Compare photo vault apps for iPhone
A photo vault app comparison on facts only. The table lists what each app's App Store listing or its own website states about encryption, keys, unlock, account, privacy label and backup, with the date it was read.
We make Mirage Vault. This page compares it with other apps using only what each app's App Store listing or its own website states, read on 2026-10-19 and 2026-10-31. "—" means the listing does not say. Nothing here is a review, and we have not tested the other apps on a device. If a fact about your app is wrong, tell us and we will correct it.
Photo vault apps side by side
| What we compared | Mirage Vault | Vaultaire | Private Photo Vault | Keepsafe | Calculator# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM, 1 MiB chunks, a key per file | AES-256-GCM (vendor page) | AES-256 stated for its cloud vault only | Not named ("military-grade") | AES-256 with PBKDF2 (200,000 iterations) stated on the vendor site |
| How the key is protected | PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 ≥ 600,000, wrapped by a Secure Enclave key | PBKDF2 from the pattern; Secure Enclave not used for the cipher (vendor page) | — | — | — |
| Unlock | Pattern drawn anywhere, Face ID, PIN backup | Pattern; Face ID not stated | PIN or pattern | PIN; Face ID stated | Passcode typed into a working calculator |
| Account | None | No account stated | Optional, for the cloud vault | E-mail account; password reset by e-mail | No account stated |
| App Store privacy label | No analytics, no account (label pending publication) | Data Linked to You | Data Used to Track You; Data Linked to You | Data Linked to You | — |
| Decoy vault | Yes (Pro) | Yes | Yes | Yes (fake PIN) | Yes |
| Break-in alerts | Yes, photo + time + pattern, no GPS (Pro) | — | Yes, with GPS location | Yes | Yes |
| Duress / wipe code | Yes: Wipe Key (Pro) | Yes | — | — | — |
| Disguise | Icon only; the label stays "Mirage" (Pro) | — | — | — | Works as a calculator |
| Backup | Encrypted iCloud backup, free, ciphertext only | — | Cloud vault (paid) | Company cloud, content stored on its servers | — |
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Android | iPhone, iPad |
| Checked on | 2026-11-01 | 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-31 |
Sources: Vaultaire: apps.apple.com/us/app/id6758529311, vaultaire.app/about; Private Photo Vault: apps.apple.com/us/app/id417571834; Keepsafe: apps.apple.com/us/app/id510873505; Calculator#: apps.apple.com/us/app/id1038005715. Mirage Vault facts are from the app's source and its 2026-10-31 security audit.
How to read a photo vault comparison
Three rows decide whether a vault app protects anything: the cipher, where the key is kept, and whether an account exists. A named cipher with a key derivation function and a hardware key (the Secure Enclave on an iPhone) means a copy of the files is useless without the device. An e-mail account with a password reset means the company can open the vault; it has to, to reset anything. A privacy label that says "Data Used to Track You" means the app talks to advertising networks while it holds your photos.
The rest, decoy vaults, break-in alerts, disguise icons, are useful but secondary: they only matter once the files themselves are protected. The pages below go one app at a time, with how to move your photos if you decide to switch.
One app at a time
- Best photo vault apps for iPhone in 2026: what to check, and who each one suits
Five vault apps on one fact table, the criteria behind it, and who each app suits.
- Hidden album vs a photo vault app: what each one actually protects
When the built-in Hidden album is enough and when only a separate key will do.
- Keepsafe alternative for iPhone with no account and no company key
For people leaving Keepsafe over the account; who should stay, and how to move the photos.
- Private Photo Vault alternative without ads, tracking or GPS in the break-in log
For people leaving over the privacy label; what each app states, and how to move photos.
- Vaultaire alternative with Face ID, Secure Enclave keys and no analytics
Two apps that both name their cipher; the differences are Face ID, the Secure Enclave and analytics.
Put your photos somewhere that looks like nothing
Free for up to 100 photos and 10 videos, encrypted on your iPhone with iCloud backup included. Mirage Pro adds the decoy vault, break-in alerts, disguise icon and Wipe Key.