# 8 things to check before choosing a photo vault app

> Choosing a private photo vault app for iPhone? Eight questions to check first: storage, encryption, own passcode, account, pricing, export and originals.

URL: https://purevault.hoppedev.app/photo-vault-app-checklist
Updated: 2026-10-20

Photo vault apps all promise privacy. What they actually do with your photos differs a lot. These eight questions help you compare any vault app, including ours.

## The checklist

- **Where are the photos stored?** On your device only, or uploaded to the developer’s cloud?
- **Are they really encrypted?** Look for encryption of the files themselves, not just a lock screen in front of them.
- **Does it have its own passcode?** If the vault opens with your iPhone passcode, anyone who knows that code gets in.
- **Do you need an account?** Every account is one more login that can leak or be forgotten.
- **How is it priced?** Subscription, one-time purchase, or ads? What exactly does the free version include?
- **Can you get your photos out?** Check export and how you move the vault to a new iPhone.
- **What happens to the originals?** Does import hide or delete them, or leave that to you?
- **What about metadata?** Can you remove location and EXIF data when importing or exporting?

## How PureVault answers

[PureVault](https://purevault.hoppedev.app/) stores vault content on your iPhone only, encrypted with AES-GCM, and opens with its own app passcode plus optional Face ID or Touch ID. No account is needed. The free version includes encryption and the passcode for up to 10 items; a one-time purchase removes that limit and adds PDFs and the gallery view, with no subscription.

You can export with or without metadata and move the vault with an encrypted transfer file. Import leaves your originals in Photos; deleting them is your choice. The trade-off of local storage: there is no automatic cloud sync, so you keep your own copies.

[Get it on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/purevault-private-photo-vault/id6760844803)