Best calculator vault apps for iPhone in 2026
A calculator vault is a photo vault that looks like a calculator on your home screen. There are two kinds. Some are a working calculator: you type your PIN and press «=», and the vault opens; Calculator Vault by Cloud Honest, Calculator#, CalcX and Secret Calculator work this way, and Converter does the same with a currency converter. Others, like Photo Vault, only change the icon to look like Calculator and open with Face ID or a passcode; the name under the icon does not change.
Of the six, Calculator Vault (Cloud Honest) adds an emergency PIN that shows an empty vault and a photo of whoever types a wrong PIN; Calculator# has the most ratings (28,938) and backs up to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive. Converter and Secret Calculator have the label Data Not Collected, as does Photo Vault. If you only want to hide a few photos, the iPhone's own Hidden album may be enough; aisagalab explains how safe the Hidden album is.
At a glance
| App | Price (US) | Disguise and unlock, per its listing | Decoy or emergency PIN | App Store privacy label | Version (date) | Rating (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calculator Vault : Hide Photo | Pro $2.99 to $3.99 a month, $14.99 to $24.99 a year, lifetime $39.99 or $59.99 | Working calculator; PIN then «=» | Yes (emergency PIN shows an empty vault) | Data Not Linked to You | 1.9 (19 Sep 2026) | 4.7 (37 ratings) |
| Calculator# Hide Photos Videos | Yearly $4.99; Premium Features Pack $4.99 | Calculator screen; code or Face ID | Panic switch (decoy not named) | Data Used to Track You; Data Not Linked to You | 3.4.13 (30 Oct 2026) | 4.4 (28,938 ratings) |
| Converter: Hidden Photo Vault | Full Access Forever $19.99 (also listed at $9.99 and $14.99) | Currency converter; password | Not named | Data Not Collected | 3.0.7 (2 Dec 2025) | 4.9 (3,657 ratings) |
| Photo Vault: Hide Pics Video | Premium $19.99 or $29.99 a year; lifetime $14.99 or $29.99 | Calculator-style icon; Face ID or passcode | No (face-down exit instead) | Data Not Collected | 1.3.1 (1 Nov 2026) | 4.2 (6 ratings) |
| CalcX Vault Secret Photo Lock | Weekly $0.99 to $5.99, monthly $3.49 or $9.99, yearly $17.99, lifetime $29.99 or $33.99 | Calculator-style screen; PIN then «=» | Fake vault (paid) | Data Used to Track You; Data Not Linked to You | 2.21 (29 Oct 2026) | 4.5 (202 ratings) |
| Secret Calculator Vault Photo | Monthly $9.99, yearly $23.99, lifetime $19.99 | Calculator front; passcode | Not named | Data Not Collected | 1.4.0 (9 Oct 2025) | 4.4 (952 ratings) |
Prices are in-app purchases listed on each US App Store page on 3 November 2026; pages list only some. All are free to download. Ratings are that day's App Store average and count.
1. Calculator Vault : Hide Photo
Best for: a working calculator with an emergency PIN and an intruder photo, and a clear free plan.
- A real calculator for standard math; type your PIN and press «=» to open the vault.
- An emergency PIN shows an empty vault; a wrong PIN takes a front-camera photo with time and location; several vaults, each with its own PIN.
- Free plan: up to 20 items, per its listing. No account and no servers; optional backup to your own iCloud with Pro.
Limits: only 37 ratings, and unlimited storage and iCloud backup need Pro.
2. Calculator# Hide Photos Videos
Best for: the most ratings, and the most things to hide: photos, documents, passwords, notes and contacts.
- Looks like a calculator; opens with the calculator, a PIN, password, pattern, Touch ID or Face ID.
- Panic switch, disguise mode and a log of break-in attempts.
- Backup to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive; Wi-Fi transfer from a computer.
Limits: free with ads and limits, per its listing, and its privacy label includes Data Used to Track You.
3. Converter: Hidden Photo Vault
Best for: paying once, with a currency converter instead of the usual calculator.
- Disguised as a currency converter; a password opens the vault.
