Keepsafe alternatives for iPhone: 6 options and how to switch safely

Our pick for a Keepsafe alternative on iPhone is Stash: Calculator Photo Vault (we build it, so weigh this accordingly): it hides your photos behind a working calculator, encrypts them on the device with AES-256, adds a decoy PIN and intruder photos (both Premium), and sells a one-time lifetime purchase next to its subscription, where Keepsafe's listing names monthly and yearly subscriptions. The other Keepsafe alternatives are Apple's free Hidden album, Proton Drive, Private Photo Vault, Obscura Photo Vault and Vaultaire. They differ in who holds the encryption key, where your photos live, and whether you pay monthly or once. This page lists all six, then shows how to move your photos out of Keepsafe without losing any.

Disclosure: I build Stash, one of the six options. Every fact about Keepsafe and the other apps comes from the vendor's own website, help page or App Store listing, read on 8 October 2026, re-checked on 10 October 2026 and linked next to the fact. We did not install or test the other apps. Looking for a direct two-app comparison instead? See Keepsafe vs Stash.

Competitor details last checked: 2026-10-10, from each vendor's own pages.

Why people look for a Keepsafe alternative

• Price model: Keepsafe's App Store listing (vendor's App Store page, checked 2026-10-10) says Premium subscriptions run one month or one year; see the App Store for current prices. We saw no item marked as lifetime. The free Basic plan holds 200 photos, per Keepsafe's products page (vendor site, checked 2026-10-10).
• Encryption wording: Keepsafe's products page names "AES-256, on the device and in your private backup", but does not say who holds the key. If that matters to you, read what "encrypted" and "zero-knowledge" mean.
• Where the files go: Keepsafe's Private Cloud stores up to 10,000 items in Premium, according to the listing. Some people would rather keep everything on the phone, or back up only into their own account.
• Calculator look: the calculator-styled Keepsafe app is Android only, per its products page.

None of this makes Keepsafe a bad choice. It offers a PIN lock and Touch ID, according to its listing, and "Track break-in attempts" in Premium, according to its products page. If those are what you use and the price suits you, staying is reasonable.

What to check before you switch

1. Who holds the key? On your device only, derived from your password, or on the vendor's server?
2. Can you get your files out again? Look for an export to Photos or Files before you import everything.
3. What renews? Monthly, yearly or a one-time purchase, and what stays free.
4. What if you forget the PIN? A recovery key, an email reset, or nothing.
5. Decoy and break-in features: do you need a second PIN or a photo of a wrong-PIN attempt?

The 6 alternatives at a glance

Option	Type	Unlock	Where files live	Price model	Key limitation
Stash (our pick)	Vault app behind a calculator	PIN, Face ID or Touch ID	On device; optional backup to your own cloud (Premium)	Free, subscription or lifetime	iPhone and iPad only
Apple Hidden album	Built into Photos	Face ID or Touch ID	Photos library, iCloud Photos if on	Free	Same lock as your iPhone, no decoy
Proton Drive	Encrypted cloud drive	App PIN or Face ID	Proton's cloud, encrypted on device first	5 GB free, then subscription	Not a vault: no decoy stated
Private Photo Vault	Vault app	PIN or pattern	On device; optional Cloud Vault (Premium)	Free, in-app purchases	One-time option not stated
Obscura Photo Vault	Vault app	Password per vault	On device; part of iCloud Backup by default	Monthly, yearly or one-time	iOS 18.2 or later only
Vaultaire	Vault app	Drawn pattern	On device; iCloud backup on by default	Free tier, subscription or lifetime	No calculator disguise by design

Sources for every cell: the sections below. Samsung Secure Folder comes up in the same searches but is Android only, so it is not covered here.

1. Stash: Calculator Photo Vault (our pick)

Our app and our pick. Stash opens as a working calculator, and your PIN opens the vault. Files are encrypted on the device with AES-256 and the key stays in the iOS Keychain. No Stash server receives vault files, so we cannot see or recover them; a recovery key is shown once at setup. Premium adds a guest PIN, an opt-in intruder photo and encrypted backup to your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive, started by you. Stash is free to download with no ads; Premium is a subscription (the annual plan starts with a 7-day free trial) or a one-time lifetime purchase. For prices, see the App Store. iPhone and iPad only.

