Photo Vault Apps Without Ads on iPhone
Four photo vaults state "no ads" in their own words: Cryptile, Vaultaire, Encamera and Inner Gallery (Inner Gallery says it of its free tier). Several popular vaults say they contain advertising, or sell a way to remove it. The table below quotes each listing as checked on 2026-10-26.
Try Cryptile free: join the beta on TestFlight
What do I need to know?
- Ads usually mean an ad network. The App Privacy label shows whether data is used to track you.
- "Ad-free" is often a paid feature. Free with ads, pay to remove them, is a common model.
- Silence is not a promise. If a listing says nothing about ads, we list it as "not stated".
Which photo vault apps say they have no ads?
| App | What its listing says about ads | Data used to track you |
|---|---|---|
| Cryptile | No ads, no analytics, no tracking | No tracking |
| Vaultaire | "No ads, no ad tracking, no account." | Not listed |
| Encamera | "no ads, no tracking, ever" | Not listed |
| Inner Gallery | "Free: 2 spaces, 50 photos, no ads." | Not listed |
| Obscura | Ads not stated. App Privacy: Data Not Collected | Not listed |
| Safe Lock | Ads not stated. App Privacy: no data collected | Not listed |
| Secret Photo Vault - Photosafe | Ads not stated. App Privacy: no data collected | Not listed |
Which ones show ads or sell ad removal?
| App | What its listing says |
|---|---|
| Keepsafe | Contains advertising. "Ad-Free" is a Premium feature |
| Private Photo Vault | Contains advertising |
| SPV - Secret Photo Vault | Contains advertising |
| PV - Secret Photo Album | Contains advertising. "Ad Free" is a paid feature |
| Vaulty | Contains advertising |
| Privault | Sells "Remove ADs" for $2.99 |
| Best Secret Folder | Sells "Remove Ads" for $0.99 |
| Calculator# | "free with ads and limitations"; the paid version is ad-free |
Checked 2026-10-26 on each app's US App Store listing: Vaultaire, Encamera, Inner Gallery, Obscura, Safe Lock, Photosafe, Keepsafe, Private Photo Vault, SPV, PV, Vaulty, Privault, Best Secret Folder, Calculator#. Listings change, so check before you buy.
How do I check an app for ads myself?
- Open the app's page on apps.apple.com in a browser.
- Read the description for "ads", "ad-free" or "remove ads".
- Scroll to Information. A Contains line lists "Advertising" when the developer declares it.
- Check In-App Purchases for an item like "Remove Ads".
- Read App Privacy. "Data Used to Track You" or "Third-Party Advertising" points to an ad network.
Privault sells ad removal but shows no "Contains" line, so check all five.
Does "no ads" mean my photos are safe?
No. No ads tells you about the business model, not the encryption. Check for a named cipher, keys made on your phone and a backup you can restore. Our six checks for a photo vault apply to every app here, ours included.
What this doesn't protect against
An app with no ads can still store photos without encryption. Ads in the free tier of an app do not by themselves mean your photos are exposed. Neither fact protects against someone who knows your code.
Do it with Cryptile
Cryptile has no ads, no analytics and no account. Every photo, video and thumbnail is encrypted with AES-256-GCM under a key made on your phone.
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, with the same price every day.