Hidewell Vault vs Vaultaire
Vaultaire is a recent iPhone and iPad vault that also uses pattern-unlocked vaults and a duress pattern.
Vaultaire details as of October 2026, from public pages and store listings by Wraxle LLC (sources below). Official page: Vaultaire
Side by side
Feature comparison
Hidewell Vault Winner
6 
Vaultaire - Ahead:
- Behind:
- Even:
- Not comparable:
| Hidewell Vault |  Vaultaire | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Ahead: Android now. iPhone and iPad coming soon | |
| Account required | Even: No. No account, no email | Even: No [3] |
| Encryption of stored files | Even: AES-256-GCM in 1 MiB segments under a random 256-bit master key | Even: AES-256-GCM on the device, including metadata, thumbnails and indexes [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: PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512, 600,000 iterations, with a salt kept in the Keychain. Runs in software, not in the Secure Enclave [4] |
| Unlock methods | Even: Pattern only, run through your phone's security chip. No biometric shortcut, by design | Even: Pattern on a 5×5 grid. Biometrics not documented [5] |
| Multiple or decoy vaults | Ahead: Each pattern opens its own vault, with no vault list. Duress pattern opens a decoy (Pro) | |
| Backup | Ahead: Encrypted on your phone, stored in your own iCloud Drive or Google Drive, keyed from a 12-word recovery phrase | Behind: Encrypted backup to your own iCloud (private CloudKit database), on by default, with a pattern-derived key [3] |
| Sync between devices | Behind: No. Encrypted sync is on the roadmap | Ahead: Device Sync between iPhone and iPad (Pro) [3] |
| Tracking and analytics | Ahead: None. No analytics and no connection to our servers | |
| Ads | Even: None, on any plan | Even: No ads [1] |
| In-app camera | Even: Yes. Photos and video encrypted as you shoot (Pro) | Even: Yes, photos and video captured inside the vault [6] |
| Source code | Ahead: Open-source crypto core. Anyone can inspect and audit it | Behind: Closed source, according to its own guide [2] |
| Pricing | Behind: Free (1 vault, 150 photos, 15 videos). Pro $2.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $44.99 once | Ahead: Free (3 vaults, 100 photos, 10 videos). Pro $19.99 a year or $39.99 lifetime [1] |
“Not documented” means we couldn't find it in the public documentation for Vaultaire, 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 Unpublished security details count as behind, because they can't be verified.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
Vaultaire's own guide describes it as closed source. 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. [2]
Hardware in every guess
Vaultaire derives keys with PBKDF2 in software and says encryption doesn't run in the Secure Enclave. Hidewell mixes in a secret from your phone's security chip and then runs Argon2id, so guesses can only run on that phone, one at a time. [4]
What protects the backup
Vaultaire's iCloud backup uses a key derived from your pattern. Hidewell's backup is also encrypted with AES-256, but its key comes only from a 12-word recovery phrase generated at random by your phone, never from your pattern, so a stolen cloud account can't be opened by guessing patterns. [3]
Hidden vault count
Vaultaire's site says the number of vaults is visible to someone examining the file system. Hidewell keeps every vault in one fixed-size container with random fill, so storage doesn't show how many vaults exist or which one changed. [5]
FAQ
Hidewell Vault vs Vaultaire: your questions answered.
Can I verify how Vaultaire and Hidewell Vault protect my files?
Vaultaire documents its design in detail, but its own guide says the app is closed source, so the documentation can't be checked against the code. Hidewell Vault's cryptography core is open source: you can read exactly how your keys are made, and anyone can inspect and audit it.
How is Hidewell Vault different from Vaultaire?
Both use pattern-unlocked vaults and a duress pattern. Hidewell binds every pattern guess to your phone's security chip and Argon2id, keys backups from a 12-word recovery phrase rather than the pattern, hides the number of vaults on disk, has no analytics, and runs on Android as well as iPhone.
Is Vaultaire available on Android?
No. According to Vaultaire's own site it is iPhone and iPad only. Hidewell Vault runs on iPhone, iPad and Android.
Does Vaultaire collect analytics?
Its privacy policy says PostHog analytics and crash reporting are on by default and can be turned off. Hidewell Vault has no analytics and no setting to turn any on.
Sources
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6758529311
- https://vaultaire.app/guides/best-photo-vault-apps-iphone/
- https://vaultaire.app/privacy/
- https://vaultaire.app/features/security-features/
- https://vaultaire.app/
- https://vaultaire.app/features/
Hidewell Vault details are from this site. Vaultaire is a trademark of its owner. Hidewell Vault is not affiliated with Wraxle LLC. Features and prices change, so check the sources for the latest.