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Vaultaire vs HiddenVault
HiddenVault is a full toolkit: a photo locker plus a private browser and a password vault, with unlimited photos for free. It protects them with a PIN and Face ID. Vaultaire is narrower and encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM at rest.
Feature Comparison
HiddenVault by Kyle Allen locks your photos behind a PIN and Face ID and stores them in your phone's built-in Apple folders. It adds a private browser, a password vault, and a decoy gallery. Here is how it lines up with Vaultaire across 17 security and privacy features.
| Feature | Vaultaire | HiddenVault |
|---|---|---|
| AES-256-GCM encryptionFile-level authenticated encryption | ✓ | Not specified |
| Files encrypted at restUnreadable even with raw file access | ✓ | Stored in Apple folders |
| Secure Enclave hardware keysKeys never leave the chip | ✓ | Not stated |
| Pattern lock derives the keyA pattern, not a typed PIN, unlocks the math | ✓ | PIN + Face ID |
| No account requiredNo email, no sign-up | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recovery phraseGet back in if you forget the key | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encrypted vault sharingShare a vault without handing over keys | ✓ | ✗ |
| Decoy under pressureA second view that hides the real one | Duress vault | Decoy gallery |
| iCloud backupRestore on a new device | Encrypted | Yes, encryption unstated |
| Built-in private browserBrowse inside the app | ✗ | ✓ |
| Password vaultStore logins in the app | ✗ | ✓ |
| Unlimited photos on the free tierNo file cap without paying | 100 per vault | ✓ |
| Multiple independent vaultsSeparate encrypted containers | ✓ | Albums |
| Photos, videos, and filesDocuments as well as media | ✓ | Photos & videos |
| Camera capture into the vaultShoot straight into storage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free tier availableUsable without payment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Offline by defaultNo network calls unless you opt in | ✓ | Local storage, optional iCloud |
Pricing Comparison
Vaultaire
- Up to 5 vaults, 100 files each
- Pattern lock
- AES-256-GCM encryption
- Camera & photo import
- Unlimited vaults & files
- Duress vault
- iCloud backup
- Vault sharing
- All Pro features
- Recovery phrase
- One-time payment
- All Pro features forever
HiddenVault
- Unlimited photos & videos
- PIN + Face ID
- Browser & password vault
- Removes limits and ads
- Price shown in App Store
Hiding a File Is Not Encrypting It
HiddenVault keeps your photos in your phone's built-in Apple folders and puts a PIN and Face ID in front of them. That stops a person who picks up your phone and starts scrolling. It does not name a cipher, and storing media in Apple's folders means the files themselves are not described as encrypted at rest.
Vaultaire encrypts each file with AES-256-GCM before it is written to disk. The key lives in the Secure Enclave and comes from your pattern. Someone with a cable, a forensic tool, or raw file access sees ciphertext. That is the line between hiding a photo and encrypting it.
What HiddenVault Gives You Instead
HiddenVault is built for breadth. Unlimited photos on the free tier, a built-in private browser, a password vault, and a decoy gallery all live in one app. If you want a single free tool that hides photos and bundles extras, HiddenVault packs more in than Vaultaire does, and this page says so plainly.
The tradeoff is the security model. Those extras sit on top of PIN-and-Face-ID access control, not a named file-encryption standard. More features, a softer guarantee.
How You Unlock
HiddenVault unlocks with a PIN and Face ID. Both are convenient, and both tie access to something you type or a biometric the law can compel. Vaultaire unlocks with a drawn pattern that derives the encryption key itself. A wrong pattern returns the wrong key and nothing readable.
Recovery and Sharing
Vaultaire adds a recovery phrase so you can rebuild your key without giving anyone access, and encrypted vault sharing so you can hand a vault to someone you trust. HiddenVault offers neither.
Bottom Line
HiddenVault is a capable free toolkit. It hides unlimited photos and throws in a browser, a password vault, and a decoy gallery. What it does not claim is file-level encryption with a named cipher. Vaultaire encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM, derives the key from a pattern, and adds a recovery phrase and vault sharing. If the photos are sensitive enough to need real encryption at rest, that is the case for Vaultaire.
Read the full HiddenVault review →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HiddenVault encrypt photos or just hide them?
HiddenVault protects photos with a PIN and Face ID and stores them in your phone's built-in Apple folders. Its listing does not name a file-encryption cipher, so the security is access control plus storage location rather than stated file-level encryption. Vaultaire encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM.
What does HiddenVault do that Vaultaire does not?
HiddenVault bundles a private browser, a password vault, and a decoy gallery, and allows unlimited photos on its free tier. Vaultaire focuses on encryption: AES-256-GCM at rest, a pattern-derived key, a recovery phrase, and vault sharing.
Which is more secure for sensitive photos?
For photos that need to stay unreadable even if someone gets file access, Vaultaire's AES-256-GCM encryption at rest is the stronger choice. HiddenVault is better suited to casual hiding with extra utilities.
Encryption at Rest, Not Just a Lock Screen.
Vaultaire encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM, needs no account, and starts at free.
Download Vaultaire
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