Comparison

ArkWarden vs
LockMyPix

LockMyPix names a real encryption method, AES-CTR 256, applied to every file. It also offers an optional email-based recovery path that depends on its own servers. ArkWarden encrypts every file the same way in principle, but has no account, no email, and no server under any configuration, ever. This page shows exactly what each approach means in practice.

Start protecting your files

Quick answer

Recovery goes through its servers: LockMyPix encrypts files on the device with AES-CTR 256, but its optional email recovery runs through its own servers, while ArkWarden is a LockMyPix alternative with no account and no server. ArkWarden encrypts every file on your iPhone with AES-256-GCM, and if you forget your pattern, a recovery phrase you write down gets you back in without any server. ArkWarden's encryption code is open source, and it supports YubiKey two-factor authentication.

The core difference

Real encryption, with an optional door back to a server.

LockMyPix encrypts your photos, videos, documents, and notes with AES-CTR 256 as they are added to the vault. That is a specific, named, and credible encryption method. Files in the vault are genuinely protected, not just hidden by a lock screen.

What makes LockMyPix different from ArkWarden is what happens around that encryption. LockMyPix's setup flow recommends adding an email address to enable password recovery. If you do, forgetting your password becomes recoverable through a verification link sent by LockMyPix's servers. That convenience means a server, tied to your email, now exists as part of your recovery path.

ArkWarden has no account, no email field anywhere in the app, and no server, under any configuration. Recovery is a BIP-39 phrase generated on your device that you write down yourself. There is no optional path that introduces a server later.

Feature by feature

What each one actually does.

25 points across five categories. Each row shows what the product actually does in practice.

✓ Yes ✗ No ~ Partial

Encryption

Feature	ArkWarden	LockMyPix
File encryption Every file is encrypted individually on your device	✓ AES-256-GCM + ChaCha20-Poly1305, always on	✓ AES-CTR 256, applied to every file on import
Master key unlocked by pattern Unlock pattern unlocks the master key that encrypts your files	✓ PBKDF2 with 600,000 iterations on every unlock	~ Not stated. PIN, password, pattern, or biometric unlocks the vault; key derivation from it is not described.
Unique encryption per file Identical files always produce different encrypted output	✓ Each file encrypted independently	~ Not stated
Encrypted vault metadata File names, folder structure, and vault information remain encrypted	✓ Metadata encrypted alongside file content	~ Not stated
Pattern key locked to your phone Pattern unlock needs a key that cannot be copied off the chip	✓ Secure Enclave key required per attempt	~ Not stated

Authentication

Feature	ArkWarden	LockMyPix
Pattern unlock Draw a pattern instead of typing a password	✓ 5x5 grid; pattern unlocks the master key	~ Pattern is one of several unlock options, but does not unlock a master key for encryption
Intruder detection Encrypted photo after repeated wrong pattern attempts	✓ Optional; photo after 3, 5, or 10 wrong attempts	✓ Takes a selfie of anyone who tries to open the vault
Biometric unlock Unlock with Face ID or Touch ID	✓ Optional second factor via Apple's Secure Enclave	✓ Face ID / Touch ID supported
PIN unlock Separate PIN as a second authentication factor	✓ 6-digit PIN, independent of device passcode	✓ PIN available as one of several unlock methods
Hardware security key Physical key as a second authentication factor	✓ YubiKey over NFC, FIDO2	✗ Not available
Independent from device passcode Device passcode does not open the vault	✓ Pattern and passcode are completely separate	✓ App has its own separate lock, independent of the device passcode

Privacy

Feature	ArkWarden	LockMyPix
No account required No email address, registration, or personal identity required	✓ No sign-in of any kind	~ No account for basic use. Email is optional, recommended for password recovery.
No server dependency Vault exists only on your device	✓ No server at all	~ Vault storage is on-device. Email-based password recovery uses their servers if enabled.
No advertising No ads, trackers, or advertising network integrations	✓ Funded by direct payment only	~ Not stated
No personal identifier No account, no email, no identity attached to your vault	✓ No identity, no profile, nothing linked to you	~ No identifier required by default. Email linked if recovery is enabled.
Screenshot protection Screenshots are blocked throughout the app	✓ Blocked throughout the entire app	~ Not stated
Fully offline All features work without an internet connection	✓ No network required for any feature	~ Vault storage and unlock work offline. The built-in browser and email recovery require a connection.
Open source The code that protects your files is public and can be reviewed	✓ The encryption that protects your files is open source	✗ Closed source
End-to-end encrypted backup Backup where only you hold the key to decrypt it	✓ iCloud or exported file, encrypted on device, only you hold the key	~ Backup and device-transfer features exist; whether the key is held solely by the user is not stated

Vault

Feature	ArkWarden	LockMyPix
Alternate vault with a separate pattern A second fully functional vault, opened by a different pattern	✓ Wing: a second vault with its own pattern, name, and files. Nothing in the app indicates it exists.	~ Fake Vault: a second space opened by a different password, meant to hold low-sensitivity files as a decoy. Not stated to use a separate encryption key.
Folder organization Group files into named folders inside the vault	✓ Unlimited folders. Create and drag files between them.	✓ Albums, folders, and subfolders
Recovery phrase Regain access if the pattern is forgotten	✓ BIP-39 phrase, 12 or 24 words	✗ No recovery phrase. Recovery is an optional fallback password or email link; without either set up in advance, the vault cannot be recovered.

