Cryptile vs Vaultaire
Cryptile and Vaultaire are both pattern-based photo vaults for iPhone and iPad, with the same free tier and prices. Vaultaire offers sharing and device sync today; Cryptile publishes its encryption core for audit and lists its limits openly.
How do Cryptile and Vaultaire compare?
| Question | Cryptile | Vaultaire |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Plus: $1.99 a week, $5.99 a month, $19.99 a year (7-day free trial), $39.99 once. Family: $49.99 a year or $99.99 once | Pro: $1.99 weekly, $5.99 monthly, $19.99 annual, $39.99 lifetime. Family: $49.99 annual, $99.99 lifetime |
| Free tier | Up to 3 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total. Files, notes and folders unlimited | "up to 3 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos total" |
| Unlock method | A pattern drawn on a grid. Use 8 or more cells | A pattern with "at least six dots and one direction change" |
| Decoy or fake vault | A different pattern opens a different vault. No vault list. Spare decoy slots hide the count | "A different pattern opens a different vault". Duress Mode is part of Pro |
| Encryption as published | AES-256-GCM on every file, thumbnail and index. Core published for audit | "AES-256-GCM encryption for photos, videos, and files" |
| Cloud backup | Encrypted iCloud backup. 9-word recovery phrase, no reset | Encrypted iCloud backup, included with Free and Pro |
| Account required | No | "No account is required" |
| In-app camera | Yes | Yes ("Secure Camera") |
| Notes and files | Photos, videos, files, folders and secure notes | Photos, videos, documents and notes |
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad | iPhone and iPad |
| Search inside the vault | Yes, in Plus. Text is read from photos and PDFs on the device, so a photo of a card is searchable | Not stated |
| Sharing | Shared vaults are coming, not available yet | Secure Sharing, created with Pro. Device Sync is Pro |
Checked 2026-10-23. Vaultaire facts come from its home page and its App Store listing. Check both for current terms.
When should I choose Vaultaire?
- You want to share a vault with someone now. Cryptile has no sharing yet.
- You want device sync today. Cryptile does not sync yet.
- You prefer its app icon options, which Vaultaire's listing describes as Calculator, Printer and others.
When should I choose Cryptile?
- You want to read the encryption core, its threat model and its test vectors before you trust it.
- You want the limits stated next to the claims.
- You want the panic pattern and search inside the vault in the same Plus 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.