Yubico Authenticator vs Cue
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Yubico Authenticator
Secure your online accounts with hardware-backed two-factor authentication. Store unique credentials on a physical security key, eliminating the need to store sensitive data on your mobile device. Generate verification codes without an internet connection for enhanced account protection.
- Hardware-backed security key storage
- Touch or NFC authentication
- USB-C support
- Biometric unlock (FaceID/TouchID)
- QR code setup
- User presence verification
- Smart Card support
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Store your unique credentials on a hardware-backed security key and take it wherever you go from mobile to desktop. No more storing sensitive secrets on your mobile phone, leaving your account vulnerable to takeovers. With the Yubico Authenticator you can raise the bar for security. * The Yubico Authenticator will work with any USB, Lightning, or NFC-enabled YubiKeys. * As iPads do not have NFC, they will only work through a Lightning or USB connection. The Yubico Authenticator generates a code used to verify your identity as you are logging into various services. No connectivity needed! Features include: Touch or NFC Authentication - Touch the YubiKey sensor or simply tap a YubiKey with NFC to a mobile phone that is NFC-enabled to store your credential on the YubiKey USB-C support - Connect the YubiKey 5Ci or any USB-C type YubiKey. When prompted, depending on the key, touch the contacts on the sides of the key or the golden ring on the top Biometric support - Experience greater convenience by unlocking your YubiKey with FaceID or TouchID Easy Setup - QR codes available from the services you wish to protect with strong authentication User Presence - New codes generated with just a touch or NFC tap of the YubiKey Compatible - Secure all the services currently compatible with other Authenticator apps Secure - Hardware-backed strong two-factor authentication with secret stored on the YubiKey, not on the mobile device Versatile - Support for multiple work and personal accounts Portable - Get the same set of codes across our other Yubico Authenticator apps for desktops as well as for all leading mobile platforms Flexible - Support for time-based and counter-based code generation Smart Card - Support for Apple's CryptoTokenKit Extension making it possible to use certificates stored on your YubiKey to authenticate with other apps and sites Experience security the modern way with the Yubico Authenticator. Visit yubico.com to learn more.
Cue
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Cue is a cozy corner for the internet you mean to come back to. No feeds, no noise, no account — just your queue, waiting for the right moment. SAVE WITHOUT LEAVING Tap Share in any app and pick Cue. Tag it and add a note right there in the share sheet — Cue never opens, and you stay exactly where you were reading. The preview catches up on its own, title and image and all. Copied a link? Cue offers it when you open the app. Beautiful previews work across the sites that usually resist them: YouTube, X, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit, TikTok, Hacker News, GitHub, Wikipedia, arXiv and more. TAGS THAT ALMOST TAG THEMSELVES When you save, Cue suggests the tags you'd probably pick for that link — one tap files it. Tags sort themselves alphabetically, wear their own colors, and the tag box doubles as a live filter. Housekeeping is built in: merge duplicates, recolor, and see which tags have gone quiet. EVERY TAG BECOMES A SHELF Your Library keeps a shelf for each tag, so you can find things by how you filed them — and your archive is a shelf too. Search everything, or narrow by tag and by what kind of thing it is: Video, Post, Thread, Paper, Repo, Audio, Article, detected automatically. In the mood to watch something? Two taps. A QUEUE THAT ENDS Swipe a card to archive it when you're done, pin what matters, and enjoy the calm of an empty queue. Cue is designed to feel finished, not infinite. PRIVATE BY ARCHITECTURE - No account. No ads. No analytics. No tracking. - Everything lives on your device and syncs through your own private iCloud — we run no servers and cannot see your data. - Your library is yours: export it as JSON or CSV anytime, or erase everything with one tap. OPENS THE APPS YOU LOVE Optionally open saved links directly in their native apps — YouTube, X, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, GitHub and more. Cue is lovingly small: fast to open, quick to save, calm to browse. Give your someday-links a home.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Cue at every 6 days against Yubico Authenticator's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Yubico Authenticator ships an update monthly, Cue every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Yubico Authenticator | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (286 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 42.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 286 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Yubico | Daniel Di Filippo |
Bugs and requests
Yubico Authenticator
Reported bugs
4 issues- NFC not working reliably
- Accounts disappearing after updates
- Calculation of codes not working
- Keyboard issues when using keys
Requested features
5 requests- Allow editing and rearranging of entries
- Add support for multiple keys per account
- Improve iPad/tablet support
- Add dark mode option
- Improve QR code scanning
Cue
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Yubico Authenticator
No in-app purchases
Cue
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Yubico Authenticator free?
Is Cue free?
Do Yubico Authenticator or Cue have ads?
Which is updated more often, Yubico Authenticator or Cue?
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