Cryptile vs Best Secret Folder
Cryptile and Best Secret Folder both hide photos and videos behind a password or pattern on iPhone and iPad. Best Secret Folder adds intruder photos and a fake-videos screen; Cryptile names its encryption, publishes its core for audit and backs up to iCloud encrypted.
Try Cryptile free: join the beta on TestFlight
How do Cryptile and Best Secret Folder compare?
| Question | Cryptile | Best Secret Folder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Plus: $19.99 a year (7-day free trial), $39.99 once | Yearly subscription $14.99. Also listed: Upgrade To Pro $1.99, Remove Ads $0.99 |
| Free tier | Up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Files, notes and folders unlimited | Free download. Premium adds unlimited storage, break-in alerts and password recovery. Free limits not stated |
| Unlock method | A pattern drawn on a grid. Use 8 or more cells | Password, pattern, Face ID or Touch ID |
| Decoy or fake vault | A different pattern opens a different vault. No vault list | "Intruder stopper shows fake videos when activated" |
| Encryption as published | AES-256-GCM on every file, thumbnail and index. Core published for audit | Not stated. The listing says photos and videos are password protected |
| Cloud backup | Encrypted iCloud backup. 9-word recovery phrase, no reset | Not stated. Import, export and share by email |
| Account required | No | Not stated |
| In-app camera | Yes, with GPS on or off | Yes, record directly in the app |
| Notes and files | Photos, videos, files, folders and secure notes | Photos, videos and notes |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Vision |
| Search inside the vault | Yes, in Plus. Text is read from photos and PDFs on the device | Not stated |
| Failed-unlock alerts | No | Photo and location of an intruder after 4 failed logins, sent by email |
| Ads and tracking | No ads, no tracking | Sells ad removal. Identifiers may be used to track you |
Checked 2026-10-26. Best Secret Folder facts come from its App Store listing (RV AppStudios). Check it for current terms.
When should I choose Best Secret Folder?
- You want a photo of anyone who fails to unlock the app, emailed to you.
- You want a low yearly price and do not need encrypted backup.
- You want a login log of successful and failed attempts.
When should I choose Cryptile?
- You want the cipher named and the encryption core open to read.
- You want an encrypted backup you can restore on a new phone.
- You want several vaults: any other pattern opens its own vault, and no list shows how many exist.
- You want no ads, no account, and keys that never leave your phone.
What are the limits of Cryptile?
These apply to any pattern-based vault, ours included.
- Short patterns are weak. A pattern is weaker than a passphrase. Use 8 or more cells.
- Screenshots win. No vault can stop a screenshot of a photo on screen.
- No reset. Lose the pattern and the recovery phrase, and the vault is gone.
Read the full security page and the Plus page.