# Photo Vault · vs Lighthouse

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Vault · | Lighthouse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-vault/id1453178104/reviews) | **[4.5 (914 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighthouse-safe-your-data/id1664768232/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 50 | **914** |
| Positive reviews | 34.4% of reviews | **41.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 164 MB | 202 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plus Apps Bilisim Teknolojileri Reklamcilik Limited Sirketi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453178103) | [Omet Einhorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1664768234) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Vault ·

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-vault/id1453178104)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Private Photo Vault | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| SafeLock Weekly Premium | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| SafeLock Secret Photo Vault | $19.99 | per month |
| SafeLock Secret Photo Vault | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Lighthouse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lighthouse-safe-your-data/id1664768232)

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:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly premium offer | $10.99 | per 7 days |
| 3days free annual subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| Lifetime subscription | $89.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with other apps
- Subscription issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to cancel subscription
- Allow VPN location change


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*