# Bitwarden Authenticator vs BookStax

The clearest difference is rating: BookStax at 5.0 against Bitwarden Authenticator's 3.5. Bitwarden Authenticator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (95 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BookStax sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Bitwarden Authenticator asks for nothing beyond the download.

BookStax 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bitwarden Authenticator ships an update fortnightly, BookStax every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bitwarden Authenticator | BookStax |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitwarden-authenticator/id6497335175/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookstax/id6761068485/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **95** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 41.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 71 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bitwarden Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137397743) | [Sven Uwe Hanold](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887623795) |

## 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


### BookStax

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookstax/id6761068485)

Access and manage your self-hosted BookStack knowledge base natively on iPhone. Edit pages with a Markdown editor, search your content, and access it offline. Prioritizes privacy with secure API token storage.

**Highlights:** BookStack hierarchy navigation, Full-text search with filters, Markdown editor with live preview, Offline read access, Secure API token connection, Light/Dark/System mode, Multi-language support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Page | $2.99 | one-time |
| Themes & more Servers | $5.99 | one-time |
| Book | $5.99 | one-time |
| Encyclopaedia | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bitwarden Authenticator free?

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

### Is BookStax free?

BookStax is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

BookStax is rated higher. Bitwarden Authenticator averages 3.5 out of 5 from 95 ratings, while BookStax averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Bitwarden Authenticator or BookStax have ads?

Neither Bitwarden Authenticator nor BookStax shows ads.

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

Bitwarden Authenticator ships an update fortnightly, and BookStax every 9 days. Most recently, Bitwarden Authenticator was updated on October 19, 2026 and BookStax on October 18, 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.*