Arca vs Private Photo Vault

Private Photo Vault (Pic Safe) is one of the most downloaded photo-hider apps on iOS, marketed as “100% private.” Independent security researchers, however, found that older versions stored photos without real encryption and could be opened quickly with forensic tools.

Feature

Arca

Private Photo Vault

Real per-file encryption (AES-256)

AES-256-GCM, per file

Researchers found photos stored unencrypted in older versions

Zero-knowledge (no one else can read your photos)

Yes — key derived from your PIN

Not demonstrated

Works with no account

No sign-up at all

Optional account for cloud features

Fully local — no server

Nothing leaves the device

Cloud backup / sync offered

Decoy / duress vault

Second PIN opens a decoy

Decoy password (“break-in” style features)

Break-in report (failed-unlock log)

Time, PIN, optional photo

Break-in reports offered

Encrypted backup you fully control

Single .arcavault file

Cloud backup tied to the vendor

No lock-in (lossless export, no pay-or-lose)

Export originals anytime

Export available; cloud is vendor-controlled

Based on independent research (IOActive, Zdziarski) and public information. App versions change — verify the current version's behavior before relying on it.

Where Arca stands

Arca takes the opposite approach: every file is encrypted with AES-256-GCM on your device, there's no account or server to breach, and you can verify the design rather than trust a slogan.

Download on the App Store

Questions

Is Private Photo Vault actually private? +

Security researchers (IOActive, Zdziarski) found that older versions stored photos without real encryption, meaning files could be recovered with forensic tools. Always check the current version's documented encryption before trusting any vault.

How is Arca different from Private Photo Vault? +

Arca encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM using a key derived from your PIN, has no account or server, and lets you export your originals losslessly at any time. There is no cloud vendor in the middle.

More comparisons

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Your photos. Truly private.

Download Arca and lock your first photos away in under a minute. No account, no cloud, no one but you.

Download on the App Store

Free to download · iPhone · iOS 18+