Obscura Photo Vault vs Privately

Obscura Photo Vault stores photos and videos in encrypted vaults on iOS. It uses AES-256-GCM and derives vault keys with 600,000 rounds of PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256. The maker says the app functions without network access, has no server or account system, and gathers no installation, usage, or analytics data. It provides ten encrypted vault slots, Face ID and Touch ID unlocking, configurable auto-lock, delays after failed attempts, and memory clearing when a vault locks. Photo tools include editing, collages, tags, favorites, manual arrangement, duplicate detection, and Live Photo frame extraction. Users can import from their camera roll and export a vault as a password-protected encrypted.obscura file. Vault data is included in iCloud Backup by default and remains encrypted there. The maker says the indistinguishability property for hidden vaults applies only within stated threat-model bounds. The free plan allows up to 50 photos in one vault. Pro Monthly is $6.99 a month; Pro Yearly is $29.99 a year after a 7-day free trial; Pro Lifetime is $39.99, paid once payment. Forgotten passwords cannot be recovered.

Privately is an iPhone vault for photos and videos, with media encrypted on the device. It splits files into 1 MB blocks protected by AES-256-GCM, while the user’s PIN wraps a master key stored in the iPhone Secure Enclave. Albums can have separate passwords, and their locked photos disappear from the timeline, search, and favorites; Face ID unlocking is optional. On-device Smart Search can find text in photos in 18 languages without sending the photos off the iPhone. Users can export a.privately backup and restore it on a new device with their PIN; the maker says backups can be kept in iCloud Drive or elsewhere. The maker says it has no accounts or servers holding photos, file names, or thumbnails. The Free plan costs nothing, with no sign-up required. Pro Yearly costs $39.99 a year and includes locked albums and encrypted backups. The yearly subscription has a 7-day free trial; the weekly subscription has no free trial. The app is only for iPhone and requires iOS 18.0 or later. The maker says forgotten PIN access or losing a device without a backup can mean permanent content loss.