There's no single best photo vault app. The right one depends on who you're keeping photos away from, whether you want a cloud backup, and whether you need a decoy for when someone insists you unlock. Below are nine options, from free built-in folders to dedicated vault apps, with what each does well and who it suits.
Disclosure: this page is published by the TAD team at Think Aloud Design, the makers of NullVault. NullVault is included, but it isn't automatically the winner. Every fact about other apps comes from that app's own documentation, linked in each detailed comparison. There are no star ratings, paid placements or affiliate links.
The quick answer
- Free and already on your phone: the iPhone Hidden album or Google Photos Locked Folder. Enough for keeping a few photos out of your main gallery.
- A whole private workspace on a Samsung phone: Samsung Secure Folder.
- An encrypted cloud backup of your whole photo library: Ente Photos.
- A dedicated vault with cloud backup and break-in photos: Keepsafe, Private Photo Vault or LockMyPix.
- Several separate private spaces and a decoy, with no account: NullVault (iPhone and Android) or Vaultaire (iPhone and iPad).
Side-by-side comparison
| App | Platforms | Protects photos with | Account needed | Decoy / fake PIN | Break-in photo | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NullVault | iPhone, Android | AES-256-GCM encryption on your phone | No | Yes, every pattern opens its own vault | No | Several private spaces and a decoy, no account |
| Keepsafe | iPhone, Android | AES-256 encryption at rest | Yes (email) | Yes, Premium "Fake PIN" | Yes, Premium | A polished vault with cloud backup |
| Private Photo Vault | iPhone, Android | AES-256 encryption | Only for Cloud Vault | Yes, "Decoy Password" | Yes, "Break-in Report" | A long-running vault with optional cloud sync |
| LockMyPix | iPhone, Android | AES-256 encryption | No (recovery email optional) | Yes, Premium "Fake Vault" | Yes, Premium | Disguising the app as a calculator |
| Vaultaire | iPhone, iPad | AES-256-GCM encryption | No | Yes, separate patterns | Not advertised | Pattern vaults synced across iPhone and iPad |
| Ente Photos | iPhone, Android, web | End-to-end encrypted cloud library | Yes (service account) | Not documented | Not documented | Encrypted backup of a whole photo library |
| iPhone Hidden album | iPhone | Face ID, Touch ID or passcode | Apple account (built in) | No | No | Free, built-in, a few photos |
| Google Photos Locked Folder | Android | Your phone's screen lock | Google account (built in) | No | No | Free, built into Google Photos |
| Samsung Secure Folder | Samsung Galaxy | A separate protected workspace | Samsung sign-in may be needed | Not the main model | No | A private space for apps and files on Galaxy |
Features and plans change. Check the app's current store listing before you decide, and open the detailed comparison for sources and caveats.
Each option in plain words
NullVault
Each pattern opens its own encrypted vault, and the lock screen never shows a list or count of vaults. That means you can keep an everyday vault, a private one, and a decoy you open when someone insists. No account or email; local vaults work offline. Free to download on iPhone, with optional Pro purchases. Choose something else if you want break-in photos, a calculator disguise, or automatic cloud backup of your whole gallery. What NullVault can't do.
Keepsafe
One of the best-known vault apps, with cloud backup and a Premium fake PIN that opens a decoy vault. It needs an account (your email is used for sign-in codes), and the free version shows ads. Good fit if you want a polished app with backup across devices and don't mind an account. Full comparison.
Private Photo Vault
A long-running vault app with a decoy password and a break-in report that photographs failed unlock attempts. Its optional Premium Cloud Vault adds backup and sync. The free version has ads. Good fit if break-in reports and cloud sync matter most. Full comparison.
LockMyPix
Can disguise itself as a calculator or another app, and Premium adds a fake vault and intruder selfies. It uses a local PIN, password or pattern, and offers cloud backup to Google Drive or iCloud. Good fit if hiding that a vault exists on the home screen is your priority. Full comparison.
Vaultaire
The closest to NullVault in design: separate patterns open separate encrypted vaults, with a duress option. It's iPhone and iPad only, and its strength is syncing between the two. Good fit if you only use Apple devices and want the same vaults on iPhone and iPad. Full comparison.
Ente Photos
Not a vault in the usual sense: it's an end-to-end encrypted photo library that backs up and organizes your whole collection across devices, like a private Google Photos. Good fit if you want every photo backed up and searchable without the provider seeing them. Full comparison.
iPhone Hidden album
Built into Photos and locked with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode by default. Free, nothing to install. But anyone who knows your phone passcode can open it, and it syncs with iCloud Photos when that's on. Good fit if you just want a few photos out of your main library. Full comparison.
Google Photos Locked Folder
Built into Google Photos on Android and protected by your phone's screen lock, with optional backup to your Google account. Good fit if you want something free and simple on Android. Full comparison.
Samsung Secure Folder
A whole separate workspace on Galaxy phones, where you can keep copies of apps as well as files. Good fit if you have a supported Samsung phone and want more than photos kept private. Full comparison.
How to choose in two minutes
- Who are you keeping photos away from? Someone who might pick up your phone needs a different setup from someone who might force you to unlock it. If it's the second, look for a decoy.
- Do you want a cloud backup? Cloud apps make recovery easier but usually need an account. Local-only apps keep everything on your phone, so you need your own backup plan.
- Do you know your passcode is private? Built-in options are only as private as your phone's passcode.
- Test before you trust it. Add a few harmless photos, lock the app, reopen it, and try restoring a backup before moving anything irreplaceable.
For a deeper checklist, read how to choose a private photo vault.
Questions people ask
What is the best photo vault app?
There isn't one for everyone. For a free option, use the iPhone Hidden album or Google Photos Locked Folder. For cloud backup, Keepsafe, Private Photo Vault or Ente Photos. For several hidden vaults and a decoy without an account, NullVault or Vaultaire.
Which photo vault apps actually encrypt photos?
All the dedicated apps above document AES-256 encryption, and Ente Photos is end-to-end encrypted. The built-in iPhone and Google options rely on your phone's lock. Check each app's documentation for details, because "secure" in a store listing doesn't always mean the files are encrypted.
Which photo vault has a fake password?
NullVault, Keepsafe (Premium), Private Photo Vault, LockMyPix (Premium) and Vaultaire all offer a decoy or fake PIN. In NullVault, each pattern opens a different vault, and nobody can tell how many exist.
Is a free photo vault safe?
Free versions can be fine for a few photos, but read what they collect and whether they show ads. Built-in options are free and don't add another company to the picture.