9 Best Photo Vault Apps of 2026

Ente Photos is not sold as a secret vault, but it has the strongest security story on this list. Its App Store listing says photos and videos are encrypted on your device before they are backed up, so only you and the people you share with can see them, and that the code is open source and audited by third-party security experts. For private pictures it adds a Hidden folder that is password protected by default and an App Lock that takes a PIN or biometrics, with two-factor authentication on top. Every account starts with 10 GB free, and paid storage on the US App Store starts at $2.99 for 50 GB. Backups sit in three locations, so a lost phone does not mean lost photos. What it lacks are the stealth tricks of dedicated vaults: there is no decoy PIN, calculator disguise or intruder photo in its description. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Private Photo Vault is the best-known dedicated vault on the US App Store, with a 4.8 rating from about 1 million ratings. Its listing covers the locks most people want: a password, PIN or pattern to open the app, separate passwords for individual albums, a decoy password and a face-down lock. A break-in report records a photo and GPS location of anyone who tries to get in. Its website says photos and videos are AES encrypted on the phone. The paid Cloud Vault adds encrypted backup and a Space Saver, and the company says the Cloud Vault password is never backed up to its servers, so staff cannot view your files. The flip side is that a forgotten Cloud Vault password locks you out of that backup, and the free version does not back up at all. Premium in-app purchases on the US App Store start at $6.99. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

LockMyPix puts encryption first. Its App Store listing says every photo, video, document and note in the vault is encrypted with AES CTR, and that your data stays on the device rather than being sent anywhere. On top of that it has the full set of stealth tools: a Fake Vault that opens with a separate code and shows decoy files, an option to make the icon look like another app such as a calculator, an intruder selfie, and a shake gesture that locks the vault instantly. Albums, folders and subfolders keep large collections tidy. The listing does not describe a cloud backup, so you should export copies elsewhere if the photos matter. Premium costs $29.99 for one year on the US App Store, and a $94.99 lifetime purchase is offered too. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Keepsafe is one of the oldest photo lockers and says it has over 70 million users. The free Basic version locks photos and videos behind a PIN or Touch ID, includes an in-app camera, custom albums and slideshow viewing, and syncs to Keepsafe on other devices. Safe Send lets you share a picture for a limited time. Premium adds Album Lock with separate PINs, a Private Cloud for up to 10,000 items, Space Saver compression with originals kept in the cloud, Trash Recovery and an ad-free view. The vendor describes its protection as military-grade encryption but the listing gives no technical detail, so it is harder to judge than Ente or LockMyPix. Basic is ad supported. On the US App Store, Premium is $9.99 a month or $23.99 a year. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Calculator# from NewSoftwares.net hides its vault behind something nobody looks at twice: a calculator. The App Store listing says it can hide photos and videos and, optionally, delete them from the Photos app once moved, and that it also stores documents, audio, passwords, notes, contacts and to-dos. Locks include a calculator code, PIN, pattern, password or Face ID. For snoopers it adds a Panic Switch that jumps to another app, a Disguise Mode that shows a fake crash message and a Hack Monitor that logs failed attempts. Backups can go to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive, and a forgotten password can be recovered by email. The free version has ads and limits; the full, ad-free version costs $4.99 a year on the US App Store, the cheapest paid tier here. The listing does not say how files are encrypted. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Proton Drive is cloud storage first, but its privacy design makes it a fair home for sensitive photos. The App Store listing says content is end-to-end encrypted so even Proton cannot view it, and that metadata such as filenames, sizes and modification dates is protected as well. The code is open source. Photos and videos back up automatically in original quality, and the app can be locked with a PIN or biometrics. Sharing uses links that can carry a password and an expiry date. Every account gets 5 GB free, and Drive Plus starts at $4.99 a month on the US App Store. What it does not have is a separate hidden album or any vault tricks: the lock covers the whole app, and there is no decoy or disguise. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Best Secret Folder, from RV AppStudios, focuses on catching snoopers. Its App Store listing says that, when activated, it captures a photo and the location of anyone who fails to log in 4 times, can email that report with date, time and location, and shows the number of break-in attempts on the icon. A security log records successful and failed logins and PIN changes, and an intruder stopper can show fake videos. Locks include a password, pattern, Face ID or Touch ID, and folders are unlimited. The icon is designed to be hard to notice. Premium costs $14.99 a year on the US App Store and adds unlimited storage, break-in alerts and password recovery; ad removal alone is $0.99. The listing does not describe encryption, and the latest update is from September 2025. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Hide It Pro is a simple, free way to keep photos and videos behind a lock screen on an iPhone or iPad. Its App Store listing covers multiple albums with custom names and thumbnails, imports from the gallery, iTunes or the camera, a built-in viewer and player, and one-tap USB export. Two features help when someone pushes you to open it: a disguise screen that makes the app look like it crashed, and an escape code that opens an empty-looking app. It locks itself as soon as you leave. The paid parts are optional: Cloud Storage costs $9.99 a month on the US App Store and a password reset costs $4.99. The listing does not say how files are encrypted, and the app was last updated in January 2026. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.

Vaulty is a small, focused vault from MAPPVATE YAZILIM LIMITED SIRKETI. The App Store listing describes a secondary space for selected photos and videos, so the rest of your gallery stays as it is. A Decoy PIN opens a completely empty gallery if someone asks to see the app, and the icon can be camouflaged as a Notes or Passwords app. The vault opens with a PIN or Face ID, and the vault is backed up to your personal cloud. It is a 66.9 MB download. The pricing is the most confusing here: the US App Store lists weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly plans, from $1.99 a week and $4.99 a month up to $99.99 a year, so check which plan the app offers you before paying. The listing does not describe encryption, and the app has only 447 ratings. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not test each app.