Best photo vault apps for iPhone in 2026: what to check, and who each one suits
The best photo vault app for iPhone is the one that encrypts on the device with a named cipher, keeps the key where it cannot be copied, and has no account that could open your vault from a server. By those criteria, this page compares Mirage Vault, Vaultaire, Private Photo Vault, Keepsafe and Calculator# using only what each app states, read in October 2026. We make Mirage.
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.
How we picked the best photo vault apps for iPhone
The App Store lists hundreds of photo vault apps; most are the same template with a different icon. This list is the apps people actually search for by name, plus Mirage. The criteria are the ones that decide whether photos are protected rather than hidden, in order of weight:
- Encryption named with parameters. A vault that says “AES-256-GCM” can be checked; a vault that says “military-grade” cannot.
- Where the key lives. A key wrapped by the Secure Enclave cannot be copied off the iPhone, so a copy of the files cannot be guessed open elsewhere.
- Account or no account. An account with password reset means the company holds a key.
- Privacy label. “Data Used to Track You” means advertising or tracking code runs beside your photos.
- The extras: decoy vault, break-in alerts, duress code, disguise, backup.
Everything in the table comes from each app’s App Store listing or its own website on the date shown. Nothing was tested on a device, and no star ratings are given.
The 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.
Who each photo vault app suits
Mirage Vault
For people who want the photos encrypted rather than hidden, and who would rather keep an 8-word recovery phrase than have a company able to reset their vault. AES-256-GCM per 1 MiB chunk, the vault key wrapped by the Secure Enclave, Face ID bound to the enrolled faces, no account, no analytics or advertising code, free encrypted iCloud backup. Free up to 100 photos and 10 videos; Mirage Pro adds the decoy vault, break-in alerts, disguise icon and Wipe Key. iPhone only. Honest limits: the label under a changed icon stays “Mirage”, screenshots cannot be blocked, and a lost phrase means lost photos.
Vaultaire
For people who want pattern-only unlock with stated AES-256-GCM encryption and a duress feature. Its own technical page says the Secure Enclave is not used for the cipher, Face ID is not listed, and the privacy label is “Data Linked to You” with analytics on by default. The closest app to Mirage in intent; the Vaultaire comparison goes row by row.
Private Photo Vault
For people who want an iPad version and break-in alerts with GPS location. AES-256 is stated for its paid cloud vault only; the privacy label lists tracking and linked data. One of the oldest apps in the category; the Private Photo Vault comparison covers moving photos out of it.
Keepsafe
For people who want the same vault on iPhone, iPad and Android with an account that follows them. The account is also the trade-off: content lives on the company’s servers and a password reset by e-mail means the company can open vaults. The cipher is not named. The Keepsafe comparison is for people leaving because of the account.
Calculator#
For people who specifically want a working calculator in front of the vault. The vendor site states AES-256 with PBKDF2 at 200,000 iterations, which is more than most calculator vaults say. A calculator front is a known pattern and the label under the icon cannot change; calculator vault apps explains what the disguise is worth.
The short version
- Encrypted, no account, Face ID, no analytics: Mirage Vault.
- Encrypted, pattern only, no Face ID, analytics on: Vaultaire.
- Cross-platform with an account: Keepsafe.
- iPad and GPS break-in alerts: Private Photo Vault.
- A working calculator front: Calculator#.
Before any of them, check whether the Hidden album is enough; for many people it is.