# The Vault vs Secret Message

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Secret Message at none against The Vault's 11. Secret Message also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.2). The Vault's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 8 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Vault sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Secret Message asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Vault ships an update every 9 days, Secret Message every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Vault | Secret Message |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-vault-security-made-easy/id436982968/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **162** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 66 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BestApps BV](https://appshunter.io/developer/329677410) | [Pramod Tapaniya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1658474335) |

## What reviewers say

### The Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-vault-security-made-easy/id436982968)

Securely store passwords, documents, photos, and more with robust encryption. Keep all your confidential information safe and easily accessible on your device, without subscriptions or ads.

**Highlights:** Password management, Secure document storage, Photo and GIF storage, 256-bit AES encryption, No subscriptions, Local device storage, Automatic backups

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| theVault Import | $1.99 | one-time |
| theVault Export | $1.99 | one-time |
| theVault Secure Backup & Restore | $1.99 | one-time |
| Rich Text Formatting | $1.99 | one-time |
| Light & Dark Mode Appearance | $3.99 | one-time |
| theVault securePDF | $4.99 | one-time |
| Hidden Folders | $4.99 | one-time |
| SecureShare | $4.99 | one-time |
| Automatic Bulleted List | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Vault Secure Synchronization | $9.99 | one-time |
| The Vault - Password AutoFill | $9.99 | one-time |


### Secret Message

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-message-hide-message/id1669919031)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Vault free?

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

### Is Secret Message free?

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

### Do The Vault or Secret Message have ads?

Neither The Vault nor Secret Message shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Vault or Secret Message?

The Vault ships an update every 9 days, and Secret Message every 8 months. Most recently, The Vault was updated on October 20, 2026 and Secret Message on October 10, 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.*