# Private Vault vs Secure Folder

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Private Vault at 66% against Secure Folder's 20%. Private Vault also leads on ads (none vs shown). Secure Folder's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Vault sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Secure Folder sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Secure Folder holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 572 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Private Vault's written reviews are positive against 20% of Secure 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, Secure Folder every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Vault | Secure Folder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-vault-store-files/id805602170/reviews) | **[4.6 (572 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-folder-private-vault/id6740326416/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 572 |
| Positive reviews | **66.4% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 15 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.7** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [One Wave AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/472341468) | [Lakkad Dharmesh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1775687072) |

## 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


### Secure Folder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-folder-private-vault/id6740326416)

Protect your photos, videos, contacts, and notes with a password-protected vault. This app offers an encrypted space to store and manage sensitive content, ensuring only you can access it. Keep your personal data private and under your control.

**Highlights:** Secure vault for photos, videos, contacts, Password lock for sensitive content, Hidden notes feature, Quick file retrieval, Advanced data encryption

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Secure weektr | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Secure week | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscriptions | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscriptions | $29.99 | per year |
| Life Time Plan | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Vault free?

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

### Is Secure Folder free?

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

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

Secure Folder is rated higher. Private Vault averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Secure Folder averages 4.6 from 572 ratings.

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

Secure Folder shows ads; Private Vault does not.

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

Private Vault ships an update every 4 months, and Secure Folder every 2 months. Most recently, Private Vault was updated on September 23, 2026 and Secure Folder on September 21, 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.*