# Shops vs Authenticator

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shops at none against Authenticator's 3. Authenticator's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Authenticator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Shops asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shops ships an update every 7 months, Authenticator monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shops | Authenticator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticator-two-factor-app/id6683305035/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **6** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Subscription |
| Size | 4 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [9 Knots Solutions B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/960312880) | [Mats Vink](https://appshunter.io/developer/1747327646) |

## What reviewers say

### Shops

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shops/id6499515044)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Authenticator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/authenticator-two-factor-app/id6683305035)

This app generates time-based one-time passwords (OTP) to enhance the security of your online accounts. It offers quick setup via QR code scanning and works offline once configured. Data is encrypted and can be backed up to iCloud for seamless device synchronization.

**Highlights:** Quick setup with QR code scanning, Regularly updated OTPs, Offline functionality, iCloud backup and encryption, Cross-device synchronization, Universal compatibility with authentication practices

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Premium | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shops free?

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

### Is Authenticator free?

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

### Do Shops or Authenticator have ads?

Neither Shops nor Authenticator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shops or Authenticator?

Shops ships an update every 7 months, and Authenticator monthly. Most recently, Shops was updated on October 14, 2026 and Authenticator on October 24, 2026.

---

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