Comparison
Cloakbox vs Vaultaire
Vaultaire is a vault for iPhone and iPad built around patterns: each pattern opens its own vault, there is no vault list, and a paid duress mode exists for being forced to unlock. It needs no account, and its free tier already includes encrypted iCloud backup. Cloakbox is the better fit if you use Android or both platforms, want to unlock with Face ID or fingerprint, and want to find photos and documents by describing them.
| Feature | Vaultaire | Cloakbox |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone and iPad. No Android app is listed today. | iPhone and Android |
| Unlock | A pattern on a 5×5 grid; no biometric unlock, by design. | PIN, Face ID or fingerprint |
| Recovery | A nine-word recovery phrase per vault. If both the pattern and the phrase are forgotten, the data is lost. | Recovery key. If both the PIN and the recovery key are lost, the vault is gone. |
| Vaults | Each pattern opens its own vault and there is no vault list. Duress mode (Pro) opens one designated vault and removes the others from that device. | One vault, plus a second vault behind a different PIN (Premium) |
| Cloud | iCloud backup in Free and Pro, on by default, encrypted on the device, in your private iCloud database. Sync between iPhone and iPad is Pro. | Encrypted backup and sync to your own iCloud or Google Drive (Premium) |
| Free limits | Up to 3 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos in total | Up to 100 items |
| Search | A file search exists. The site and the listing do not describe search by description or by recognised text. | Search by description and by text inside, on the phone |
| Analytics | PostHog analytics and crash diagnostics are on by default and can be switched off. The privacy policy says crash reports can include file names. | Anonymous usage events and crash reports are your choice. File names never leave the phone. |
| Account | None required | None |
| Ads | No ads in the free tier, according to the vendor | None, in any tier |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM; PBKDF2 with 600,000 iterations | Every file gets its own key (AES-256-GCM); the PIN is stretched with Argon2id |
| What it holds | Any file type: photos, videos, documents | Photos, videos, PDFs and other documents |
Where Vaultaire is the better choice
- You have to plan for being forced to unlock. Duress mode and several vaults with no vault list go further than Cloakbox's single optional second vault.
- You want encrypted iCloud backup without paying, or a family plan. Vaultaire's free tier includes iCloud backup, and it sells Family plans; Cloakbox's backup is part of Premium.
- You use only iPhone and iPad and want vault sync between them, or you explicitly want no biometric unlock.
Where Cloakbox is the better choice
- You use Android, or both. Vaultaire lists apps for iPhone and iPad only; Cloakbox is made for iPhone and Android.
- You want to find things by describing them. Cloakbox searches by description and by the text inside photos and documents, on the phone.
- You want analytics to be your choice. In Cloakbox anonymous usage events are off unless you turn them on, crash reports can be switched off, and file names never leave the phone.
- You want Face ID or fingerprint to open the vault.
Pricing
Vaultaire
Free with up to 3 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos. Pro in the US App Store: $1.99 weekly, $5.99 monthly, $19.99 yearly with a 7-day trial, or $39.99 for lifetime. Family: $49.99 yearly or $99.99 for lifetime.
Cloakbox
Free up to 100 items, with search, recovery key, trash and export included. Premium is $4.99 monthly, $19.99 yearly, or $39.99 once.
Sources
- App Store listing: iPhone and iPad, prices, device sync. https://apps.apple.com/app/id6758529311 (checked )
- Pattern unlock, recovery phrase, duress mode, iCloud backup, free limits, encryption, file types, file search. https://vaultaire.app/ (checked )
- Platforms and free limits. https://vaultaire.app/about/ (checked )
- Privacy policy (dated 2026-09-24): analytics and crash diagnostics on by default with opt-out, crash reports can include file names, no account required, backup location. https://vaultaire.app/privacy/ (checked )
- No biometric unlock by design; no ads in the free tier. https://vaultaire.app/compare/vaultaire-vs-private-photo-vault/ (checked )
- How duress mode works. https://vaultaire.app/features/duress-mode/ (checked )