Comparison

Authenticator vs X

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Authenticator

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
Currently charting
Read full description

Authenticator is an elegant, open-source two-factor authentication app that supports the Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP) algorithm. It offers multiple convenient methods to set up your accounts: • Scan a QR Code. • Read from a QR Code image. • Import from a file. • Manual entry. The app features an beautiful “Account Details” page that displays each account along with its QR Code. You can view or copy this information at any time. Authenticator also provides several easy ways to export all your accounts: • Export key URIs to the clipboard. • Export key URIs as plain text. • Export key URIs as a TXT file. • Export key URIs as QR Code images. Authenticator always remains offline and never connects to any networks. It does not track any data or collect any personal information. Just works as it should be. Authenticator is fully open source on GitHub: https://github.com/bingzheung/authenticator

About

X

Features
Read full description

X: QR Code Scanner & Generator is a fast and easy-to-use tool for scanning and creating QR codes. Effortlessly scan any QR code or generate custom ones with your preferred colors and shapes. Main features: - Scan any QR code using the camera, with flashlight support. - Scan QR codes directly from your photo library. - Create custom QR codes with your chosen colors and shapes. - Save custom QR codes to your photo library for future use.

Screenshots

Authenticator4 screens
X4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: X at Free against Authenticator's $0.99. X also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Authenticator's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#188 vs unranked). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Authenticator ships an update every 2 months, X daily. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Authenticator versus X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAuthenticatorX
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#188 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer兵 张Bao Tran

In-app purchases

None

Authenticator

No in-app purchases

None

X

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Authenticator free?
Authenticator costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is X free?
X is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Authenticator or X have ads?
X shows ads; Authenticator does not.
Which is updated more often, Authenticator or X?
Authenticator ships an update every 2 months, and X daily. Most recently, Authenticator was updated on September 24, 2026 and X on September 22, 2026.

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