Comparison
Sealby vs other photo vault apps
Features, pricing and privacy at a glance. Details and sources below.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Sealby | other photo vault apps |
|---|---|---|
| No account or sign-up | Yes | See note1 |
| Deniable — no stored vault list or count | Yes | See note2 |
| Notes, documents & any file | Yes | See note3 |
| AES-256 encryption on your device | Yes | See note4 |
| Duress PIN | Premium | See note5 |
| Recovery you own (a phrase for every vault) | Yes | Varies |
| What you pay with | See note6 | See note7 |
| No ads |
Notes on this comparison
We compare published features, not independently tested security. A red cross earns no credit: the feature is unsupported, has a drawback, or is labelled “Not advertised” because we found no claim in the checked sources. “Not advertised” does not prove a feature is absent. An amber dash means documented partial support. A grey question mark is reserved for checks we could not assess and is excluded from the ranking score.
- 1.other photo vault apps · No account or sign-up: Varies; several support local use without an account
- 2.other photo vault apps · Deniable — no stored vault list or count: Check how decoys and hidden vaults work
- 3.other photo vault apps · Notes, documents & any file: Supported types vary by app
- 4.other photo vault apps · AES-256 encryption on your device: Documented by some; unspecified by others
- 5.other photo vault apps · Duress PIN: Available in some apps; features and tiers vary
- 6.Sealby · What you pay with: Nothing. The local vault is free (up to 20 items per vault, including up to 5 videos)
- 7.other photo vault apps · What you pay with: Free limits, ads and paid upgrades vary
- 8.Sealby · No ads: No ads in either the free or Premium version.
- 9.other photo vault apps · No ads: Check the current app and plan for advertising; this comparison does not establish that all versions are ad-free.
Pricing at a glance.
US prices · Checked
Sealby
- Monthly
- $4.99
- Yearly
- $24.99
- Lifetime
- $39.99
Free version available. Lifetime: one payment, no subscription.
other photo vault apps
There is no single price for this category. Free limits, advertising, subscriptions and one-time upgrades differ by app; check the exact developer and purchase screen.
No verified like-for-like price to compare.
Listed offers, not guaranteed checkout prices. Availability and prices vary by region. “Not verified” means no unambiguous matching price was found, not that a plan is unavailable.
Are photo vault apps safe?
Sealby encrypts every file on your device and has no ads or account. Other free vault apps vary: compare their encryption, privacy labels and limits before moving your photos.
What other photo vault apps is built for
- Many offer a free tier and a simple photo-only workflow
- A screen lock can keep casual viewers out
- Some document on-device encryption; check the security documentation, not only the app name
What to consider
- A PIN screen does not explain file encryption; look for the developer’s documentation
- Some free tiers include ads or tracking, as declared in their privacy labels
- Provider cloud services add account and backup dependencies; check who holds the keys
- A decoy screen does not necessarily hide the existence of other vaults
The honest verdict
Choose a vault for the protection behind its lock screen. Sealby makes encryption, separate vaults and ad-free use part of its free tier.
Sources & checked date
Checked against these public sources on October 4, 2026. App Store privacy labels are self-reported by developers. Apps change; if anything here is out of date, write to hello@sealby.app and we will correct it. Product names are trademarks of their owners; Sealby is not affiliated with them.
- Apple: App privacy details on the App Store (developer.apple.com)
- App Store: Private Photo Vault – Pic Safe (apps.apple.com)
- App Store: Secret Photo Vault: Keepsafe (apps.apple.com)
- App Store: LockMyPix Secret Photo Vault (apps.apple.com)
- App Store: SPV – Photo Vault (apps.apple.com)
- Current App Store purchases (apps.apple.com)
- Current App Store purchases (apps.apple.com)
Common questions
How do I tell if a photo vault app is trustworthy?
Check its documented encryption, who holds the keys, privacy label, recovery process and free-tier limits. Look for a clear business model and honest security limits. An account or cloud service does not by itself mean weak encryption, and missing documentation is not proof that encryption is absent.
What’s the difference between hiding photos and encrypting them?
Hiding removes photos from an ordinary view. Encryption protects the stored content with a key. An app can do both; a screen lock alone does not tell you how it protects files or backups. Readable exports and an unlocked device still need care.
Can a photo vault app see my photos?
It depends on the design and who holds the keys. Proper end-to-end encryption can keep cloud content unreadable to the provider. Sealby encrypts locally without a Sealby account; optional iCloud backups are encrypted before upload. Content is readable while you have the vault open.
Related: Private photos & videos · vs the iPhone Hidden album · vs calculator vaults · Seven photo-vault red flags
Your vault is waiting.
Download Sealby and protect what matters. Setup takes under a minute, and there’s no account to create.
iPhone & iPad · iOS 17+ · Free