Comparison

Photo Vault · vs Lighthouse

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Photo Vault ·

Securely store private photos, videos, messages, passwords, and notes with PIN, fingerprint, and facial recognition. Offers cloud backup, private browsing, and contact management to protect your personal data.

Highlights
  • PIN protection
  • Fingerprint/Face ID authentication
  • Cloud backup
  • Private web browser
  • Password manager
  • Secret notes
  • Private contacts
Features
Read full description

SafeLock secures private photos, videos, messages, passwords, notes and contacts by locking them down with PIN protection, fingerprint Touch ID and Face ID. With SafeLock, you can protect your privacy, secure your photos and save phone space with cloud backup. Key Features: - Secure all the private information on your device with a PIN passcode - All your files will be backed up on encrypted secure cloud - Access app with personal digital password - Touch ID / Face ID authentication - Private web browsing - Store contacts you don't want in your regular address book - Save all your passwords in one place - Write and store private notes - Continuous updates and support to deliver the best app Use built-in camera to take pictures and videos in the secret photo app or import existing media files from camera roll. Keeping your usernames and passwords on your notes, or written on a piece of paper is not safe. SafeLock is the best place for storing your username and passwords for all of your online accounts securely. There is also a private web browser that does not save any history on your phone and allows you to save secret bookmarks within the app. You never again have to worry about letting someone use you phone and seeing your private information! Now you can be sure that your personal data will be kept safe and secure. Note: You will not be able to access SafeLock if you choose not to set up Touch ID/Face ID and you forget your PIN. We are not responsible for lost files. About subscriptions: You can use all features of SafeLock app with premium membership. Subscription payments will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of your purchase and upon commencement of each renewal term may vary depending on your country. You will see the total price before you complete the payment. In-app subscriptions are renewed weekly or annually, depending on your plan. You can cancel your subscription or free trial in the iTunes settings at least 24-hours before the end of the free trial period. You can turn off automatic renewal at any time in your iTunes account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period (if offered) will be forfeited when you purchase a premium subscription during the free trial period. SafeLock Premium is available for $9.99/week, $19.99/month or $99.99/year. Prices are in U.S. dollars, may vary in countries other than the U.S. and are subject to change without notice. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/safelock-privacy/ Terms of Services: https://sites.google.com/view/safelock-terms

About

Lighthouse

Enhance your online security with multi-level protection. Features include a secure VPN, a database of compromised accounts, advanced ad and phishing filters for browsing, and a secret vault for private data. Learn tips to stay safe from scammers.

Highlights
  • Secure VPN for private internet connection
  • Compromised account database check
  • Over 50,000 ad and phishing filters
  • Secret vault for private data
  • Internet safety tips and guidance
Features
Read full description

You have a chance to try a super app that provides multi-level protection for your device. Just try the free 3-days trial and check out all the features that Lighthouse uses to protect you: The VPN feature allows you to use your personal connection to the Internet. This connection allows you to share information online securely. This is especially true when you are connected to a public Wi-Fi network. To protect your personal data, you will have access to a database of over 12 000 000 000 compromised accounts. Make sure you're not in the database to prevent scammers from using your data. For safer browsing, you can apply over 50 000 filters in Safari that not only block all ads but also protect you from phishing sites. To protect the private data on your device, you will have access to a secret vault. The vault will keep your data safe even if someone gains access to your device. We're also working to improve your knowledge of Internet safety. At Lighthouse, you'll find tips on how to protect yourself from scammers. If you like this app, you can buy a Premium Lifetime subscription! A Premium Weekly subscription is also available. Subscription will automatically renew 24 hours prior to the end of the term and your card will be charged through your iTunes account. You can turn off auto-renewal at any time in your iTunes account settings, but refunds will not be provided for any unused period of the term. Trust your security to the Lighthouse! Terms of use: https://doc-hosting.flycricket.io/terms/b6fb258d-1aef-412c-840f-a3f4cef06c20/terms Privacy policy: https://doc-hosting.flycricket.io/privacy/761a72e6-889e-4d3a-bd62-5c8ea826f198/privacy

Screenshots

Photo Vault ·4 screens
Lighthouse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Photo Vault · at free with in-app purchases against Lighthouse's subscription. Photo Vault · also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Lighthouse's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Photo Vault · sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Lighthouse sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lighthouse holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lighthouse has 914 ratings behind it against 50, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Photo Vault ·'s written reviews are positive against 41% of Lighthouse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Photo Vault · ships an update monthly, Lighthouse every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Photo Vault · versus Lighthouse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhoto Vault ·Lighthouse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (50 ratings)4.5 (914 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.4% of reviews41.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings50914 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size164 MB202 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperPlus Apps Bilisim Teknolojileri Reklamcilik Limited SirketiOmet Einhorn

Customer experience

Photo Vault ·

All ratings50 ratings
Positive70.0%
Neutral12.0%
Negative18.0%
Written reviews163 reviews
Positive34.4%
Neutral2.5%
Negative63.2%

Lighthouse

All ratings914 ratings
Positive86.3%
Neutral5.4%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral9.8%
Negative48.8%

User reviews

Photo Vault ·

From 50 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 Keeps apps and data private
  • ⚡ Quick and easy setup
  • 🛡️ Reliable protection when phone is lost
  • 👍 User-friendly interface

Room to improve

  • 💰 Aggressive paywall immediately after setup
  • ❌ No X button to close premium screen
  • 🚫 Free version offers minimal functionality
  • 😤 Misleading 'free' app claims
  • 🔄 Forced trial subscription with no escape

Lighthouse

From 914 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Amazing app
  • 🔒 Keeps data safe
  • 👍 Helpful and useful

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Freezes phone
  • 🔒 Scam/not trustworthy
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔒 Fake hacking notifications

Bugs and requests

Photo Vault ·

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App freezes on welcome/setup screen
  • Password entry causes app to crash or exit
  • Premium screen cannot be dismissed
  • Black screen on launch
  • Overlapping text on welcome screen
Show 3 more
  • Face ID setup causes crashes
  • App becomes inaccessible after setup
  • Unresponsive refresh functionality

Requested features

6 requests
  • Remove or make premium trial truly optional
  • Add visible X button to close premium screens
  • Expand free version functionality
  • Improve app locking features
  • Add secret notes functionality
Show 1 more
  • Clearer payment disclosure before download

Lighthouse

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incompatible with other apps
  • Subscription issues

Requested features

2 requests
  • Ability to cancel subscription
  • Allow VPN location change

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Photo Vault ·

Subscriptions4
  • Private Photo Vault3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • SafeLock Weekly Premium3 Days trial$9.997 Days
  • SafeLock Secret Photo Vault$19.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • SafeLock Secret Photo Vault$99.991 Year
3 purchases

Lighthouse

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly premium offer3 Days trial$10.997 Days
  • 3days free annual subscription3 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime subscription$89.99

Questions

Is Photo Vault · free?
Photo Vault · is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lighthouse free?
Lighthouse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Photo Vault · or Lighthouse?
Lighthouse is rated higher. Photo Vault · averages 4.1 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Lighthouse averages 4.5 from 914 ratings.
Do Photo Vault · or Lighthouse have ads?
Photo Vault · shows ads; Lighthouse does not.
Which is updated more often, Photo Vault · or Lighthouse?
Photo Vault · ships an update monthly, and Lighthouse every 4 days. Most recently, Photo Vault · was updated on September 22, 2026 and Lighthouse on September 20, 2026.

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