Cryptile vs Cryptomator
Cryptomator and Cryptile solve different problems. Cryptomator encrypts a folder in Dropbox, iCloud Drive or another cloud, and you open it through the Files app. Cryptile is a photo, video, file and note vault that lives in its own app on your iPhone.
Try Cryptile free: join the beta on TestFlight
How do Cryptile and Cryptomator compare?
| Question | Cryptile | Cryptomator |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A photo and file vault app | Encryption for files in cloud storage |
| Price | Plus: $19.99 a year (7-day free trial), $39.99 once | One-time in-app purchase for write access. Listed at $9.99 and $19.99, with a 30-day trial |
| Free tier | Up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Files, notes and folders unlimited | Read-only access to vaults, with no time limit |
| Unlock method | A pattern drawn on a grid. Use 8 or more cells | A vault password, with Face ID or Touch ID |
| Decoy or fake vault | A different pattern opens a different vault. No vault list | Not stated |
| Encryption as published | AES-256-GCM on every file, thumbnail and index. Core published for audit | File contents and file names encrypted with 256-bit AES. Password protected with scrypt. Open source and independently audited |
| Where files live | On the phone, with an encrypted iCloud backup | In your cloud: iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, pCloud, Box, WebDAV, S3 and more |
| Account required | No | No: "no registration" |
| In-app camera | Yes, with GPS on or off | Not stated |
| Photo features | Folders, favourites and sorting. Photos and videos open inside the app | Not stated. Files open through the Files app |
| Files app access | Coming, not available yet | Yes, fully integrated |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad | iPhone and iPad. Apps for "all major operating systems"; the same vault opens on each |
| Search inside the vault | Yes, in Plus. Text is read from photos and PDFs on the device | Not stated |
| Ads and tracking | No ads, no tracking | App Privacy label: Data Not Collected |
Checked 2026-10-26. Cryptomator facts come from its App Store listing, its pricing page and its iOS documentation. Check them for current terms.
When should I choose Cryptomator?
- You want to encrypt files that already live in Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.
- You need the same encrypted folder on your computers too. Cryptile has no desktop app yet.
- You want to work on documents through the Files app.
When should I choose Cryptile?
- You mostly want to hide photos and videos, and look through them like an album.
- You want to take photos straight into the vault, never touching Camera Roll.
- You want decoy vaults and a panic pattern (Plus) on your phone.
Can I use both?
Yes. They do not overlap much. Use Cryptomator for documents you sync to a cloud drive. Use Cryptile for the private photos and notes you keep on 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.
- No desktop or sync yet. Sync between devices and a Mac app are coming, not available.
- No reset. Lose the pattern and the recovery phrase, and the vault is gone.
Read the full security page and the Plus page.