MangoWriter vs. Foxit Smart Redact


Offline redaction vs. cloud-based AI

Screenshot of MangoWriter performing offline, one-click redaction on a living trust, with the Redaction dialog open on Windows.
One-click, offline redaction of names, SSNs, phones, addresses, emails, URLs, and dates—no cloud or AI.

Many editors offer manual redaction, but some “smart” redaction features rely on cloud AI. By design, MangoWriter runs 100% offline—no cloud, no AI, no telemetry, and no third-party libraries. If your confidentiality rules prohibit transmitting files, MangoWriter’s local redaction model keeps sensitive content on your machine.

In one sentence: MangoWriter never uploads your documents; some “smart” redaction features in other tools use cloud services to detect what to redact.

Quick comparison

FeatureMangoWriterFoxit Smart Redact
Processing locationFully local (offline)Cloud-assisted detection (internet required)
AI usageNoneYes (used for detection)
Internet dependencyNoYes (for Smart Redact)
Account requiredNoYes (for Smart Redact)
License modelPerpetual (no subscription)Account/separate purchase; server edition is subscription
Document typesText documents (not PDFs)PDFs
One-click bulk redactionYes (names, SSNs, phones, emails, URLs, dates, addresses)Yes (via Smart Redact)
Punctuation/titles cleanupYesYes
At-rest protectionAES-256-GCM; no plaintext temp files; encrypted clipboardVaries by product/settings
Network/telemetryNoneOnline services used for Smart Redact
Code-signed buildsMSI & portable ZIPYes (vendor-signed installers)

Note (PDF workaround): MangoWriter focuses on text documents. If you need to redact text from a PDF without cloud AI, you can often: copy the PDF’s text to the Windows clipboard → redact in MangoWriter → paste the redacted text back into your PDF editor (e.g., Acrobat). Many apps place both plain text and native formats on the clipboard, so this copy-redact-paste loop works well for text-heavy PDFs.

Why offline matters

  • Compliance & policy fit: Air-gapped and restricted networks; zero data egress.
  • Predictable privacy: No uploads, no third-party processors, no model training.
  • Operational simplicity: No accounts, no subscriptions, no sign-ins—just a signed, offline tool.

How MangoWriter protects your work

  • One-click redaction for names (with targeted surnames & aliases), SSNs, phones, addresses, URLs, emails, dates & times.
  • Smart punctuation handling: removes sensitive text and cleans up surrounding punctuation/titles.
  • Security by default: AES-256-GCM at rest, encrypted clipboard, instant screen-lock, no plaintext temp files.
  • Secure export: encrypted ZIP for sharing a redacted copy or the original (as needed).
  • Perpetual license: no account, no subscription.

FAQs

Does MangoWriter use cloud services or AI?
No. MangoWriter performs redaction and encryption locally—no network access, no AI, no telemetry.

Do I need an account?
No. MangoWriter is a signed, offline application with a perpetual license.

What file types does MangoWriter redact?
Text documents. MangoWriter doesn’t modify PDFs directly, but there’s a simple workaround: copy the selectable text from your PDF → redact in MangoWriter → paste the redacted text back into your PDF editor (e.g., Acrobat).

What leaves my machine during redaction?
Nothing. Redaction, encryption, and export happen locally.


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