Compare
Units compared with other ways to hide photos
We only state what we can verify. For other apps we describe their documented unlock method and send you to their current App Store listing for everything else, because features and prices change. Last checked 2026-10-30.
| Units | iPhone Hidden album | Keepsafe | Private Photo Vault | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How you unlock | Open the ruler's Settings, then draw a pattern on a 5 by 5 grid; each pattern is a separate vault | Face ID, Touch ID or your iPhone passcode (iOS 16 and later) | A PIN or similar code set in the app | A passcode set in the app |
| Who can open it | Only someone who knows the pattern | Anyone who knows your iPhone passcode | Check the app's current listing | Check the app's current listing |
| Looks like a vault app on the home screen | No, it is a gray ruler called Units | No app; the album is inside Photos | Check the app's current listing | Check the app's current listing |
| Several separate vaults | Yes, one per pattern, with no list on screen | No, one Hidden album | Check the app's current listing | Check the app's current listing |
| Emergency pattern that erases other vaults | Yes (Pro) | No | Check the app's current listing | Check the app's current listing |
| Account needed | No | Uses your Apple Account if iCloud Photos is on | Check the app's current listing | Check the app's current listing |
| Price | Free; Pro is a one-time $32.99 purchase | Free, built into iOS | See App Store | See App Store |
When the built-in Hidden album is enough
If the only people who pick up your phone do not know your passcode, the Hidden album is free and already there. A separate vault matters when someone does know your passcode, such as a partner, a child or anyone you unlocked the phone for, or when you want more than one private space.