Ranking updated
Best secure document storage apps in 2026
To scan paper documents, get on-device suggestions for type and title, and keep them encrypted behind Face ID, Vault Docs. For insurance cards, memberships and travel documents with expiry reminders and field-by-field sharing, digiID. For end-to-end encrypted cloud storage of files and photos across devices, Proton Drive. For IDs, cards, receipts and business cards in one wallet, DocWallet. For a locked vault of files, photos, notes and passwords, Private Vault. Full breakdown below.
How we picked: we read each app’s own App Store description for how it stores documents, on the device or in the cloud, how it encrypts and locks them, and what it adds on top: scanning, search, expiry reminders or sharing. We do not quote prices; check them in the store for your country.
Scan and sort documents without sending them anywhere
Vault Docs is a private document scanner and organiser for iPhone and iPad: scan several paper pages into one PDF with edge detection, or import PDFs, photos, text, Word and Excel files, and get on-device suggestions for the document type, a short title, a category and file names, which you edit before saving. It can detect page groups and split a mixed PDF into separate files while keeping the original unchanged. Document images and recognised text are not sent to an external AI service, files stay local by default, and optional iCloud Sync encrypts contents and metadata before storing them in your own iCloud. Documents are protected with AES-256-GCM encryption, Face ID, Touch ID, a passcode and automatic locking, sorted into categories such as identity, medical, finance, home and travel, and searchable by title or file name.
Cards, IDs and expiry dates
digiID keeps personal copies of insurance cards, memberships, travel documents and other records in a private wallet: capture a document, import photos or type details, search scans with on-device text recognition, and open it offline. Images and details are encrypted on the device, the app locks when it goes to the background, and no online account is needed. You can share only the fields you select, add expiry dates with optional reminders whose notifications do not show document names or numbers, and create an encrypted recovery backup with a separate recovery key before changing iPhones. DocWallet gathers IDs, membership cards, receipts, business cards, passport photos, notes and important numbers in one wallet, with camera scanning, PDF tools, device security on access and cloud features to keep things available across devices.
Encrypted cloud and a private vault
Proton Drive is end-to-end encrypted cloud storage for files and photos: only you and the people you choose can see them, metadata such as filenames and sizes is encrypted too, and its code is open source. It backs up photos in original quality, shares files through links with a password and an expiry date, protects the app with a PIN or biometrics, keeps version history and opens files offline. Private Vault is a locked store for photos, videos, notes, files imported from your computer, contacts you want out of your address book and passwords, with a private browser that keeps no history and secret bookmarks.
| App | Best for | Where files live | Lock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vault DocsCensuusApp Store | scanning and organising paper documents privately | on device, optional encrypted iCloud sync | Face ID, Touch ID, passcode, auto-lock |
| digiIDApp Store | cards and travel documents with expiry dates | on device, encrypted recovery backup | iPhone authentication, locks in background |
| Proton DriveApp Store | end-to-end encrypted files and photos across devices | encrypted cloud | PIN or biometrics |
| DocWalletApp Store | IDs, cards, receipts and notes in one wallet | on device with cloud features | device security |
| Private VaultApp Store | private files, photos, notes and passwords | in the app | app lock |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most secure app to store documents on iPhone?
For documents kept on the device, Vault Docs encrypts them with AES-256-GCM behind Face ID or a passcode and processes scans on the device. For the cloud, Proton Drive is end-to-end encrypted, so even Proton cannot see your files.
Where can I store ID and insurance cards on my phone?
digiID keeps insurance cards, memberships and travel documents in an encrypted wallet with expiry reminders, and DocWallet stores IDs, cards and receipts together.
Is there a document storage app with no account?
Vault Docs needs no separate account and digiID needs no online wallet account; both keep documents encrypted on the device.
Can a document vault remind me when a passport or card expires?
digiID lets you add expiry dates and choose reminders, with notifications that do not show document names or numbers.