Guides to keeping photos private
How vault apps work, what your phone already does, and where the difference actually matters.
Basics
Are photo vault apps safe?Twelve years of research, why calculator vaults are the weakest, and six tests you can run on yours in ten minutes.ReadWhat a decoy vault isFake PINs, panic PINs and duress codes, who has one, and seven ways a decoy gives itself away.ReadSubscription vs one-time purchase2026 prices for six vault apps, what five years costs, and how to read a store listing with four "Premium" prices.Read
Comparisons
Best Keepsafe alternativesSeven apps sorted by why you are leaving, plus the export steps that do not lose photos.ReadPrivate Photo Vault alternativesNot the unencrypted app it was in 2014. Where the real gap is, six alternatives, and how to move.ReadiPhone Hidden Album vs a vault appIt opens with your passcode and syncs to iCloud. Plus the Face ID only, different passcode and missing album answers.ReadLocked Folder vs a vault appFree and good. Four things it does not do, plus its backup, new-phone and missing-folder answers.ReadSamsung Secure Folder alternativesStrong, but tied to a Samsung account and Samsung phones. Plus the PIN reset, new-phone and Private Album questions.Read