Full head-to-head: Keepsafe vs Stash.

2. Apple's Hidden album

Free, already on your iPhone. Apple's support page (vendor site, checked 2026-10-10) says the Hidden album is locked by default since iOS 16 and opens with Face ID or Touch ID, and that with iCloud Photos, hidden photos stay hidden on your other devices. There is no separate password. Good for a few photos. Steps: how to hide photos on iPhone.

3. Proton Drive

An end-to-end encrypted cloud drive. Proton (vendor site, checked 2026-10-10) says files are encrypted on your device before upload "so only you hold the keys", with 5 GB free; paid plans are subscriptions per its pricing page (vendor site, checked 2026-10-10). The iOS app supports a PIN and Face ID lock, per Proton's help page (vendor site, checked 2026-10-08). Choose it for an encrypted copy off the phone, not for a disguised vault.

4. Private Photo Vault

After Stash, the closest like-for-like swap. privatephotovault.com (vendor site, checked 2026-10-08) says files are AES encrypted on your device with your own key, and that Cloud Vault is optional, Premium and zero-knowledge. Its App Store listing (vendor's App Store page, checked 2026-10-08) adds a decoy password and a break-in report with photo and GPS. iPhone and Android.

5. Obscura Photo Vault

iPhone only, by Orlio Inc. obscura-vault.com (vendor site, checked 2026-10-08) names "AES-256-GCM with 600,000-round PBKDF2 key derivation", has no server, and sells the app monthly, yearly or once "with no renewals". Separate vaults each have their own password. It says its vault data is included in iCloud Backup by default, which you can turn off.

6. Vaultaire

An iOS vault by Wraxle LLC. vaultaire.app (vendor site, checked 2026-10-08) says it uses AES-256-GCM, that each drawn pattern opens its own vault, and that iCloud backup is on by default and can be turned off. A lifetime unlock exists according to its own guide (vendor site, checked 2026-10-10); the guide and the App Store listing agree on 39.99 USD in the US store.

How to switch from Keepsafe safely

Move in small batches and keep a copy until you have checked the new app. In short:

1. Export a small test batch from Keepsafe to your Photos library. For the current steps, see Keepsafe's help page at support.getkeepsafe.com.
2. Check the export in Photos: the photos open and videos play.
3. Set up the new app. Choose a strong PIN and save any recovery key it shows you somewhere safe.
4. Import the test batch and open a few items in the new app.
5. Repeat in batches until everything is moved.
6. Keep a backup of the exported photos until you have used the new app for a while. If the new app offers an encrypted backup, run one.
7. Delete the copies from Photos, then empty Recently Deleted, once you are sure.
8. Cancel Keepsafe Premium last. If you pay through the App Store, cancel in Settings > your name > Subscriptions, only after the move is complete.

FAQ

What is the best Keepsafe alternative for iPhone?

Our pick is Stash: Calculator Photo Vault (we build it). Of the six options here, it is the one whose own pages state all of these: a working calculator disguise, on-device AES-256 encryption with no developer server, a decoy PIN and intruder photos (both Premium) and a one-time lifetime purchase. For a free option with nothing to install, Apple's Hidden album; for an encrypted cloud copy, Proton Drive. Compare them in the table above.

Is there a Keepsafe alternative without a subscription?

Yes. Stash sells a one-time lifetime purchase, and Obscura and Vaultaire say they do too; the Hidden album is free. See photo vault apps without a subscription.

How do I get my photos out of Keepsafe?

See Keepsafe's help page at support.getkeepsafe.com for the current export steps. Export a small batch first and check it before you move everything.

Will I lose my photos if I cancel Keepsafe Premium?

Do not find out the hard way. Export everything you want to keep and check it in Photos or the new app before you cancel.

Can Stash import directly from Keepsafe?

Stash imports photos and videos from your photo library and documents from Files. Export from Keepsafe to Photos first, then import into Stash from there.