Compare Pearlin with the Hidden album and other vault apps

Pearlin compared with Apple’s Hidden album and typical vault apps
	Apple Hidden album	Typical vault apps	Pearlin
Opens with	Face ID or your phone passcode	Usually a PIN	A pattern only you know
Its own encryption key	No, it shares the phone’s	Varies	Yes, one per vault
More than one private space	No	Sometimes, often listed	Yes, never listed or counted
Account needed	None	Varies	None
Moving to a new phone	With iCloud Photos	Often through their account	One encrypted file, or your iCloud
Ads	None	Common	Never

Hidden album as in the Photos app on iOS 17 and later. Vault apps: from 485 public US App Store reviews of four popular vault apps, 2023 to 2026.

In detail

Pearlin vs Apple’s Hidden albumWhich one keeps photos private from someone who knows your passcode, and when the Hidden album is enough.
Pearlin’s security modelHow the pattern becomes a key, what’s encrypted, and what Pearlin can’t protect against.