Backroom vs SPV

SPV stores photos, contacts and passwords behind a PIN and includes a browser. Backroom stores photos, videos, files and notes behind a pattern, with no ads or analytics.

SPV, from Maple Labs, is a simple PIN-protected vault that also holds passwords and contacts and includes a browser. It stores data only on your device. Its listing names no encryption method. Backroom, coming soon to the App Store, opens with a pattern and encrypts each file with AES-256-GCM.

Side by side

BackroomSPV

AvailabilityComing soon to the App Store. iPhone.On the App Store.

What opens itA pattern of at least 6 dots on a 5 by 5 grid.A PIN.

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

Where files liveOn your iPhone, and in your device backups in encrypted form if you make them. No cloud sync.Only on the device's internal storage, per its listing.

AccountNone.The listing does not mention one.

Forgotten codeA 12-word recovery phrase for each vault. Lose the pattern and the phrase, and nobody can open that vault.The listing does not say.

If someone pressures youA different pattern opens a different vault, and the app shows no list of vaults. No duress mode.None listed.

DisguisePaid plan: alternate icons and a working calculator screen. The name under the icon stays Backroom.None listed.

Ads and dataNo ads and no analytics.Apple label: diagnostics, identifiers and usage data used to track you. Those also collected unlinked.

Code and reviewSource code is unpublished.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 app. Subscriptions from $2.99, per its listing. Premium entries run $4.99 to $39.99.

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

Simple by design

SPV’s listing is short: create a PIN, make albums, save photos and videos, store passwords and contacts, and browse the web without leaving traces. If you want something simple, that may be enough. Backroom has no browser or dedicated password or contact storage.

Lock and keys

A PIN is quick to type and easy to watch. So is a pattern, and both depend on how you choose them. Backroom requires at least 6 dots on a 5 by 5 grid, and it rates strength when you make a vault. The pattern unlocks a random key that encrypts your files with AES-256-GCM. SPV’s listing does not discuss encryption, so you would need to ask the developer.

Data practices

SPV’s Apple label lists diagnostics, identifiers and usage data used to track you. Backroom has no analytics or ads. Both keep your files on the device.

Price

SPV’s listing says subscriptions start at $2.99, and its purchase table shows entries up to $39.99. Backroom is $1.99 a week, $19.99 a year or $39.99 once. The free plan holds 50 photos and files, 5 videos and 10 notes per vault.

Frequently asked questions

Does SPV keep my photos on a server?

Its listing says no: it uses the device's internal storage only. Backroom works the same way, apart from your own device backups.

What should I do before deleting either app?

Export what you want to keep. SPV's listing warns that deleting the app deletes its data, and Apple says the same of apps in general.

Does Backroom store passwords and contacts?

It has no fields for them. You could keep text in a locked note. SPV has dedicated storage for both, and a password manager is a stronger choice for passwords.