Cryptile vs Safe Lock
Cryptile and Safe Lock both lock photos, videos and notes behind a code on iPhone and iPad. Safe Lock offers seven lock types and exports to several cloud services; Cryptile uses a drawn pattern, keeps an encrypted iCloud backup and publishes its encryption core for audit.
Several apps use the name Safe Lock. This page covers Safe Lock - Hidden Photo Vault by Katerina Akhlebinina.
Try Cryptile free: join the beta on TestFlight
How do Cryptile and Safe Lock compare?
| Question | Cryptile | Safe Lock |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Plus: $19.99 a year (7-day free trial), $39.99 once | In-app purchases listed as Premium Account at $4.99, $19.99 and $29.99. Periods not shown in the listing |
| Free tier | Up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Files, notes and folders unlimited | Free download with in-app purchases. Limits not stated |
| Unlock method | A pattern drawn on a grid. Use 8 or more cells | "7 types" of password, including PIN-code, Touch ID, Face ID, DotLock, numeric and alphabetic |
| Decoy or fake vault | A different pattern opens a different vault. No vault list | A fake password opens a fake gallery |
| Encryption as published | AES-256-GCM on every file, thumbnail and index. Core published for audit | Cipher not stated. The listing says photos and videos are saved only on your device |
| Cloud backup | Encrypted iCloud backup. 9-word recovery phrase, no reset | Export and import with Dropbox, Google Drive, Yandex.Disk, iCloud and Box, or Wi-Fi transfer |
| Account required | No | Not stated |
| In-app camera | Yes | Yes, a "Hidden Camera" |
| Notes and files | Photos, videos, files, folders and secure notes | Photos, videos, notes, GIF and PDF |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad | iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision |
| Search inside the vault | Yes, in Plus. Text is read from photos and PDFs on the device | Not stated |
| Sharing | Shared vaults are coming, not available yet | Export or import with Photo Roll, Email or a cloud platform |
Checked 2026-10-26. Safe Lock facts come from its App Store listing. Check it for current terms.
When should I choose Safe Lock?
- You want Face ID or Touch ID to open the vault.
- You want break-in reports. The listing describes them with photos.
- You want to export to Dropbox, Google Drive or Box by hand.
- You want a custom app icon today. Cryptile's alternate icons are coming, not available yet.
When should I choose Cryptile?
- You want a backup that runs for you. Cryptile backs up to iCloud encrypted and restores with a 9-word phrase.
- You want a panic pattern. Drawing it destroys this device's vault keys.
- You want to read the encryption core, its threat model and its test vectors first.
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.