Built a tiny privacy tool that strips metadata from photos/PDFs, entirely client-side — $0 spent so far
I wanted to share something small I just shipped.
The idea started from a simple annoyance: every "remove metadata from my PDF/photo" tool online makes you upload your file to their server first — which felt backwards for a tool about privacy.
So I built Presend: two tools (EXIF Remover for photos, PDF Metadata Remover) that run entirely in the browser. No upload, no account, no backend at all — the whole thing is static HTML/CSS/JS on Netlify's free tier.
Current approach: one tool at a time, 2-3 days max per tool, ship it, see if anyone uses it before building the next one. No monetization yet — first goal is just "does anyone find this useful."
https://presendapp.netlify.app
Happy to answer questions about the stack or the "no backend, no budget" approach if useful to anyone else here.
I like the way the architecture reinforces the promise.
A privacy tool that asks users to upload sensitive files creates an immediate trust gap. Running everything client-side turns the implementation itself into part of the product's value, rather than just an engineering choice.
Thanks, that's exactly the thinking behind it. Most "remove metadata" tools ask you to upload the file first, which always felt backwards for something about privacy — so making the client-side processing the actual selling point, not just an implementation detail, was the goal from day one.
Still just two tools live (EXIF Remover, PDF Metadata Remover), building one at a time and seeing what people actually use before adding more. If you try either one, I'd be curious what breaks or what's missing.
I probably will.
Reading your reply made me think about an implication of building the product around client-side trust that goes beyond the tools themselves. It could shape how people evaluate everything you add after this.
It's a bit too nuanced to explain properly in a thread.
If you're open to it, what's the best email to reach you on?
presendapp [at] gmail [dot] com — happy to hear more, curious what you have in mind.
Thanks! I’ve just sent it over.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts whenever you have a chance.
Thanks for the thoughtful read on this. Right now my focus is purely on shipping and observing what real usage looks like — one tool at a time, based on what people actually need, not on strategy work for now. If that changes down the line I'll keep it in mind. Appreciate you taking the time.