Aztec differs from most Layer 2s by integrating encryption at the protocol level and offering client-side proof generation, not just compression.

Quotes that support claims

Contrary to popular belief, most zk rollups do not actually leverage zero-knowledge tech for the purposes of privacy encryption, making it somewhat of a misnomer. Zk rollups today use the tech primarily for the size compression of transactions — for scaling throughput — without encrypting user data.

Aztec differs from other zero-knowledge rollups because it is focused on helping applications and users preserve their private details by incorporating encryption on the protocol level.