# Photo Vault vs Flashback

Photo Vault and Flashback both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Flashback's written reviews are positive against 35% of Photo Vault's. Flashback also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 8). Photo Vault's advantage is ratings volume (232 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photo Vault sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Flashback asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Photo Vault against 4.0 for Flashback. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Photo Vault has 232 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 35% of Photo Vault's written reviews are positive against 100% of Flashback's.

Photo Vault ships an update every 2 weeks, Flashback every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Vault | Flashback |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (232 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-vault-privoto/id1595672907/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashback-record-changes/id1665378470/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **232** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 35.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 10 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [IDEANOLOGY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1595672909) | [Nao Enomoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546357925) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-vault-privoto/id1595672907)

Securely store and encrypt your private photos and videos with advanced 256-bit encryption. Protect your memories with a passcode or biometric authentication, and sync across devices via iCloud. Offers advanced features like album-specific passcodes and disguise mode for ultimate privacy.

**Highlights:** 256-bit data encryption, Passcode and biometric lock, iCloud Sync, Wi-Fi transfer, Album-specific passcodes, Disguise Mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iCloud Sync | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Account | $2.99 | per month |
| 30 imports | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30 imports | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100 imports | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 imports | $7.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited | $7.99 | one-time |
| Premium Account | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Strong encryption and security features (256-bit encryption)
- 🎨 Polished and sleek user interface design
- 👍 Multiple passcode options and customization
- 🔐 Disguise feature (Compass icon) for privacy
- ⚡ App functions smoothly and reliably

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Misleading pricing and bait-and-switch tactics
- 🔓 Limited imports for premium users (50 free, then paid)
- 💸 Excessive additional charges for basic features
- 😤 Unlimited imports removed from premium tier
- 🚫 Per-device licensing (not cross-device)

**Reported bugs**

- Wi-Fi transfer not working between phones
- Purchase restoration fails or shows duplicate charges
- App displays in wrong language (Arabic/Chinese)
- Password protection doesn't persist when switching apps
- Import limits not properly synced across devices

**Requested features**

- Tag and search functionality for photos
- Dark mode option
- Local NAS sync capability
- Built-in notes/document encryption
- Private browser feature


### Flashback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashback-record-changes/id1665378470)

Record and track changes over time with video. Capture personal transformations, healing progress, growth, or everyday moments. Enhance your recordings with visual aids like grids and translucent overlays.

**Highlights:** Record changes over time, Track personal transformations, Monitor healing progress, Record growth of plants/children, Visual aids for recording, Capture everyday moments

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo Vault free?

Photo Vault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Flashback free?

Flashback is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Photo Vault or Flashback?

Photo Vault is rated higher. Photo Vault averages 4.1 out of 5 from 232 ratings, while Flashback averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Photo Vault or Flashback have ads?

Neither Photo Vault nor Flashback shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photo Vault or Flashback?

Photo Vault ships an update every 2 weeks, and Flashback every 6 weeks. Most recently, Photo Vault was updated on October 24, 2026 and Flashback on October 12, 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.*