COMPARE PHOTO VAULT APPS

Compare Photo Vault Apps

See how Private Photo Vault^®, Keepsafe, Calculator# and Apple’s Hidden album compare on privacy, organization and backup.

Need help deciding what matters? Read the buying guide

THE FEATURES THAT MATTER

Photo vault feature comparison

A separate passcode, private albums, duplicate detection and encrypted backup—all in Private Photo Vault^®. See how the features compare.

Private Photo Vault^®, Keepsafe, Calculator# and Apple Hidden album: features at a glance.
Feature	Private Photo Vault^®	Keepsafe	Calculator#	Apple Hidden album
Privacy & accessEncryptionProtection for stored photos and videos	AvailableAES locally + AES-256 Cloud Vault	AvailableAES-256 · documented by Keepsafe	Not verifiedApp-level encryption not confirmed	AvailableiOS Data Protection · not a separate vault key
Separate passcode from your phone	AvailablePIN, password or pattern	AvailableVault PIN	AvailableMultiple lock options	Not availableUses device authentication
No account requiredFor on-device storage	AvailableOffline by default	Not availableAccount required	Not verifiedNot documented	AvailableNo extra app account
Zero-knowledge cloud backupProvider cannot decrypt photo/video content	AvailableCloud Vault · Premium	Not availableNot zero-knowledge¹	Not verifiedNot documented	Depends on setupAdvanced Data Protection²
Decoy passwordOpens an alternate vault	Available	AvailableDecoy Vault · Premium	AvailableDeveloper lists decoy vaults³	Not available
Require Face ID + PIN together	AvailableSupported Apple devices	Not available	Not verifiedNot documented	Not availableDevice authentication
Break-in report	Available	AvailableIntruder Alerts · Premium	AvailableHack Monitor	Not available
Your private libraryAlbumsOrganize files inside your private library	Available	Available	Available	Not availableOne Hidden collection⁴
Sub-albumsNested private collections	Available	Not available	Not verifiedNot documented	Not availableNot inside Hidden⁴
Password-protected albums	Available	AvailableAlbum Lock · Premium	Not verifiedNot documented	Not availableNo per-album passwords
Duplicate Detection	AvailableScan vault or Photos	Not available	Not verifiedNot documented	AvailableIn the Photos app⁴
Transfer & syncWiFi TransferDirect transfer through a computer browser	Available	Not available	Available	Not availableAirDrop is a different feature
iPhone ↔ Android vault sync	AvailableCloud Vault · Premium	AvailableAccount + enabled backup	Not verifiedNot documented	Not availableApple Photos ecosystem

Checks include features that may require a paid plan or supported device. “Not documented” means we could not confirm the feature from the reviewed sources; it does not mean the feature is absent.

Important feature differences

Keepsafe cloud privacy: the comparison marks zero-knowledge backup as unavailable, based on its specific content-access policy and the feature information supplied by Private Photo Vault^®. That policy allows limited technical access for support, legal or policy-enforcement purposes. A separate overview says staff cannot access content; that wording differs from the specific policy. This is not an independent audit of its encryption.Source: https://support.getkeepsafe.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035082512-Can-Keepsafe-see-any-of-my-content
Apple cloud privacy: iCloud Photos can use end-to-end encryption with Advanced Data Protection where available. Standard protection uses Apple-held keys. Enabling the Hidden album alone does not turn on Advanced Data Protection.
Calculator#: NewSoftwares.net’s product guidance lists private albums and decoy vaults. Plan and platform availability may differ. A calculator disguise or fake error screen alone is not a decoy vault.
Apple Photos vs Hidden: Photos has albums, folders and duplicate detection. Hidden photos are kept out of other albums, so the album rows compare organization inside the private collection. The duplicate-detection check credits Photos generally; scanning the Hidden collection was not verified.

Encryption and zero-knowledge backup are different: encrypted files may still be readable by a provider that holds the keys. The encryption row reflects documented protection, not an independent security audit. Calculator#’s app-level encryption was not confirmed in the reviewed listing; this does not mean its device storage is unencrypted.

WiFi Transfer means direct local transfer through a computer browser, not cloud sync over WiFi. Calculator# has iPhone and Android versions, but cross-platform vault sync was not confirmed.

Published by Private Photo Vault^®. Comparison updated September 22, 2026; this is not an independent security audit.

