HONEST COMPARISONS
How Sanctum
compares.
Where Sanctum is stronger, where it isn’t, and what each option really protects. Competitor details come from their own public pages and may change; tell us if something is out of date.
Sanctum vs Apple’s Hidden album
The Hidden album is convenient, but it is a view, not a vault: anyone who can unlock your iPhone with Face ID or the passcode can open it, and the photos sync with iCloud Photos.
SanctumHidden album
Opens with a secret only you knowYour own patterniPhone passcode / Face ID
Separate encryption for your private photosYes, AES-256-GCMNo, same as the library
Hidden vaults and a decoyYesNo
Survives someone knowing your passcodeYesNo
PriceFree; Pro optionalFree
Sanctum vs calculator-style vault apps
Many “calculator” lockers disguise the app and put a PIN in front of your files. Some encrypt, many don’t, and many show ads or need an account. Sanctum offers a disguised icon too, but its protection is the encryption behind it.
SanctumTypical calculator vault
Files encrypted at restAlwaysOften not
Unlock secretPattern bound to your iPhone4–6 digit PIN
Account or emailNeverOften required
Ads and trackingNoneCommon
Encrypted, restorable backupYes, iCloud DriveOften missing or unencrypted
Sanctum vs Vaultaire
Vaultaire is a well-built encrypted vault, and we respect it. Both apps encrypt on the device with AES-256-GCM, open with a pattern, hide the vault list and back up privately to iCloud. Here is where they differ.
SanctumVaultaire
Pattern key bound to this iPhone’s KeychainYesDevice-wide salt
Recovery256-bit recovery codeNine-word phrase
Duress vaultRevokes other patterns; data keptRemoves other vaults from the device
AnalyticsNoneOn by default, can be turned off
Private notes and documentsYesYes
Sync across iPhone and iPadNot yetYes (Pro)
Shares that expireYes (Pro): 1, 7 or 30 daysYes (Pro)
Shares with open-count limitsNo (needs a server)Yes (Pro)
Disguised app icons7 (Pro)7 (Pro)
Free plan50 items, 3 vaults100 photos, 10 videos, 3 vaults
Pro plansMonthly, annual, lifetimeWeekly, annual, lifetime
Choose Vaultaire if you need the same vault on an iPad today, or shared vaults with open limits. Choose Sanctum if you want no analytics at all, a duress vault that never destroys data, and a pattern tied to your iPhone.