- Files are encrypted and kept on the phone and in your iCloud; they close again when you leave the app.
- One purchase, no subscription: Full Access Forever is listed at $19.99.
Limits: English only, iOS 18.2 or later, and its last update was 2 December 2025.
4. Photo Vault: Hide Pics Video
Best for: a vault whose icon can pass for Calculator, Notes or Weather, with Face ID and no account.
- Disguised icon: Calculator, Notes or Weather. It is not a working calculator: it opens with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode.
- A separate password for each album; flip the phone face down and it jumps to Safari, Calendar or Messages.
- Encrypted backup to one file you keep, optional encrypted copy in your own iCloud; the vault is left out of regular iCloud backups.
Limits: the disguise is the icon only: the name under it on the home screen still reads Photo Vault. Also only 6 US ratings, no decoy PIN in its listing, and unlimited photos need Premium.
5. CalcX Vault Secret Photo Lock
Best for: a calculator-style entry screen with photos, contacts and notes in one vault.
- Enter your password and press «=» to open the vault.
- Stores photos, videos, contacts, notes and files; albums, rename, restore and delete.
- Its listing names a fake vault and icon concealment among paid features.
Limits: a long list of weekly to lifetime prices, and its privacy label includes Data Used to Track You.
6. Secret Calculator Vault Photo
Best for: a calculator front that also keeps passwords, with no data collected per its label.
- Appears as a standard calculator, per its listing.
- Encrypted vault for photos and videos, plus a password manager kept on the device.
- Lifetime premium is listed at $19.99.
Limits: its last update was 9 October 2025, and the listing names no decoy PIN or backup.
Who should use what
- A real calculator with an emergency PIN: Calculator Vault (Cloud Honest).
- Most ratings, documents and passwords too: Calculator#.
- One payment, converter disguise: Converter.
- Calculator icon with Face ID, no account: Photo Vault.
- Calculator front plus a password manager: Secret Calculator.
Use cases
- Lending your phone without anyone seeing a vault app.
- Hiding ID and card photos from the camera roll.
- Being asked to unlock the vault in front of someone.
How we checked
On 3 November 2026 we searched the US App Store for «calculator vault», «secret calculator», «calculator hide photos», «calculator lock», «calculator vault hide photos» and «hidden calculator», and read each app's US App Store page and Apple's lookup data. We left out apps whose listing does not describe a calculator and apps last updated in 2024 or earlier. We installed nothing and did not test encryption.
A disguise helps against a quick look at your home screen. Someone who searches Settings or your App Store purchase history can still see which vault app you installed.
Prices change often. Check inside each app before paying.
Frequently asked questions
What is a calculator vault app?
A photo vault that looks like a calculator. In most, the calculator works, and typing your PIN followed by «=» opens the hidden photos. In others, only the home-screen icon looks like a calculator.
Which calculator vault is free?
All six are free to download. Calculator Vault (Cloud Honest) lists a free plan of up to 20 items; Calculator# is free with ads and limits. Check what the free version stores before moving everything.
Can someone still find a calculator vault?
Yes, with a careful search. Every app appears in Settings and in your App Store purchase history under its App Store name, so the disguise works against a quick look at the home screen, not a search.
What happens to my photos if I delete the app?
In vaults that keep photos only on the phone, they go with the app. Calculator#, Converter, Calculator Vault (Pro) and Photo Vault list a backup to iCloud or a file you keep; turn it on before deleting.
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Sources
- Calculator Vault : Hide Photo (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6767042215 (3 November 2026)
- Calculator# Hide Photos Videos (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1165276801 (3 November 2026)
- Converter: Hidden Photo Vault (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1536734125 (3 November 2026)
- Photo Vault: Hide Pics Video (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1532670722 (3 November 2026)
- CalcX Vault Secret Photo Lock (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1577144445 (3 November 2026)
- Secret Calculator Vault Photo (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1479873340 (3 November 2026)
- Is the iPhone Hidden album safe? (aisagalab.com): https://aisagalab.com/photo-vault/is-iphone-hidden-album-safe.html (3 November 2026)