Skip to the comparison
PasteOkay
Create a paste
Menu

Pastebins · Comparison

PasteOkay vs ControlC: a public paste host with no expiry promise

ControlC is built to publish. PasteOkay is built to hand something over and forget it. The difference is who can find the paste after you send it.

Updated · 4 min read · PasteOkay is our own product, so read this as a vendor comparison. Features were checked in October 2026.

In short

  • Choose PasteOkay when the paste should stay unlisted, expire and never appear in a public stream.
  • Choose ControlC when you want a free public paste page that is easy to find and does not need an account.
  • Features and prices were checked in October 2026; verify the current details with each provider.

PasteOkay

Choose PasteOkay when the paste should stay unlisted, expire and never appear in a public stream.

  • No public recent list and no ads
  • Expiry, password and browser encryption
  • A manage link for deletion and replacement
Create a paste

ControlC

Choose ControlC when you want a free public paste page that is easy to find and does not need an account.

  • Long-running public paste host with a simple form
  • No account needed for a basic paste
  • Public pages that can be shared broadly
Visit ControlC

Side by side

PasteOkay and ControlC compared
Capability PasteOkay ControlC
Account required No No
Expiry control 10 minutes to 30 days Limited
Client-side encryption Yes No
Password protection Yes No
Burn after reading Yes No
Public directory No Yes
Ads on the free tier None Yes
Price Free, PRO $5 once Free with ads

A dash means the feature is not offered in the standard flow. Plans and limits change; verify the current details with each provider before relying on them.

Exposure is the product

ControlC is a public paste host. Its value is that a paste gets a stable page on a site that has been around for years, with no account required. For a public note, a list or a piece of documentation, that is enough.

That model also means public pastes can be discovered, indexed and archived by third parties. Deleting the original does not necessarily delete the copies. If that sentence makes you uncomfortable, the paste does not belong on a public host.

What changes with an expiring link

PasteOkay does not publish a feed of pastes. The link is the only way in, and the link can require a password. The expiry is enforced on every read, so a paste stops resolving at the chosen time rather than whenever an operator cleans up.

The author also gets a manage link. It is shown once, stored only as a hash, and can replace or delete the paste. That is a small feature with a large practical effect: a mistaken paste can be fixed immediately.

Which model fits the content

Use a public host for something you would be comfortable posting on a forum. Use PasteOkay for a private handoff, a temporary credential or a note that contains a name, an address or an internal hostname.

Which one should you choose?

Choose PasteOkay if

  • The paste contains personal or internal information
  • You want the link to stop working automatically
  • You need a password or encryption

Choose ControlC if

  • You want a public page that anyone can browse
  • The content is intended for an audience
  • You do not need expiry or deletion controls

Frequently asked questions

Are ControlC pastes public?

ControlC is built around public paste pages. Treat anything you upload there as publishable, even if the URL is not easy to guess.

Does PasteOkay have ads?

No. The free plan is not ad-supported. PRO is a one-time payment for larger pastes, a higher rate, longer expiry and short link tools.

Can I delete a paste on both services?

PasteOkay returns a manage link shown once, which can delete the paste. Public paste hosts vary in what deletion they offer and cannot remove copies made by third parties.

Is a paste URL a security boundary?

No. A hard-to-guess URL helps against casual discovery, but it is not access control. Use a password and browser encryption when the content matters.

More comparisons

Pastebins

PasteOkay vs Pastebin.com

Pastebin.com is the best known paste service. We compare its expiry rules, ads, public archive and privacy model with PasteOkay's encrypted, account-free editor.

Read the comparison

Code and docs

PasteOkay vs Rentry

Rentry turns markdown into a page with an edit code. We compare its permanent publishing model, custom addresses and privacy with PasteOkay.

Read the comparison

Code and docs

PasteOkay vs Telegraph

Telegraph publishes anonymous articles with a permanent URL. We compare its no-account publishing model, formatting and privacy with PasteOkay.

Read the comparison

Try the paste that expires

No account. Choose a lifetime, add a password if you need one, and encrypt in your browser when the text should never reach the server in readable form.

Create a paste All comparisons