sigil. vs Obscura

Short answer: choose Obscura if you want a vault whose encryption code you can read, an encrypted export you can keep as a backup, an iPad app, and the option to unlock with Face ID. Choose sigil. if you want a vault that opens only with a sign you draw, a decoy pattern that opens a decoy vault while the real ones stay hidden, and no biometric shortcut that someone could use while holding your phone.

These two apps are closer than most comparisons on this site. Both are new, both need no account, and both say the developer keeps no keys. The differences are in how you unlock, what happens under pressure, and how you back up.

sigil.

Obscura

Price

Free · Pro €39.99 once or €19.99/yrUS App Store: Pro $6.99/mo or $29.99/yr

Lifetime option

€39.99 once, no subscriptionObscura Pro $39.99 one-time

Free tier

100 photos and documents + 10 videos per vault, 1 vault + decoy vaultUp to 50 photos in one vault

Account required

No account at allNo account

Encryption

256-bit encryption; key unlocked by your pattern (Argon2id, bound to the secure chip)AES-256-GCM, 600,000 rounds of key derivation (vendor-stated)

Zero-knowledge

Yes — no server, we never see anythingKeeps no copy of your password or keys; no password reset (vendor-stated)

Multiple vaults

Up to 7 vaults with Pro, one pattern each; the app never lists them10 vault slots, each with its own password; no vault list (Pro)

Decoy vault

Free: a decoy pattern opens a decoy vault with harmless photos and erases nothingA second vault can act as a decoy; no duress erase listed

Disguised icon

Neutral utility icons that don't say vault.—

Private camera

Photos never touch the Camera RollQuick camera from Control Center

EXIF / location removal

Location/EXIF stripped on import and export—

Cloud sync

No — local-first, no cloud backup yetNo own cloud; encrypted vault export and iOS system iCloud backup

Unlock

Only the pattern you draw — no Face ID or Touch ID, by designPassword; Face ID and Touch ID supported

Break-in alerts

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

Platforms

iPhone onlyiPhone, iPad

sigil. compared with Obscura

Feature	sigil.	Obscura
Price	Free · Pro €39.99 once or €19.99/yr	US App Store: Pro $6.99/mo or $29.99/yr
Lifetime option	€39.99 once, no subscription	Obscura Pro $39.99 one-time
Free tier	100 photos and documents + 10 videos per vault, 1 vault + decoy vault	Up to 50 photos in one vault
Account required	No account at all	No account
Encryption	256-bit encryption; key unlocked by your pattern (Argon2id, bound to the secure chip)	AES-256-GCM, 600,000 rounds of key derivation (vendor-stated)
Zero-knowledge	Yes — no server, we never see anything	Keeps no copy of your password or keys; no password reset (vendor-stated)
Multiple vaults	Up to 7 vaults with Pro, one pattern each; the app never lists them	10 vault slots, each with its own password; no vault list (Pro)
Decoy vault	Free: a decoy pattern opens a decoy vault with harmless photos and erases nothing	A second vault can act as a decoy; no duress erase listed
Disguised icon	Neutral utility icons that don't say vault.	—
Private camera	Photos never touch the Camera Roll	Quick camera from Control Center
EXIF / location removal	Location/EXIF stripped on import and export	—
Cloud sync	No — local-first, no cloud backup yet	No own cloud; encrypted vault export and iOS system iCloud backup
Unlock	Only the pattern you draw — no Face ID or Touch ID, by design	Password; Face ID and Touch ID supported
Break-in alerts	No intruder photos; optional self-destruct after too many wrong patterns	—
Platforms	iPhone only	iPhone, iPad

Security model

Obscura describes its encryption as AES-256-GCM, 600,000 rounds of key derivation (vendor-stated). On keys, it says: Keeps no copy of your password or keys; no password reset (vendor-stated). Unlocking is by Password; Face ID and Touch ID supported. The developer also states: Encryption code published on GitHub (GPL-3.0), which means anyone can review how the files are encrypted. That is a real point in its favor.

sigil. uses a different secret. You draw a sign on a 5×5 dot grid; that sign goes through Argon2id and is bound to the phone's secure chip, and only then does it unlock the 256-bit key that decrypts the vault. A wrong sign is not checked against a stored value: it just unlocks nothing. Because the key is tied to the secure chip, guessing has to happen on your phone, one attempt at a time, with growing waits. Details in pattern encryption, and a comparison of secrets in pattern lock vs PIN vs password.

