# Private Vault vs Locked Folder

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Private Vault at 66% against Locked Folder's 0%. Private Vault also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 65). Locked Folder's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Vault sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Locked Folder sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Locked Folder holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Vault has 1.2K ratings behind it against 65, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Private Vault's written reviews are positive against 0% of Locked Folder's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Private Vault ships an update every 4 months, Locked Folder weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Vault | Locked Folder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-vault-store-files/id805602170/reviews) | **[4.2 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locked-folder-private-files/id6478172755/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 65 |
| Positive reviews | **66.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 15 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.7** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [One Wave AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/472341468) | [Arthur Eduardo Skaetta Alvarez Desenvolvimento de Software LTDA.](https://appshunter.io/developer/867175889) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-vault-store-files/id805602170)

Securely store photos, videos, notes, and files in a private vault. Includes a private browser for anonymous web surfing and secret bookmarking. Manage passwords and contacts discreetly.

**Highlights:** Store secret photos and videos, Write and store private notes, Import and view secret files, Store private contacts, Save all passwords, Browse internet privately, Make secret website bookmarks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Utility Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Browser Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Photo Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure storage
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Efficient calculator functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with new iOS versions
- 💰 Paywall for basic features
- 🔒 Lack of password recovery options
- 🔍 Difficulty accessing/retrieving stored data

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when uploading more than 5 photos
- Subscription issues - users charged repeatedly
- Stored data becomes inaccessible after updates

**Requested features**

- Update app to support latest iOS versions
- Provide better customer support and communication
- Implement password recovery mechanism
- Allow seamless data migration across devices


### Locked Folder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/locked-folder-private-files/id6478172755)

Securely store and protect photos, videos, and documents with unlimited offline storage. Access your private content effortlessly using biometric authentication for enhanced privacy.

**Highlights:** Unlimited storage, Offline functionality, Biometric authentication (Face ID/Touch ID), Intuitive interface, Secure file protection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Locked Folder Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Vault free?

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

### Is Locked Folder free?

Locked Folder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Private Vault or Locked Folder?

Locked Folder is rated higher. Private Vault averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Locked Folder averages 4.2 from 65 ratings.

### Do Private Vault or Locked Folder have ads?

Neither Private Vault nor Locked Folder shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Private Vault or Locked Folder?

Private Vault ships an update every 4 months, and Locked Folder weekly. Most recently, Private Vault was updated on November 11, 2026 and Locked Folder on November 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.*