Files

Feature	ArkWarden	LockMyPix
Capture photos and videos in-app Take a photo or video that goes straight into the vault, never to the camera roll	✓ Captured directly into the encrypted vault. Never written to the Photos library.	~ Not stated
Documents, PDFs, and audio Store files beyond photos and videos	✓ Any format from the Files app	~ Documents and notes supported. No audio format stated.
Unlimited storage No file count or size cap inside the app	✓ Device storage is the only limit	~ Not stated

Honest limits

Where LockMyPix has the advantage.

Tens of millions of users. LockMyPix states it is trusted by over 40 million people worldwide, with a long track record and press coverage.
Shake-to-lock. LockMyPix can lock the entire vault instantly when you shake your phone.
Subfolders and duplicate detection. LockMyPix's organization tools go beyond flat folders, including subfolders and automatic duplicate file detection.

What no server, ever, changes

Situations where an optional server is still a server.

You do not want a recovery path that depends on a server.

LockMyPix's recovery options are genuinely well designed: an offline fallback password, or an email-based link through their servers. But the email option asks for your address at setup and is the recommended path. If you use it, your recovery now depends on LockMyPix's servers and your inbox. ArkWarden's recovery phrase is generated on your device at setup, every time, with no server involved at any point.

You want a vault with no email address anywhere in the app.

Adding an email to LockMyPix is optional, but the app's own setup flow recommends it, and once added, it becomes a link between your identity and your vault. ArkWarden has no email field anywhere in the app, at any tier, under any setting.

You want a second vault, not a decoy space.

LockMyPix's Fake Vault is explicitly built to be shown if someone pressures you to unlock your device, holding files placed there for that purpose. It is not described as running on a separate encryption key from the main vault. ArkWarden's Wing is generated from its own master key, unlocked by its own pattern, so the Wing pattern can never mathematically open the main vault, and it holds your real files rather than files placed there as a decoy.

You want the encryption itself to be checkable.

LockMyPix names its encryption method but is closed source, so you cannot read the code that implements it. The encryption that protects your files in ArkWarden is open source, so you can read the code that unlocks your vault and encrypts your files yourself.

You want a hardware security key as a second factor.

LockMyPix supports PIN, password, pattern, and biometrics, but no physical hardware key. ArkWarden supports a YubiKey over NFC using FIDO2 as an additional authentication factor.

Sources

Where the claims come from.

Claims about LockMyPix are based on their own App Store listing and help documentation. Claims about ArkWarden's encryption are based on published standards.

LockMyPix Secret Photo Vault on the App Store, App Store listing used as source for stated features, the AES-CTR 256 encryption claim, and the Fake Vault description.
LockMyPix Helpdesk, source for password recovery behavior (email link and alternative fallback password) and the Create a Second Vault (Fake Vault) article.
NIST FIPS 197: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), the standard that supports AES-256-GCM used by ArkWarden.
NIST SP 800-38D: GCM Mode for Block Cipher Algorithms, the standard that supports the GCM authenticated encryption mode used by ArkWarden.
NIST SP 800-132: Password-Based Key Derivation, the standard that supports PBKDF2 used by ArkWarden.
Apple Platform Security: Secure Enclave, covers hardware-backed key protection on iOS.

Common questions

What people usually ask next.

Does LockMyPix encrypt files on the device?

Yes. LockMyPix's own marketing and documentation state that files are encrypted with AES-CTR 256 in real time as they are imported into the vault. That is a real, named encryption method, more specific than many vault apps state. ArkWarden also encrypts every file on the device, using AES-256-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305 with a random master key unlocked by your pattern.

Does LockMyPix require an account or email address?

Not for basic use. LockMyPix unlocks with a PIN, password, pattern, or biometric. An email address is optional and used only to enable password recovery. If you enable it, that recovery path depends on LockMyPix's servers. ArkWarden has no account, no email, and no server under any configuration.

What happens if I forget my LockMyPix password?

It depends on what you set up in advance. LockMyPix supports two optional recovery paths: an alternative fallback password you configure ahead of time, and an email-based recovery that sends a verification link through LockMyPix's servers. If you set up neither, LockMyPix's own documentation says the vault cannot be recovered. ArkWarden always generates a BIP-39 recovery phrase of 12 or 24 words on your device, which you write down yourself. No setup step can be skipped.

Is LockMyPix's Fake Vault the same as ArkWarden's Wing?

Not quite. LockMyPix's own documentation describes Fake Vault as a second password-protected space you set up in Settings, intended to hold low-sensitivity files so you have something to show if pressured to unlock your device. It does not describe the Fake Vault as being generated from a separate encryption key. ArkWarden's Wing is generated from its own master key, unlocked by its own pattern, so the Wing pattern can mathematically never open the main vault, and it holds real files rather than files placed there specifically as a decoy.

Can I use both apps?

You can. LockMyPix has real strengths ArkWarden does not try to match: a much larger user base, shake-to-lock, and deeper folder organization with duplicate detection. If those matter more to you than having no account and no server under any configuration, LockMyPix may fit. If you want a recovery path that never touches a server, ArkWarden is built around that instead.

See it in practice

Situations where having no server matters.

ArkWarden

No server,
not even for recovery.

ArkWarden encrypts every file individually with AES-256-GCM. No account, no ads, no server. Your pattern unlocks the master key.

Install on iPhone. No account, no email.
Point your camera at the code.

Read about on-device privacy

AES-256-GCM for files, ChaCha20-Poly1305 for the index Master key unlocked by your pattern, never sent No account, no ads, no server

ArkWarden vsLockMyPix