The bigger difference is biometrics. Obscura lets you add Face ID or Touch ID for convenience. sigil. leaves them out on purpose: a face or a finger can be used against you by someone who has your phone in hand. A sign has to be drawn by you.

Neither app can reset a forgotten secret. In sigil., the only way back is your recovery phrase.

Privacy

Both apps work without an account: Obscura states No account, and sigil. has no sign-up, no email and no server. Obscura's App Store listing shows: App Store privacy label: Data Not Collected.

sigil. has no server and does not know who you are. It sends no usage statistics, and your photos and vaults never leave the phone unless you export them.

Features

Decoy vault. Obscura: A second vault can act as a decoy; no duress erase listed. In sigil., a decoy pattern opens a believable decoy vault, while your other vaults stay hidden. It is included in the free plan.

Multiple vaults. Obscura offers 10 vault slots, each with its own password; no vault list (Pro). sigil. works on the same idea, one secret per vault and no list, and Pro has no cap on the number of vaults (multiple hidden vaults).

Self-destruct. sigil. can erase its vaults after too many wrong signs in a time window (self-destruct). It is free and off by default. We did not find an equivalent in Obscura's listing.

Disguised icon. Obscura's listing does not mention one. sigil. can show a neutral icon that doesn't say sigil. (disguised icon).

Camera. Obscura offers a Quick camera from Control Center. sigil.'s private camera writes straight into the encrypted vault, so the photo never touches the Camera Roll.

Intruder photos. sigil. does not take photos of people who enter a wrong sign. We chose silence over alerts: no counter, no warning.

Price

Obscura on the US App Store: US App Store: Pro $6.99/mo or $29.99/yr, or Obscura Pro $39.99 one-time. Free tier: Up to 50 photos in one vault.

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 Obscura is better

• Published encryption code. Encryption code published on GitHub (GPL-3.0). If being able to audit the code yourself matters to you, this is a real advantage.
• Backup. No own cloud; encrypted vault export and iOS system iCloud backup. sigil. is local-first and has no cloud backup or encrypted export yet. Read how to securely back up private photos before relying on a local-only vault.
• iPad. Obscura runs on iPhone, iPad. sigil. is iPhone-only today.
• Password strength. A long password can carry more entropy than a drawn sign. sigil. compensates with Argon2id and the secure chip, but if you prefer typing a long passphrase, Obscura lets you.
• Convenience. If you are comfortable with Face ID, opening Obscura is quicker.

How to switch from Obscura to sigil.

1. In Obscura, open the vault you want to move, select the items and export them to your iPhone's Photos library.
2. Install sigil., draw a sign and write the 12-word recovery phrase on paper.
3. Import the items into your vault. sigil. strips location and EXIF data on import.
4. Open a few items in sigil. to confirm they are there and readable.
5. Delete the exported copies from Photos, then empty Recently Deleted (how to delete Recently Deleted photos).
6. When everything has moved, delete the items from Obscura.

Verdict

Obscura is a serious, privacy-minded vault: no account, keys kept off the developer's side, and encryption code you can inspect. sigil. takes a stricter line on unlocking: only a drawn sign, no biometrics, a decoy vault and an optional self-destruct. If you want published code, iPad and an encrypted backup today, Obscura is the better pick. If your concern is someone forcing you to open the phone, sigil. is built for that.

For more options, see the best private photo vault apps for iPhone or sigil. vs Vaultaire.