Hidewell Vault vs Keepsafe

A long-running photo vault for iPhone and Android with an account, an optional Keepsafe cloud backup and a Premium tier.

Keepsafe details as of October 2026, from public pages and store listings by KeepSafe Software, Inc. (sources below). Official page: Keepsafe

Side by side

Feature comparison

Hidewell Vault Winner

9

Keepsafe

0

Even: 3 · Not comparable: 1 · Features compared: 13

Ahead:
Behind:
Even:
Not comparable:

	Hidewell Vault	Keepsafe
Platforms	Even: Android now. iPhone and iPad coming soon	Even: iPhone, iPad and Android ^[1]^[2]
Account required	Ahead: No. No account, no email	Behind: Yes. Name and a verified email at setup ^[3]
Encryption of stored files	Ahead: AES-256-GCM in 1 MiB segments under a random 256-bit master key	Behind: 256-bit AES at rest. Mode and key handling not published ^[4]
How the unlock secret becomes a key	Ahead: Pattern plus a secret in your phone's security chip (Secure Enclave or StrongBox), then Argon2id	Behind: Not published
Unlock methods	Even: Pattern only, run through your phone's security chip. No biometric shortcut, by design	Even: PIN (pattern on Android), plus Face ID, Touch ID or fingerprint ^[5]
Multiple or decoy vaults	Even: Each pattern opens its own vault, with no vault list. Duress pattern opens a decoy (Pro)	Even: Fake PIN opens a decoy vault (Premium). Per-album passwords ^[6]^[7]
Backup	Ahead: Encrypted on your phone, stored in your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive, keyed from a 12-word recovery phrase	Behind: Optional backup to Keepsafe's own cloud, described as encrypted. Which key protects it is not published ^[8]
Sync between devices	Not comparable: No. Encrypted sync is on the roadmap	Not comparable: Not documented
Tracking and analytics	Ahead: None. No analytics and no connection to our servers	Behind: App Store label lists Usage Data as used to track you. Google Play lists data shared for analytics ^[1]^[9]
Ads	Ahead: None, on any plan	Behind: Yes on the free Basic tier. Premium removes them ^[1]
In-app camera	Ahead: Yes. Photos and video encrypted as you shoot (Pro)	Behind: Photos and videos taken in the app, kept out of the camera roll. Encryption at capture not published ^[1]^[10]
Source code	Ahead: Open-source crypto core. Anyone can inspect and audit it	Behind: App source not published. The Keepsafe GitHub hosts libraries only ^[11]
Pricing	Ahead: Free (1 vault, 150 photos, 15 videos). Pro $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $44.99 once	Behind: Free with ads. Premium $9.99 a month or $23.99 a year ^[1]

“Not documented” means we couldn't find it in the public documentation for Keepsafe, and on non-security rows we don't count it against them. Unpublished security details count as behind, because they can't be verified. Ahead and behind are our reading of the cited facts. Competitor prices are from the US App Store.

Key differences

What sets them apart.

Open-source crypto core

Keepsafe doesn't publish its app's source code. Its GitHub hosts libraries only. Hidewell's cryptography core is open source, and it's where all the security happens: the apps are a thin native layer on top. So anyone can inspect and audit exactly how your keys are made and your files are encrypted. ^[11]

An account versus none

Keepsafe asks for your name and a verified email when you set it up, and a forgotten PIN is reset with a code sent to that email. Hidewell has no account and no reset. A forgotten pattern is replaced by restoring your backup with your 12-word recovery phrase. ^[3]^[12]

Whose cloud holds the backup

Keepsafe backs up to its own cloud and describes those backups as encrypted. Its help centre doesn't say which key protects them. Hidewell encrypts the backup on your phone with a key from your recovery phrase and stores it in your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive. ^[8]

Where the key comes from

Keepsafe states 256-bit AES but doesn't publish how your PIN becomes a key. In Hidewell, every guess at your pattern has to run through your phone's security chip and Argon2id, one at a time, on that phone. ^[4]

Ads and analytics

Keepsafe's free tier is ad-supported, and its App Store label lists usage data as used to track you. Hidewell has no ads and no analytics on any plan, and makes no connections to our servers. ^[1]

FAQ

Hidewell Vault vs Keepsafe: your questions answered.

Can I verify how Keepsafe and Hidewell Vault protect my files?

Keepsafe describes its encryption as 256-bit AES but doesn't publish its source code or how keys are handled, so the claim can't be checked independently. Hidewell Vault's cryptography core is open source: you can read exactly how your keys are made, and anyone can inspect and audit it.

Does Keepsafe require an account?

Yes. According to Keepsafe's help centre, setup asks for your name and an email address that you verify, and PIN resets use an access code sent to that email. Hidewell Vault has no account at all.

Where does Keepsafe store backups?

In Keepsafe's own cloud, if you turn backup on. The free tier backs up up to 200 items. Hidewell Vault stores its encrypted backup in your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive, keyed from your recovery phrase.

Does Keepsafe show ads?

The free Basic tier is ad-supported, according to its App Store description. Premium removes ads. Hidewell Vault has no ads or analytics on any plan.

Sources

Hidewell Vault details are from this site. Keepsafe is a trademark of its owner. Hidewell Vault is not affiliated with KeepSafe Software, Inc.. Features and prices change, so check the sources for the latest.