AuthWire Authenticator vs Vault
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
AuthWire Authenticator
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AuthWire Authenticator delivers strong, device-bound multi-factor authentication (MFA) for organizations with high security and compliance requirements. The app leverages cryptographic keys that are generated directly on the iPhone and securely stored in the deviceβs secure enclave β protected by Face ID, Touch ID, or system passcode. Now with support for Passkeys β enabling modern, passwordless authentication based on open FIDO2 standards. Ideal for Zero Trust architectures and secure user flows without shared secrets. The Authenticator is purpose-built for enterprise environments that demand maximum security. Its implementation aligns with BSI recommendations and meets the assurance level defined by NIST SP 800-63B (AAL3). Key Features: β’ Device-bound cryptographic authentication β’ Phishing-resistant push approval β’ Biometric authentication (Face ID, Touch ID) or system passcode β’ Secure key lifecycle management (no credential export) β’ Compatible with TOTP-based services β’ Passwordless login via Passkeys β’ Optimized for Zero Trust architectures through the AuthWire platform AuthWire Authenticator can be integrated as a second factor in existing infrastructure or serve as a central trust anchor within modernized identity stacks
Vault
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Vault keeps the secrets you can't afford to lose: seed phrases, private keys and private notes, and your two-factor codes too. It has no servers, no accounts and no analytics, it makes no network requests, and it's open source. It's also built for the moment someone makes you unlock it. RECOVERY PHRASES AND PRIVATE KEYS β’ Keep the seed phrases for your crypto wallets, checked against the BIP39, SLIP-39, Electrum and Monero word lists as you type. β’ Keep private keys: WIF and extended keys (xprv), raw hex keys and Nostr keys, checked where they have a checksum, and PGP and SSH private keys. β’ Phrases and keys are always encrypted and locked, masked until you tap them, hidden while the screen is recorded or shared, and can't be copied. β’ Vault keeps your keys, never your funds: it signs nothing and makes no network requests. IF YOU'RE MADE TO UNLOCK IT β’ App Lock keeps Vault behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode, and hides it in the app switcher. β’ An App Lock Password encrypts the whole vault on your iPhone. Vault asks for it after Face ID or your passcode, and makes you wait longer after each wrong one. β’ A duress password opens a separate vault instead of your real one. β’ Hidden items only appear when you search for their passphrase. β’ A killphrase quietly deletes an item from this vault as soon as it's searched for. β’ If you turn it on, 10 wrong passwords in a row erase every vault on the iPhone. BACKUPS YOU CONTROL β’ Save an encrypted PDF backup to print or keep wherever you like. Restore it from the file, or by scanning its QR codes. β’ Or have Vault save a fresh encrypted backup whenever your items change, to a folder you choose, such as one in iCloud Drive. β’ Move your vault to another iPhone, iPad or Mac by scanning QR codes, with no file saved. PRIVATE BY DESIGN β’ No servers, no accounts, no sync, no analytics and no network requests. β’ Hide While Recording covers Vault while the screen is recorded, mirrored or shared. β’ Apple's keyboard learns nothing you type in Vault. β’ Open source: the code is on GitHub, with a security model that lists every promise Vault makes, and its limits. NOTES AND 2FA CODES β’ Write notes in plain text or Markdown, tag them, and find anything with instant search. β’ Lock any item behind Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode, and encrypt a note with a password of its own. β’ Add a code by scanning its QR code, or type in its secret. Time-based (TOTP) and counter-based (HOTP) codes both work. β’ Tap a code to copy it. Copies are cleared from the clipboard after a minute by default, and only reach your other devices if you allow it. β’ Fill codes into apps and websites with AutoFill, and see them in widgets on the Home Screen and Lock Screen. β’ Turn on Show in Spotlight to find a code by its site's name. Vault is free on iPhone, iPad and the Mac, with no ads and no in-app purchases.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: AuthWire Authenticator at daily against Vault's weekly. AuthWire Authenticator also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 27.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AuthWire Authenticator ships an update daily, Vault weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AuthWire Authenticator | Vault |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Daily β better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad β better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 β better | 27.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 81 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | AuthWire GmbH | Bad Bundle Limited |
In-app purchases
AuthWire Authenticator
No in-app purchases
Vault
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AuthWire Authenticator free?
Is Vault free?
Do AuthWire Authenticator or Vault have ads?
Which is updated more often, AuthWire Authenticator or Vault?
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