Keepsafe Alternatives for iPhone: 5 Options Compared
The main alternatives to Keepsafe on iPhone are Cryptile, Obscura, Encamera, Private Photo Vault and Apple's own Hidden album. Pick by what you want to change: price model, ads, how the encryption is described, or whether you need an account.
Try Cryptile free: join the beta on TestFlight
What do I need to know?
- Check the listing, not the slogan. Look for a named cipher, the price periods and the App Privacy label.
- Moving is a one-sitting job. Photos pass through your Photos library on the way, so move and clean up together.
- Do not delete Keepsafe first. Deleting a vault app deletes what is stored in it.
Why do people look for a Keepsafe alternative?
These are reasons you can check yourself on Keepsafe's App Store listing, checked 2026-10-23 and 2026-10-26.
- Ads. The listing says the app contains advertising. "Ad-Free" is listed as a Premium feature.
- Subscription only. Premium is listed as monthly ($9.99) or yearly ($23.99). No one-time price is shown.
- Encryption detail. Encryption is named, but no cipher or technical detail is published on the pages checked.
- Tracking. The App Privacy label says usage data may be used to track you across other companies' apps.
What are the alternatives?
Each line uses only what that app's own listing states. "Not stated" means the listing does not say.
- Cryptile. Pattern unlock and AES-256-GCM on every file, thumbnail and index. No account. Decoy vaults open with a different pattern. Encrypted iCloud backup with a 9-word recovery phrase. Free for 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos; Plus is $19.99 a year or $39.99 once.
- Obscura. States AES-256-GCM and publishes its encryption code. Password, Face ID or Touch ID. No accounts and no cloud; backup is iOS system backup or an encrypted export file. Free for 50 photos; Pro is $29.99 a year or $39.99 once. See Cryptile vs Obscura.
- Encamera. No account needed. Face ID and PIN. Its code is open for review, but the listing does not name a cipher. iCloud storage is a Premium feature. The listing says no ads. See Cryptile vs Encamera.
- Private Photo Vault. Password, PIN or pattern, plus a decoy password. Runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Cloud Vault is a password-based encrypted backup, not in the free version. Cipher not stated. See Cryptile vs Private Photo Vault.
- Apple's Hidden album. Built in and free. It moves photos out of the main library view and locks with Face ID or Touch ID. It is not a separate encrypted vault. See is the Hidden album encrypted.
App facts checked 2026-10-25 to 2026-10-26 from each app's App Store listing: Obscura, Encamera, Private Photo Vault.
When should I stay with Keepsafe?
- You also use Android. Keepsafe's website lists Android. Cryptile runs on iPhone and iPad only.
- You share pictures for a limited time. Keepsafe lists Safe Send. Cryptile has no sharing yet.
- You rely on its Private Cloud. The listing says it stores up to 10,000 items. Moving that much takes time.
How do I cancel Keepsafe after moving?
Deleting the app does not stop an App Store subscription. These are Apple's cancel a subscription steps for current iOS, checked 2026-10-26.
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Subscriptions, then tap the Keepsafe subscription.
- Tap Cancel Subscription. You might need to scroll down.
Full moving steps are in how to switch from Keepsafe.
What this doesn't protect against
No vault stops someone who watches you unlock it, or a screenshot of a photo on screen. While photos sit in your Photos library during a move, iCloud Photos can upload them. Lose both your Cryptile pattern and recovery phrase, and that vault is gone.
Do it with Cryptile
Cryptile makes the key on your phone from your pattern. There is no account and no server, and the encryption core is published for audit.
Cryptile is free for 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos. Plus is $19.99 a year (7-day free trial) or $39.99 once.