Hidden Folder vs Keepsafe
Keepsafe Photo Vault is a phone app. Its site offers iPhone and Android downloads and describes a PIN lock and private backup. It does not mention a Mac app. Hidden Folder is a vault for the Mac that is not released yet. If you want a phone vault today, look at Keepsafe. If you want one on a Mac, that is what Hidden Folder aims to be.
Keepsafe lives on your phone. This vault is being built for your Mac.
Verdict. Different devices. Keepsafe is a released phone app with a PIN lock. This vault is a planned Mac app with a pattern lock, planned as open source, and it is not released.
Pick Keepsafe if
- You want a photo vault on iPhone or Android today.
- You want an app that is already released.
Pick Hidden Folder if
- You want a vault on your Mac, once it is released.
- You want a vault whose source code is planned to be public.
- You want analytics off unless you switch them on.
| Feature | Hidden Folder | Keepsafe |
|---|---|---|
| Native Mac app | ✓native macOS app, planned. Needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later | ✕its site lists iPhone and Android downloads and does not mention a Mac app |
| Encrypts file contents | ✓AES-256-GCM, planned. Not yet audited | ✓its products page says "AES-256, on the device and in your private backup" |
| Encrypts file names | ✓planned. Files get random names on disk, and metadata is encrypted | –not stated on its site |
| Works without an account | ✓planned. No account | –not stated on the pages we read |
| Source code is open | ◐planned as open source (GPL-3.0). The source is not public yet | ◐its site has an "Open Source" link to a GitHub page. It does not say which parts are open |
| Pattern unlock | ✓planned. 5×5 pattern | ✕a PIN, per its site |
| Several hidden vaults, no list | ✓planned. Each pattern opens its own vault, with no vault list | –not stated on its site |
| Duress mode | ◐planned for v1.1, paid plan | –not stated on its site |
| Encrypted cloud backup | ◐encrypted iCloud backup, planned for v1.0 | ◐its products page says photos back up with cloud storage and names AES-256 for the private backup. It does not say who holds the keys |
| Analytics off by default | ✓planned. Off by default, opt-in | –its privacy policy mentions analytics, including Google Analytics. It does not state a default for the app |
| Free to use | ◐a free tier and a paid plan are planned. Prices not final | ◐its products page lists a free Basic plan (200 photos) and a Premium plan with a 30-day free trial. It lists no prices |
Hidden Folder describes planned behaviour from its public spec. The app is not released. Facts about Keepsafe were checked on Oct 30, 2026 against its own page. Not affiliated with Keepsafe. Marks: yes, no, partly, not stated.
What Keepsafe says it does
Its site says Photo Vault locks photos, videos and documents behind a PIN, with "a code that only you know". It says items are backed up privately and can be shared with people you choose. Its products page lists AES-256 on the device and in the private backup.
What we could not confirm
- Whether file names are encrypted. The pages we read do not say.
- Who holds the keys for the backup.
- Prices. None appear on the pages we read.
- Whether an account is required.
Read the photo vault app guide for a checklist you can use on any vault, including this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Keepsafe app for Mac?
Its site lists iPhone and Android downloads. The pages we read on 30 Oct 2026 do not mention a Mac app.
Is Keepsafe encrypted?
Its products page says "AES-256, on the device and in your private backup". Its home page also says "Military-grade encryption".
Is this affiliated with Keepsafe?
No. This project is independent.
References
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