sigil. vs Cryptomator

Short answer: choose Cryptomator if you want to encrypt files that live in a cloud storage service you already pay for, and open them on the other platforms you use. Choose sigil. if you want a photo vault on your iPhone that needs no cloud, no account and no setup, with hidden vaults, a decoy vault and a private camera.

Both are built on the same principle: encrypt on the device, never trust the server. They apply it to different problems.

sigil.

Cryptomator

Price

Free · Pro €39.99 once or €19.99/yriOS one-time purchase: €29.99 regular on cryptomator.org; US App Store Full Version $19.99

Lifetime option

€39.99 once, no subscriptionYes: one-time iOS purchase, no subscription

Free tier

100 photos and documents + 10 videos per vault, 1 vault + decoy vaultiOS free download is read-only; write access is paid

Account required

No account at allNo registration needed

Encryption

256-bit encryption; key unlocked by your pattern (Argon2id, bound to the secure chip)AES-256 for file contents and names; scrypt for passwords (vendor-stated)

Zero-knowledge

Yes — no server, we never see anythingClient-side encryption; only you have the key (vendor-stated)

Multiple vaults

Up to 7 vaults with Pro, one pattern each; the app never lists themMultiple vaults (per App Store release notes)

Decoy vault

Free: a decoy pattern opens a decoy vault with harmless photos and erases nothing—

Disguised icon

Neutral utility icons that don't say vault.—

Private camera

Photos never touch the Camera Roll—

EXIF / location removal

Location/EXIF stripped on import and export—

Cloud sync

No — local-first, no cloud backup yetVia your own cloud: iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3

Unlock

Only the pattern you draw — no Face ID or Touch ID, by design—

Break-in alerts

No intruder photos; optional self-destruct after too many wrong patterns—

Platforms

iPhone onlyiOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux

sigil. compared with Cryptomator

Feature	sigil.	Cryptomator
Price	Free · Pro €39.99 once or €19.99/yr	iOS one-time purchase: €29.99 regular on cryptomator.org; US App Store Full Version $19.99
Lifetime option	€39.99 once, no subscription	Yes: one-time iOS purchase, no subscription
Free tier	100 photos and documents + 10 videos per vault, 1 vault + decoy vault	iOS free download is read-only; write access is paid
Account required	No account at all	No registration needed
Encryption	256-bit encryption; key unlocked by your pattern (Argon2id, bound to the secure chip)	AES-256 for file contents and names; scrypt for passwords (vendor-stated)
Zero-knowledge	Yes — no server, we never see anything	Client-side encryption; only you have the key (vendor-stated)
Multiple vaults	Up to 7 vaults with Pro, one pattern each; the app never lists them	Multiple vaults (per App Store release notes)
Decoy vault	Free: a decoy pattern opens a decoy vault with harmless photos and erases nothing	—
Disguised icon	Neutral utility icons that don't say vault.	—
Private camera	Photos never touch the Camera Roll	—
EXIF / location removal	Location/EXIF stripped on import and export	—
Cloud sync	No — local-first, no cloud backup yet	Via your own cloud: iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3
Unlock	Only the pattern you draw — no Face ID or Touch ID, by design	—
Break-in alerts	No intruder photos; optional self-destruct after too many wrong patterns	—
Platforms	iPhone only	iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux

Security model

Cryptomator states: AES-256 for file contents and names; scrypt for passwords (vendor-stated). On openness: Open source software (vendor-stated). Its design is publicly documented, which makes it one of the more transparent tools in this space. Its model: Client-side encryption; only you have the key (vendor-stated).

sigil. uses 256-bit encryption, with a key unlocked by a sign you draw on a dot grid, hardened with Argon2id and bound to the phone's secure chip (pattern encryption). The cipher strength is comparable; the difference is the unlock secret and what surrounds it. Cryptomator vaults are opened with a password and are managed as named vaults in the app. In sigil., each sign opens its own vault, and nothing lists how many exist (multiple hidden vaults).

If you want to understand what "AES-256" means in practice, read AES-256 encryption explained.

Privacy: account and cloud

Cryptomator: No registration needed. It does not host your data; the encrypted vault sits in a storage provider of your choice: Via your own cloud: iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3. The provider sees encrypted blobs, but it does know you have an account with them.

sigil. uses no cloud at all. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no account anywhere.

Features

Cryptomator is a file tool. It encrypts files of any kind, photos included. It is not designed around photo-vault features.

sigil. is a photo vault:

• Decoy vault, opened by its own decoy pattern if someone forces you to open the app; your real vaults stay hidden (decoy vault).
• Disguised icon — a neutral utility icon that doesn't say vault (disguised icon).
• Private camera — shoot straight into the vault, bypassing the Camera Roll (private camera).
• EXIF and location stripping on import and export. Check a photo yourself with the photo metadata viewer.
• Recovery phrase — 12 words, written once (recovery phrase).

Price

Cryptomator on iOS: iOS one-time purchase: €29.99 regular on cryptomator.org; US App Store Full Version $19.99. One-time: Yes: one-time iOS purchase, no subscription. Free version: iOS free download is read-only; write access is paid.

sigil. is free with every feature included (decoy vault, self-destruct, disguised icon): 100 photos and documents plus 10 videos per vault, one vault plus the decoy vault. Pro lifts the photo and video limits and gives you up to 7 vaults, each opened by its own pattern: €39.99 once, lifetime, no subscription, or €19.99 per year. No free trial and no monthly plan. Over the free limit nothing is locked; you just can't add more. See pricing.

Where Cryptomator is better

• Cloud storage, encrypted. Your vault is backed up wherever your cloud is. sigil. has no cloud backup yet (how to securely back up private photos).
• Every platform. iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. sigil. is iPhone-only.
• Any file type, not just photos and videos.
• Openness. Open source software (vendor-stated), with public documentation.

Where sigil. is better

• Zero setup. No cloud provider to configure, no folders to mount.
• Hidden vaults and a decoy vault for situations where someone is looking over your shoulder.
• Photo workflow: camera, metadata stripping, disguised icon.

Moving photos between them

1. In Cryptomator, unlock the vault and export the photos you want to keep locally to the Files app or Photos.
2. Install sigil., draw a sign, and write down the recovery phrase.
3. Import into sigil.; EXIF and location are stripped.
4. Delete the plaintext copies, including from Photos' Recently Deleted (guide).
5. Keep the Cryptomator vault as your encrypted off-device backup if you want one — the two work well together.

Which one should you choose?

• You already store files in a cloud service and want them encrypted before upload: Cryptomator.
• You work across a phone and a computer: Cryptomator, since sigil. has no desktop app.
• You want a vault you can open with a drawn sign, hidden from anyone holding your unlocked phone: sigil.
• You want to take photos that never reach your library: sigil., with its private camera.
• You want both: keep an encrypted Cryptomator vault as your off-device copy and use sigil. on the phone.

How we checked

Every fact about Cryptomator on this page comes from cryptomator.org and its App Store listing, checked on October 30, 2026, and is shown with its source in the table. Where the vendor does not say something — for example, how files are encrypted — we leave the cell empty instead of guessing. Prices differ between regions and change often, so confirm the current price on the purchase screen before you pay. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it.

Verdict

Cryptomator is an excellent, transparent tool for encrypting files in the cloud you already use. sigil. is a dedicated photo vault for the iPhone that keeps everything local and adds hidden vaults, a decoy vault and a private camera. If you are comfortable managing a cloud vault, Cryptomator plus sigil. is a strong combination. See also how to encrypt photos on iPhone and sigil. vs Proton Drive.