Cryptile vs PV - Secret Photo Album
Cryptile and PV - Secret Photo Album both lock photos and videos behind a code on iPhone and iPad. PV sells paid cloud storage and sync; Cryptile uses a drawn pattern, needs no account and publishes its encryption core for audit.
PV is a different app from Private Photo Vault. For that one, see Cryptile vs Private Photo Vault.
Try Cryptile free: join the beta on TestFlight
How do Cryptile and PV compare?
| Question | Cryptile | PV - Secret Photo Album |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Plus: $19.99 a year (7-day free trial), $39.99 once | In-app purchases listed: PV Pro Monthly $3.99, PV Pro Yearly $17.99, PV Permanent Membership $41.99, Super Member Yearly at $29.99 (20G) or $79.99 (100G), Auto cloud backup yearly at $12.99 (20G) or $49.99 (100G) |
| Free tier | Up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Files, notes and folders unlimited | Free download. "Free unlimited storage" is listed as a basic feature. "Ad Free" is a premium feature |
| Unlock method | A pattern drawn on a grid. Use 8 or more cells | Password and Face ID. Touch ID is also mentioned |
| Decoy or fake vault | A different pattern opens a different vault. No vault list | "Fake password protection" |
| Encryption as published | AES-256-GCM on every file, thumbnail and index. Core published for audit | "Data encryption" is named. Cipher not stated |
| Cloud backup | Encrypted iCloud backup. 9-word recovery phrase, no reset | Paid auto cloud backup at 20G or 100G a year. Cloud Sync for Super members. Third-party cloud backup for Pro members |
| Account required | No | Not stated. A recovery email can be set |
| In-app camera | Yes | Not stated |
| Notes and files | Photos, videos, files, folders and secure notes | Photos, videos and audio files. Tags and notes |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad | iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision. Requires iOS 17 or later |
| Search inside the vault | Yes, in Plus. Text is read from photos and PDFs on the device | "Tags, notes and search" |
| Sharing | Shared vaults are coming, not available yet | "Nearby Drop" moves photos between phones |
Checked 2026-10-26. PV facts come from its App Store listing by Haibin Jiao. Check it for current terms.
When should I choose PV?
- You want cloud sync between devices now. Cryptile does not sync yet.
- You want a built-in photo editor and a trash folder for deleted photos.
- You want to move photos to a PC over Wi-Fi in batches.
When should I choose Cryptile?
- You want no account. Keys are derived on your phone from your pattern, and we never hold them.
- You want two plain prices. Plus is $19.99 a year or $39.99 once, with backup included.
- You want a panic pattern, an in-app camera and secure notes in one plan.
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. View-once cannot stop a screenshot.
- No reset. Lose the pattern and the recovery phrase, and the vault is gone.
Read the full security page and the Plus page.