# Authenticator vs Minimal Notepad

The clearest difference is price: Minimal Notepad at Free against Authenticator's $0.99. Minimal Notepad also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Authenticator's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Minimal Notepad is free to download; Authenticator costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Authenticator against 5.0 for Minimal Notepad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Authenticator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Minimal Notepad's.

Authenticator ships an update every 2 months, Minimal Notepad every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Authenticator | Minimal Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticator-2fa-auth-app/id1511791282/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimal-notepad-mino/id6443759943/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 7 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [兵 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1492987808) | [Julian Lau](https://appshunter.io/developer/1603050262) |

## What reviewers say

### Authenticator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticator-2fa-auth-app/id1511791282)

Secure your online accounts with this open-source two-factor authentication app. It supports TOTP and offers multiple convenient setup and export options, all while remaining completely offline and private.

**Highlights:** TOTP algorithm support, QR code scanning for setup, Import accounts from files, Manual account entry, Export account keys, Offline functionality, Open-source

**In-app purchases:** none


### Minimal Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimal-notepad-mino/id6443759943)

A free, minimalist application for creating, editing, and deleting notes. It offers a straightforward and uncluttered interface for quick note-taking.

**Highlights:** Create new notes, Edit existing notes, Delete notes, Minimalist interface, Free to use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Authenticator free?

Authenticator costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Minimal Notepad free?

Minimal Notepad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Authenticator or Minimal Notepad?

Authenticator and Minimal Notepad are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Authenticator or Minimal Notepad have ads?

Neither Authenticator nor Minimal Notepad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Authenticator or Minimal Notepad?

Authenticator ships an update every 2 months, and Minimal Notepad every 8 days. Most recently, Authenticator was updated on September 24, 2026 and Minimal Notepad on September 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*