Cubbylock vs Locked Notes on iPhone: Which to Use?
Short answer: If your private items are text, checklists and scanned pages, a note locked with a separate Notes password is free and good enough. Choose a vault app when you need PDFs and other files behind the same lock, or want everything in one place. Cubbylock is in development, designed for that second case.
The quick comparison
| Apple Notes (locked note) | Cubbylock (in development) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, built in | Free download; pricing not set yet |
| Separate code from iPhone passcode | Yes, if you create a Notes password | Designed to always use its own code |
| Text and checklists | Yes | Designed for it |
| Scanned documents and photos | Yes | Designed for it |
| PDFs, audio, video, iWork files | No, the note can’t be locked | Designed for it |
| Title visible when locked | Yes, the first line | Designed to show nothing outside the app |
| Encryption | End-to-end in iCloud (Apple) | Designed to encrypt on the device, AES-256-GCM |
| Sync to iPad and Mac | Yes, through iCloud | iPhone only at launch |
| Forgotten password | Apple can’t recover locked notes | Recovery phrase; without it, nobody can |
Apple Notes facts checked against Apple’s support article on locking notes, 25 Oct 2026.
When Apple Notes is the better choice
- You only need to protect text and scans.
- You want the notes on your iPad and Mac too.
- You’d rather not install another app.
Set it up with a separate password: how to lock notes on iPhone.
When a vault app fits better
- You keep PDFs, contracts or ID files that a locked note refuses.
- People close to you know your iPhone passcode, and you’d like one code for everything private.
- You don’t want even note titles visible.
What neither protects
- Someone who watches you type your code.
- Copies you left elsewhere: the original email attachment, a screenshot in Photos, a file in Downloads.
- Your data if you lose every way to unlock it. That is how real encryption works.
Frequently asked questions
Is a locked note safe enough for private information?
For text and scans, yes, if you use a separate Notes password rather than your iPhone passcode. Apple says locked notes in iCloud are end-to-end encrypted.
Why use a vault app if Notes can lock notes?
Because a locked note can't hold PDFs, audio, video or iWork files, and its title stays visible. A vault app keeps files and notes together behind one separate code.
Can I keep PDFs in a locked note?
No. Apple doesn't let you lock a note that contains a PDF, audio, video, or a Pages, Numbers or Keynote file. You can lock the PDF itself in the Files app instead.
Is Cubbylock available?
Not yet. Cubbylock is in development, and this page compares Apple Notes with how Cubbylock is designed.