# Bitwarden Authenticator vs Chronos Authenticator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chronos Authenticator at 100% against Bitwarden Authenticator's 41%. Chronos Authenticator also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). Bitwarden Authenticator's advantage is ratings volume (95 vs 3) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Chronos Authenticator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bitwarden Authenticator has 95 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Bitwarden Authenticator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chronos Authenticator's.

Bitwarden Authenticator ships an update fortnightly, Chronos Authenticator every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bitwarden Authenticator | Chronos Authenticator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitwarden-authenticator/id6497335175/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chronos-authenticator/id6503929490/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **95** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 41.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 71 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bitwarden Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137397743) | [Joel-David Wong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1750409239) |

## What reviewers say

### Bitwarden Authenticator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitwarden-authenticator/id6497335175)

Generate secure verification codes for two-factor authentication on your device. This app supports any website or application using industry-standard TOTP, adding an extra layer of protection to your online accounts.

**Highlights:** Generate 2FA verification codes, Supports TOTP standard, Universal compatibility, Simple, intuitive interface, Adds extra layer of protection

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good start
- 🚀 Supports export and import
- 🔒 Backed by a trusted company
- 💡 Dedicated authenticator app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on launch
- 🐛 Search function not working
- 🐛 Backup not working as expected
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Search results showing placeholder codes
- Backup not restoring codes after device restore
- Crashes after app updates

**Requested features**

- Add icons for services
- Allow rearranging of entries
- Implement iCloud/cloud sync
- Add Apple Watch support
- Require biometric authentication on each app open


### Chronos Authenticator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chronos-authenticator/id6503929490)

This open-source app provides secure two-factor authentication using time-based and counter-based methods. It offers end-to-end encryption for token data and optional iCloud backup and sync for convenience. Easily import and export your authentication tokens.

**Highlights:** Open-source, End-to-end encrypted token storage, Optional iCloud backup and sync, Token export and import, Anonymous usage (no account required)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bitwarden Authenticator free?

Bitwarden Authenticator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chronos Authenticator free?

Chronos Authenticator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bitwarden Authenticator or Chronos Authenticator?

Chronos Authenticator is rated higher. Bitwarden Authenticator averages 3.5 out of 5 from 95 ratings, while Chronos Authenticator averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Bitwarden Authenticator or Chronos Authenticator have ads?

Neither Bitwarden Authenticator nor Chronos Authenticator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bitwarden Authenticator or Chronos Authenticator?

Bitwarden Authenticator ships an update fortnightly, and Chronos Authenticator every 6 days. Most recently, Bitwarden Authenticator was updated on September 28, 2026 and Chronos Authenticator on September 16, 2026.

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