Comparison

Collection vs Photo Vault

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

Head to head
About

Collection

Securely store your private photos and videos within a personal vault on your device. Organize your media with unlimited folders and protect it with strong passcodes, Touch ID, or Face ID. Receive instant break-in reports via email for added security.

Highlights
  • Unlimited folder creation
  • Original media quality preservation
  • Device-only storage
  • Passcode, Touch ID, Face ID protection
  • Fake passcode option
  • Instant break-in reports
Features
Read full description

Simple yet Powerful Vault for Photos and Videos we ever made. Simply record or Import media in high quality and keep them securely in Smart Vault. Your personal vault app for contents you wish to keep private. Features: • Create unlimited folders • Organise your contents properly • Keep the imported media in the original quality • All the contents are kept within your device • No server logins and no hassles • Secure app with strong passcode • Create Fake passcode to protect the vault • Get free instant break-in report through email • Protect your contents with Passcode / Touch ID / Face ID • Supports Dark Mode

About

Photo Vault

Securely hide your private photos, videos, and documents in a protected folder. Access your hidden content with a PIN or Face ID, and utilize features like decoy vaults and intruder alerts for enhanced privacy. Keep your sensitive files local and under your control.

Highlights
  • Hide private photos and videos
  • PIN or Face ID lock
  • Decoy vault option
  • Intruder selfie alerts
  • Local-only storage
  • Lock PDFs and documents
  • Private camera capture
Features
Read full description

Move private photos and videos out of your regular Photos library and lock them in a secure folder on your iPhone. Photo Vault: Secure Folder helps you keep sensitive photos, videos, files, and PDFs behind your own PIN or Face ID. Use a decoy vault, intruder alerts, and local-only storage for privacy when someone else can access your phone. Key features: - Hide private photos and videos outside your regular Photos library - Lock access with PIN or Face ID - Use a decoy PIN to open a separate decoy vault - Get intruder selfie alerts after failed unlock attempts - Keep content local on your iPhone, with no account required - Lock PDFs, documents, ZIP files, and other files - Capture directly with the private camera - Recover deleted photos, videos, and files from Recently Deleted - Use Calculator, Notes, or Calendar disguise modes - Backup and restore your private vault when needed Your private content stays on your device and under your control.

Screenshots

Collection4 screens
Photo Vault4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Photo Vault at none against Collection's shown. Photo Vault also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. Collection sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Photo Vault sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Collection against 5.0 for Photo Vault. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Collection ships an update every 9 days, Photo Vault every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Collection versus Photo Vault: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCollectionPhoto Vault
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperArumugam Kalaichelvan雪梅 黄

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Collection

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99
1 purchases

Photo Vault

One-time1
  • Pic Safe Lifetime Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Collection free?
Collection is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Photo Vault free?
Photo Vault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Collection or Photo Vault?
Collection and Photo Vault are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Collection or Photo Vault have ads?
Collection shows ads; Photo Vault does not.
Which is updated more often, Collection or Photo Vault?
Collection ships an update every 9 days, and Photo Vault every 2 weeks. Most recently, Collection was updated on November 4, 2026 and Photo Vault on October 31, 2026.

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