The short answer
If you want a vault that never sends your photos to a company server, look at Kryptis, Privault, SPV, Safe Lock or Locker, all of which keep files on the phone by their own listings. If you also want the files encrypted with a named algorithm, that is Kryptis. If the Keepsafe cloud is the part you liked, Private Photo Vault and Secret Photo Album offer the same shape with the same trade-offs.
Why people look for an alternative
Keepsafe's listing is clear about what it is. Premium is $9.99 a month or $23.99 a year. The Private Cloud, album locks and break-in tracking are Premium features that run on Keepsafe's servers behind a Keepsafe account. The encryption is called military-grade and not named. The privacy label lists usage data as used to track you. Full review.
The alternatives
| App | Photos stay on the phone | Encryption named | Decoy | Price in the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kryptis | Yes; backup to your own iCloud | AES-256-GCM | Yes, plus self-destruct | Coming soon |
| Privault | Yes, no cloud | No | Yes, plus erase-all | $3.49/mo, $24.99/yr, $45.99 once |
| SPV | Yes, no cloud | No | No | From $2.99; $19.99 lifetime |
| Safe Lock | Yes; export to cloud drives | No | Yes | $4.99 to $29.99 |
| Locker | Yes, no cloud | No | No | $9.99 lifetime |
| Private Photo Vault | Optional Cloud Vault | Cloud only | Yes | $6.99 to $39.99 |
| Secret Photo Album | Optional cloud, Premium | No | Yes | $1.99 to $51.99 |
Kryptis
Encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM on the phone, needs no account, and backs up as an encrypted file to your own iCloud Drive. A second passcode opens a decoy vault, a third erases everything, and failed unlocks are recorded. Coming to the App Store.
Privault
No cloud at all, a secondary passcode for a decoy folder and an erase-all passcode. The listing calls the storage encrypted without naming it, and the app was last updated in February 2025. Review.
SPV
A PIN in front of photos, passwords and contacts, and a statement that nothing is kept on any server. No encryption wording, and a privacy label that lists identifiers and usage as used to track you. Review.
Safe Lock
Many lock types, a fake gallery, break-in reports, and a developer who says it collects no data. Encryption mentioned, not named. Review.
Locker
A Face ID lock with a calculator icon and a $9.99 lifetime pass. Nothing leaves the phone, and nothing about encryption, decoy or recovery in the listing. Review.
If you want the cloud
Private Photo Vault and Secret Photo Album both offer backup on the developer's cloud. Both list your photos as linked to you in their privacy labels. Private Photo Vault review, Secret Photo Album review.
Moving out of Keepsafe
Export your photos from Keepsafe to the camera roll, import them into the new vault, then delete them from Photos and Recently Deleted. Cancel the subscription in your Apple Account settings; cancelling does not delete the app's cloud copy, so remove items from Keepsafe before you go.
