Backroom vs calculator vault apps

Calculator vaults like Calculator# disguise your photos as a math app, often with email recovery and cloud backup. Backroom relies on a pattern and offers a calculator screen as an option.

Calculator vault apps open a hidden space when you type a code into a working calculator. Calculator#, a popular example, adds a password manager, cloud backup and email recovery. Backroom, coming soon to the App Store, opens with a pattern and encrypts each file, with a calculator screen as a paid option.

Side by side

BackroomCalculator#

AvailabilityComing soon to the App Store. iPhone.On the App Store, for iPhone and iPad.

What opens itA pattern of at least 6 dots on a 5 by 5 grid.Calculator code, PIN, password, pattern, or Touch ID and Face ID.

EncryptionAES-256-GCM on each file, with a random key for each vault.The listing describes password protection and names no cipher.

Where files liveOn your iPhone, and in your device backups in encrypted form if you make them. No cloud sync.On the device, with backup to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.

AccountNone.A registered email is used for password recovery.

Forgotten codeA 12-word recovery phrase for each vault. Lose the pattern and the phrase, and nobody can open that vault.Lost passwords can be retrieved through your registered email.

If someone pressures youA different pattern opens a different vault, and the app shows no list of vaults. No duress mode.Panic switch to another app, and a log of failed attempts.

DisguisePaid plan: alternate icons and a working calculator screen. The name under the icon stays Backroom.Looks like a calculator, with a fake crash message mode.

Ads and dataNo ads and no analytics.Free with ads. Apple label: contact info used to track you. Contact info and user content not linked.

Code and reviewSource code is unpublished. No outside review has been completed.No published source or audit is mentioned on its listing.

PriceFree: 50 photos and files, 5 videos and 10 notes in each vault. Paid: $1.99 a week, $19.99 a year or $39.99 once.Free with ads and limits. $4.99 a year removes them.

Calculator# facts checked October 31, 2026 against its own listing or site, US prices. See Sources below. Apps change, so check before you buy.

What a calculator disguise does well

A calculator icon draws little attention. Someone flipping through your apps will likely skip it, and someone who opens it sees working math. For the nosy friend or the curious kid, that may be all you need. Backroom’s name stays visible under its icon, so Calculator# is the better disguise.

Everything else in Calculator#

The listing is long: notes, contacts, to-dos, a password manager, audio, Wi-Fi transfer, a web browser and backup to several clouds. It also offers email recovery, which helps if you forget your code. Backroom has no cloud backup, browser or password manager.

Disguise and encryption are separate questions

Whether an app looks like a calculator says nothing about how it stores files. Calculator#’s listing talks about password protection without naming a cipher. Backroom names AES-256-GCM on each file and ties a random vault key to your pattern, and it has not had an outside review. Our guide to calculator vaults lists what to check in any of these apps.

Recovery has a cost either way

Email recovery is forgiving, and it means an email inbox plays a part in getting back in. Backroom’s phrase lives on paper, with no company involved. Lose the paper and your pattern, and the vault stays closed.

Frequently asked questions

Does Backroom have a calculator mode?

Yes, on the paid plan. It is a working calculator screen that opens the pattern screen when you enter a code. The name under the icon stays Backroom, so it will not fool someone who reads the label.

Which is cheaper?

Calculator#, at $4.99 a year on its listing. Backroom's paid plan is $19.99 a year or $39.99 once.

Are other calculator vaults the same?

No. Features and encryption vary from app to app, so read each listing. This page's table covers Calculator# only. PV and Secret Album also list calculator options.