What is the difference?
Trustbourne encrypts file contents in your browser before upload. The main choice is what happens to the release key your contacts may need later.
Seamless is built for a simple family handover. Trustbourne holds a per-vault release key so contacts can open released files in the browser after the escalation process completes.
Maximum Privacy is built for stronger separation. Trustbourne does not hold a file-content release key, so contacts need a passphrase you shared separately.
Neither mode changes the basic goal: your files should stay protected while you are alive, and the right people should have a realistic way to read the right instructions if the release process completes. The tradeoff is convenience versus separation.
| Seamless | Maximum Privacy | |
|---|---|---|
| Available on | All plans | Plus |
| Release key | Trustbourne holds a per-vault release key | Trustbourne does not hold a file-content release key |
| Contact experience | Contacts verify and open files in the browser | Contacts also need your separate passphrase |
| Best for | Families who need the handover to be simple | High-risk files where separation matters more |
| Metadata | Operational metadata remains visible | Operational metadata remains visible |
The practical tradeoff
Most inheritance and continuity plans fail at the handover moment, not at the whiteboard. If your trusted contact receives a file but cannot find a passphrase, cannot understand the instructions, or is too stressed to solve a technical puzzle, the plan may fail even though it was secure in theory.
Seamless mode reduces that handover risk. Maximum Privacy reduces Trustbourne's ability to help with file-content release if your separate passphrase is missing. That is a real security benefit for high-risk material, but it shifts more responsibility to you and your contacts.
Choose Seamless if...
- Your contacts are not technical.
- The highest risk is your family being unable to open the vault.
- You want the release process to be as simple as possible after verification.
- You are storing general family, account, business, or document instructions.
Choose Maximum Privacy if...
- You are storing high-risk files such as crypto recovery notes.
- You are comfortable managing a separate passphrase outside Trustbourne.
- Your contacts can reliably find that passphrase later.
- You prefer Trustbourne not to hold a file-content release key.
Use different modes for different material
You do not have to treat every file the same. A family instruction folder, insurance overview, account map, funeral note, or business continuity checklist may be more useful in Seamless mode because your contacts need to open it quickly and reliably.
Higher-risk files may deserve Maximum Privacy: crypto recovery notes, sensitive business documents, private legal context, or anything where you want stronger separation from Trustbourne. The question is not “which mode is universally better?” It is “what happens if my contact cannot open this file when it matters?”
How to choose for common scenarios
| Scenario | Often better fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Family account map | Seamless | Your family needs clear instructions more than an extra passphrase burden. |
| Password manager handover notes | Seamless or Maximum Privacy | Use Seamless for general instructions; use Maximum Privacy if the file contains high-risk recovery material. |
| Crypto wallet context | Maximum Privacy for sensitive details | Wallet maps and seed phrase context can be high-risk and may need stronger separation. |
| Business continuity files | Depends on the audience | Operations notes may need easy release; sensitive admin credentials may need stricter handling. |
What stays true in both modes?
In both modes, file contents are encrypted before upload and decrypted in the browser after download. Trustbourne still stores operational metadata such as file names, folder names, file sizes, and identifiers so the service can work.
Both modes also use the same careful release process: reminders, contact verification, final warning, and release only after the escalation path completes.
What to tell your contacts
If you use Seamless mode, your contacts mainly need to recognize Trustbourne and understand why they were chosen. If release completes, they can verify and open the released files in the browser.
If you use Maximum Privacy, your contacts also need to know how they will get the separate passphrase. Do not make that passphrase a riddle only you understand. Store or share it through a channel that fits your risk: a sealed note, a notary or solicitor, a trusted person, a safe, or another arrangement your contacts can realistically follow.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Maximum Privacy for everything without a passphrase plan. Stronger separation does not help if nobody can open the file later.
- Putting every secret in one Seamless file. Convenience should not become a single point of failure.
- Ignoring metadata. File names and folder names can reveal context, so name sensitive files thoughtfully.
- Never testing the contact experience. If a trusted person cannot understand the release instructions, simplify the plan.