the keys.
Does monday.com use my data for AI training?
monday.com publishes commitments that customer content is not used to train AI models. Its AI features can still process workspace content when enabled or used. Worklist cannot process encrypted workspace content with server-side AI because we cannot decrypt it.
Can I use monday.com or Worklist for HIPAA-regulated PHI?
Do not treat either product as HIPAA-ready by default. Worklist's zero-knowledge design may help with technical safeguards, but PHI requires a written compliance agreement or BAA with Worklist. monday.com says HIPAA is available on its Enterprise plan after the BAA and compliance workflow is activated.
Which has more workflow features?
monday.com has broader workflow tooling: dashboards, automations, integrations, forms, Gantt views, and product lines for work management, CRM, dev, and service. Worklist focuses on encrypted task collaboration.
References.
- 01 monday.com pricing - Free tier, paid plan pricing, AI credits, and workflow features
- 02 monday.com security and privacy FAQ - Encryption, employee access controls, and certifications
- 03 monday AI FAQ - AI data processing and no-training commitments
- 04 monday.com and HIPAA - Enterprise HIPAA availability and BAA workflow
- 05 Worklist security architecture - Zero-knowledge encryption details
- 06 RFC 8439: ChaCha20-Poly1305 - Encryption standard used by Worklist
Need privacy before workflow breadth?
Try Worklist free for 14 days, or ask about the licensed self-hosted Docker distribution for your own hardware.
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