A CLOSER LOOK

Key differences between the apps

PRIVATE PHOTO VAULT^® VS KEEPSAFE

Who can access your cloud files?

Keepsafe combines a separate PIN with account-based backup. Its support policy says it is not completely zero-knowledge: staff can technically access content in limited support, legal or policy-enforcement cases. The comparison therefore marks zero-knowledge backup as unavailable. The source notes explain the difference between that policy and its general product overview.

With Private Photo Vault^®

Cloud Vault encrypts photos and videos locally using your key before upload. Our team cannot view that content. You can also use the on-device vault without an account.

Understand Cloud Vault

PRIVATE PHOTO VAULT^® VS CALCULATOR#

Combine a discreet icon with vault protection.

Calculator# by NewSoftwares.net offers a calculator disguise, multiple lock methods, file storage and third-party cloud backups. The reviewed product documentation does not explain who controls encryption keys or whether backup providers can read files.

With Private Photo Vault^®

Choose a discreet app icon, plus documented AES encryption for local files and Cloud Vault. Organize photos and videos in albums and sub-albums, and sync between iPhone and Android.

Explore privacy features

PRIVATE PHOTO VAULT^® VS APPLE HIDDEN ALBUM

A different code from your phone.

Apple’s Hidden album is free and built in. It keeps selected media out of the main library and is locked by default on current iOS. It uses device authentication, including Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode, rather than a separate album password.

With Private Photo Vault^®

Choose a different vault code, even when someone knows your phone’s code. Add password-protected albums and, on supported devices, require Face ID and your vault PIN together.

Explore private albums

Comparison questions

What does zero-knowledge mean here?

For Cloud Vault photo and video content, it means we do not have the secret needed to decrypt your files. Encryption happens on your device using your key. This also means we cannot recover a forgotten Cloud Vault password. It does not mean the service has no account or billing information.

Is Apple’s Hidden album encrypted?

It is protected by Apple’s device security. Hiding an image is not the same as setting a separate vault password. For iCloud Photos, Apple’s standard protection encrypts files in transit and at rest with Apple-held keys; optional Advanced Data Protection provides end-to-end encryption for Photos where available. We do not describe Apple’s photos as unencrypted.

Does Keepsafe require cloud backup?

Keepsafe’s setup guide requires an account, while its support documentation describes a switch to enable or disable cloud backup. The reviewed documents do not establish the default setting for every current version.

Can I move from another photo vault?

Use the existing app’s export options, then import your photos and videos into Private Photo Vault^®. Check that files open correctly before removing any originals or deleting your old app. See our import tutorial.

Sources & comparison notes

Documentation reviewed September 18–22, 2026. Product names identify the products being compared; they do not imply endorsement or affiliation. This page combines published documentation with product information supplied by Private Photo Vault^®.

Keepsafe Support: “Can Keepsafe see any of my content?” (October 22, 2019); “Keepsafe Login: How to Access the Photo Vault” (December 9, 2023); “How does the Keepsafe backup work?” (December 6, 2023); “How to enable or disable the backup” (May 2, 2024); “What does Keepsafe Premium include?”; “Albums General”; “What is Keepsafe?”; “How does Keepsafe protect my data?”; “Using Keepsafe on multiple devices”.
Calculator#: the App Store listing for “Calculator# Hide Photos Videos” by NewSoftwares.net, app ID 1165276801. Also reviewed: NewSoftwares.net’s Calculator# product page and its NS Vault guides on private albums and decoy vaults. This comparison does not cover other similarly named calculator apps.
Apple Support: “Delete or hide photos and videos on iPhone”; “Hide photos on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Vision Pro with the Hidden album”; “iCloud data security overview”; “Data Protection overview”; “Merge duplicate photos and videos on iPhone.”
Private Photo Vault^®’s product information (September 19, 2026): Identifies zero-knowledge backups, direct WiFi Transfer, combined Face ID plus PIN, sub-albums and Duplicate Detection as unavailable in Keepsafe.
Private Photo Vault^®: product features, Cloud Vault documentation and support guidance. Cloud Vault is optional premium; local use requires no account. Availability varies by device, platform and plan.

Documentation can change. No independent testing of competitor encryption or current onboarding defaults was performed.

YOUR PHOTOS. YOUR PRIVACY.

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