# Pixel Gallery vs 1Gallery

Canonical: https://pixel-gallery.app/android/compare/1gallery

Last updated: November 9, 2026

**Verdict:** Pick 1Gallery if an encrypted vault with a disguised calculator lock is your top priority. Pick Pixel Gallery if you want no ads, face grouping, smart search and cleanup on the phone.

1Gallery is a gallery with an AES-encrypted vault, disguised lock modes and an editor, funded by ads. Pixel Gallery has no ads and focuses on on-device AI.

## Feature comparison

| Capability | Pixel Gallery | 1Gallery |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photos stay on the phone | Yes (Pixel Gallery never uploads your photos or videos.) | Partly (Local gallery; optional Google Drive backup of encrypted hidden (vault) files) |
| Works without an account | Yes | Yes (No account; the vault asks for an email used as a local encryption key, per the privacy policy) |
| On-device smart search | Yes (SigLIP2 model, ~375 MB optional download.) | No (Listing mentions search for file management only; no content search documented) |
| Face grouping | Yes (Runs on the phone.) | No (Not mentioned in the Play listing or website) |
| Duplicate and similar cleanup | Yes | No (No duplicate or similar-photo finder documented) |
| Encrypted metadata database | Yes | Not documented (Not documented; AES encryption is described for hidden files, not the app's index) |
| No ads | Yes | No (Contains ads (Google AdMob and Meta Audience Network per privacy policy)) |
| No subscription | Yes (Free, plus an optional one-time Premium purchase.) | Not documented (Free with ads and in-app purchases; whether these are one-time or subscriptions is not documented) |
| Cloud backup | No (Pixel Gallery has no cloud. Backup is up to you.) | Partly (Only encrypted hidden files, to your own Google Drive) |
| Open source | No | No (No public source code found) |
| Encrypted vault for hidden photos | Partly (Blurs items behind a biometric lock; files are not encrypted.) | Yes |
| Disguised lock (calculator mode) | No | Yes |
| Vault backup to Google Drive | No | Yes |
| Home screen photo widget | Yes | Yes |
| Stories and memories | Yes | No |

## Is Pixel Gallery a good 1Gallery alternative?

It depends on what you value. 1Gallery's strength is privacy for hidden files: an AES-encrypted vault, several lock modes including a disguised calculator, and Google Drive backup of the vault. It is funded by ads. Pixel Gallery shows no ads and focuses on understanding your library on the phone.

## What does 1Gallery do better?

- **Encrypted vault.** Hidden photos, videos and documents encrypted with AES.
- **Disguised lock.** PIN, pattern, fingerprint or calculator mode.
- **Vault backup.** Move the vault to a new phone through Google Drive.

## What does Pixel Gallery do better?

- **No ads.** 1Gallery uses ad networks, according to its privacy policy.
- **On-device AI.** People, search by what a photo shows, text recognition.
- **Cleanup.** Duplicates, similar shots and low-quality photos with swipe review.
- **An encrypted index.** The metadata database of faces, places and text is encrypted.

## Who should pick which?

Pick 1Gallery if a disguised, encrypted vault is the main reason you want a gallery app. Pick Pixel Gallery for an ad-free gallery that organizes your library for you.

## How to switch from 1Gallery

Unhide files from the 1Gallery vault you want indexed, install Pixel Gallery and allow photo access.

## Questions

**Is there a 1Gallery alternative without ads?**
Yes. Pixel Gallery has no ads and adds face grouping, semantic search and cleanup on the phone.

**Does 1Gallery really encrypt hidden photos?**
1Gallery says it encrypts hidden files with AES. The Pixel Gallery sensitive-media vault blurs items behind a biometric lock but does not encrypt the files.

**Does 1Gallery have face recognition?**
Face grouping is not documented for 1Gallery. Pixel Gallery groups faces on the phone.

## Sources

- [1Gallery on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.galleryx), accessed November 8, 2026
- [1Gallery data safety on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/datasafety?id=app.galleryx), accessed November 8, 2026
- [1Gallery official site](https://1gallery.app/), accessed November 8, 2026
- [1Gallery privacy policy (updated 2024-12-02)](https://1gallery.app/privacy.html), accessed November 8, 2026