FILE C4 / APPVAULT VS LOCKMYPIX
Comparing the photo vaults at the encryption-first end of the App Store.
LockMyPix and AppVault both market themselves on encryption rather than features. The differences come down to platform focus, cryptographic transparency, and the small set of features each app prioritized first.
UPDATED · 2026-05-16 · REVIEWED BY APPVAULT
HEAD TO HEAD
AppVault and LockMyPix, line by line.
| CAPABILITY | APPVAULT | LOCKMYPIX |
|---|---|---|
| On-device file encryption | AES-256-GCM | AES-256 (mode not disclosed) |
| Account required | No | No |
| Cloud upload by default | No | No |
| Ads in free tier | No | Present in some builds |
| Calculator launcher | ✓ (real calculator + long-press) | — |
| Decoy / fake vault | ✓ | ✓ (Fake vault) |
| Intruder log | ✓ | — |
| Pattern lock | ✓ (5×5) | ✓ (pattern) |
| Key derivation documented | PBKDF2-SHA256 600k + Secure Enclave | Not publicly disclosed |
| Free tier | 25 files | Variable |
| Lifetime option | $29.99 | Yes (variable pricing) |
| Cross-platform | iOS only | iOS + Android |
WHEN TO PICK WHICH
AppVault and LockMyPix solve different shapes of the same problem.
PICK APPVAULT IF
- You want the home-screen icon to be a calculator AppVault’s Calculator Launcher replaces the home-screen icon with a working calculator. LockMyPix offers a fake vault behind a second password, but the app icon on the home screen still reads "LockMyPix".
- You want cryptography documented with primary sources AppVault’s Security page links every claim to NIST FIPS 197, RFC 5116, the Apple Platform Security guide, and OWASP. LockMyPix’s public marketing states "AES-256" without specifying mode, derivation, or hardware binding.
- You want an intruder log AppVault records a front-camera photo, timestamp, and approximate location after three failed unlocks. LockMyPix does not list a comparable feature in its current iOS build.
PICK LOCKMYPIX IF
- You need an Android version that pairs with your iPhone LockMyPix is cross-platform; AppVault is iOS and iPadOS only. If your household carries both Android and iPhone, LockMyPix can hold both ends.
- You want a long-established alternative LockMyPix has been shipping for years and has a real install base. If track-record is your trust signal over architectural specifics, LockMyPix is the more conservative pick.
VERDICT
On iPhone, AppVault’s calculator launcher and explicit cryptography are the deciders.
LockMyPix and AppVault land in the same general territory — offline photo vaults with strong-encryption claims and fake-vault decoy features. On iPhone, the practical difference comes down to three things: the disguised home-screen icon, the intruder log, and the depth of public cryptographic documentation.
If you are an Android-and-iPhone household, LockMyPix is the only one of the two that can cover both. If you are an iPhone-only household and you want a vault whose home-screen icon does not announce itself, install AppVault.
METHOD & SOURCES
We rebuild this comparison every quarter against current App Store builds.
-
AES-256-GCM specification
NIST FIPS 197 + SP 800-38D ↗ -
Apple Platform Security — Secure Enclave
Apple Support documentation ↗ -
LockMyPix App Store listing
Apple App Store ↗
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