--- title: Mavaul vs Calculator# Hide Photos Videos canonical: https://mavaul.com/compare/calculator-hide-photos/ description: Calculator# and Mavaul both hide behind a calculator. Calculator# stores almost everything; Mavaul does photos and videos, encrypted with AES-256, with no tracking, and is built for looking at them. format: text/markdown generator: scripts/generate-llms.js --- # Mavaul vs Calculator# _By [Diogo Ferreira](/about/), founder & engineer_ Both apps hide behind a calculator. Calculator# puts almost everything behind it: photos, documents, passwords, notes, contacts, audio, a browser and a wallet, with backup to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive. Mavaul's calculator guards one thing done well: photos and videos, encrypted with AES-256 on the iPhone, in a vault built for looking at them. ## At a glance | | Mavaul | Calculator# | | --- | --- | --- | | Built for | Keeping photos private and enjoying them | Hiding almost everything behind a calculator | | Encryption on the phone | AES-256-GCM for every photo and video | Password-protected files. No cipher named for photos | | Account | None | None listed | | Unlock | Face ID, Touch ID or a 4-digit vault passcode | Calculator, PIN, password, pattern, Touch ID or Face ID | | Decoy and disguise | Decoy mode: a working calculator in place of the lock screen. Calculator, cat or hot sauce icons | Calculator disguise, disguise mode, panic switch, hack monitoring | | Viewing | Tap the edges to flick through, pinch to zoom, timed slideshow with a progress hint | Built-in gallery and player | | Big screen | Wi-Fi Share: QR code, then the vault opens in a browser on a TV, laptop or any device on the same Wi-Fi, with slideshow | Wi-Fi transfer from a computer | | Backup | Encrypted on the phone, to your Dropbox, Nextcloud or Files (Premium). Mavaul hosts nothing | iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive | | Also stores | Photos and videos | Documents, audio, notes, contacts, passwords, wallet, to-dos. Browser and camera | | Ads | None | Not stated | | App Store privacy label | Data not linked to you: analytics and crash data. No tracking | Data used to track you: contact info. Not linked to you: contact info, email, photos or videos | | Free version | 20 photos and videos, all the locks, Wi-Fi Share | Yes | | Premium | 1,99 € a month, 17,99 € a year, or 49,99 € once | $4.99 a year, or a $4.99 premium pack (US) | | Devices | iPhone | iPhone and iPad | | On the App Store since | 2026 | 2016, 4.4 stars from about 29,000 ratings (US) | ## Made to look at your photos, not just hide them A vault is also where you go back to the photos. In Mavaul you tap the edges to flick through, pinch to zoom, or start a slideshow. A thin progress hint shows when the next photo is due, and if you swipe away, the show carries on from there. With Wi-Fi Share you scan a QR code and the vault opens on a TV, laptop or any device with a browser on the same Wi-Fi, with a slideshow and a full-screen viewer. Nothing leaves your Wi-Fi. ## Privacy and encryption Calculator#'s App Store label lists contact info that may be used to track you, and its listing doesn't name a cipher for photos. Mavaul names AES-256-GCM for every photo and video, and its label lists no tracking. Mavaul's calculator also does real maths, so typing 2 + 2 shows 4. [How Mavaul's encryption works](/features/on-device-encryption/). ## Where Calculator# wins - It stores almost anything: documents, audio, notes, contacts, passwords and a wallet. - Backup to iCloud, Google Drive or OneDrive, as well as Dropbox. - A panic switch and hack monitoring. - An iPad app, and a cheaper Premium. ## Which one to pick Pick Calculator# if you want one disguised app for documents, passwords and notes as well as photos. Pick Mavaul if you want your photos encrypted on the phone, no tracking, a calculator decoy, and an app that makes your photos nice to look at again, on the phone or on the TV. ## Questions ### Is Mavaul a good alternative to Calculator#? Yes, if your vault is for photos and videos and you want them encrypted with AES-256, without tracking, behind a calculator that really calculates. Stay with Calculator# if you also hide documents, passwords and notes. ### Do both apps disguise themselves as a calculator? Yes. In Mavaul it's decoy mode: a working calculator in place of the lock screen, and your passcode on its keypad opens the vault. It's free. ### Does Calculator# track you? Its privacy label lists contact info that may be used to track you. Mavaul's lists no tracking. ## Sources Calculator# facts come from its [US App Store listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/calculator-hide-photos-videos/id1165276801) and privacy label, checked on October 6, 2026. Privacy labels are filled in by each developer, who is [responsible for keeping them accurate](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/app-privacy-details/). Prices and features change, so check the listing before you buy. Mavaul facts come from [features](/features/), [pricing](/pricing/) and [privacy](/privacy/). App names and icons belong to their owners. Spot something out of date? [hello@mavaul.com](mailto:hello@mavaul.com). ## Try Mavaul [Download Mavaul on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/pt/app/mavaul-photo-video-vault/id6759567727?l=en-GB)