VaultPony vs Hatch Vault
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
VaultPony
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VaultPony creates and opens encrypted containers on iPhone and iPad. A vault is a single encrypted file that holds a private filesystem, and only your password opens it. The containers are compatible with VeraCrypt, so you can open the same vaults on the desktop and back. There is no account, no cloud, and no network access. Your vaults are just files, kept wherever you choose, On My iPhone, iCloud Drive, or a third-party storage provider. Features: Create and open VeraCrypt-compatible containers, with a choice of cipher, hash, and filesystem (FAT or exFAT). Hidden volumes: conceal a second vault inside the first. Two passwords, and the outer one gives no sign the hidden one exists. The outer volume can be write-protected so normal use will not overwrite the hidden data. Header backup and recovery, in-place password change, and keyfiles. Face ID unlock, auto-lock when the app leaves the foreground, a privacy screen that hides vault content in the app switcher, and a no-trace mode that never writes decrypted content outside the vault. A full split-view layout on iPad; browse and preview side by side. Localized in English, German, Spanish, French, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese. VaultPony is free and open source, built on a shared Rust core you can inspect. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IDRIX; VeraCrypt is a registered trademark of IDRIX.
Hatch Vault
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Hatch is a private, encrypted vault for photos, videos, documents, notes and passwords. It looks like a calculator, opens with a secret code and has a decoy. No account needed, no analytics: nothing leaves your phone unless you choose to send it. HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT On the outside, Hatch is a working calculator. Type your PIN, press = and the vault opens. Pick an alternate icon, scramble the keypad so no one learns your code from where you tap, and lay the phone face down to lock and blur the vault. REAL ENCRYPTION Every file is encrypted on the device with XChaCha20-Poly1305. Your PIN, password or pattern is stretched with Argon2id and never stored; where supported, unlocking also needs this phone. Videos play straight from the encrypted file, with no decrypted copy written to storage. A DECOY, AND A DURESS CODE A second PIN opens a second, believable vault. A third, the duress PIN, destroys the real keys and opens the decoy as cover. Both are off by default. CATCH INTRUDERS Wrong PINs are logged, with an optional front-camera photo of whoever typed them. Repeated failures bring an escalating lockout and, if you choose, self-destruct. CAPTURE AND IMPORT Shoot photos and video straight into the vault, never touching your photo library. Scan documents to PDF. Copy or move from Photos or Files, paste from the clipboard, or share in from any app: shares are encrypted the moment they arrive. Import WhatsApp chats, zip files and authenticator codes. A GALLERY THAT FEELS LIKE YOUR PHONE'S Timeline, albums, tags, favourites, slideshow and On this day. Search finds the words in a photo and what it shows, recognised on the phone. Crop or pixelate a copy and keep the original. Items can expire or be view-once. MORE THAN PHOTOS Encrypted notes with history, a journal, and a wallet for passwords, cards and two-factor codes. It reads passport and ID details from a photo. Lock single folders even while the vault is open. SHARE WITHOUT A SERVER Send files as a locked parcel that opens with a passphrase. Share an album with another phone on the same Wi-Fi, end-to-end encrypted. Guest mode hands the phone over showing one folder only. LEAKS NOTHING App-switcher preview covered, clipboard wiped, keyboard learning off, auto-lock. Excluded from iCloud backups. Asks for your secret again before risky actions. LOOK AFTER YOUR VAULT Privacy checkup, vault and password health, a duplicates and similar-photos finder, and a tamper-evident activity log. BACKUP ON YOUR TERMS Export an encrypted .hatch bundle, or subscribe to the optional cloud backup: 5, 10, 50 or 200 GB, monthly or yearly, with an account (email, Apple or Google). Only ciphertext is uploaded; we cannot see your files. A recovery phrase, shown once, restores on a new phone or if you forget your secret. We hold no copy. Light and dark, accent colours, twenty languages. PRIVACY Without an account Hatch collects nothing: no analytics, no crash reporting, no ads. With cloud backup we hold your email, your plan and encrypted data we cannot read. Deleting the app erases everything on the phone, keys included. TERMS OF USE A personal licence for devices you control. Cloud backup is charged to your Apple ID and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. You are responsible for what you store and your backups. The disguise features are privacy tools, not a defence against forensic examination; the duress wipe is instant and irreversible. LINKS Support: https://hatch-app-cloud.web.app/ Email: lowkey9.ai@gmail.com Privacy policy: https://hatch-app-cloud.web.app/privacy.html Terms of use (EULA): https://hatch-app-cloud.web.app/terms.html Delete your account: https://hatch-app-cloud.web.app/delete-account.html Manage subscription: https://apps.apple.com/account/subscriptions Arabic: https://hatch-app-cloud.web.app/privacy.ar.html ยท https://hatch-app-cloud.web.app/terms.ar.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VaultPony at none against Hatch Vault's 8. Hatch Vault's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Hatch Vault sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. VaultPony asks for nothing beyond the download.
VaultPony ships an update every 2 weeks, Hatch Vault every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.
| Parameter | VaultPony | Hatch Vault |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 5 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No โ better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.1 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kevin Stewart | Ahmed Mansour |
In-app purchases
VaultPony
No in-app purchases
Hatch Vault
- Cloud Backup 5 GB$0.991 Month
- Cloud Backup 10 GB$1.991 Month
- Cloud Backup 50 GB$3.991 Month
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- Cloud Backup 5 GB$9.991 Year
- Cloud Backup 200 GB$14.991 Month
- Cloud Backup 10 GB$14.991 Year
- Cloud Backup 50 GB$44.991 Year
- Cloud Backup 200 GB$174.991 Year









