Authenticator vs lowkeysafe
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Authenticator
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This is not a basic two-factor authentication app. It is a full personal security platform โ codes, passwords, an encrypted vault, a private browser and autofill โ built for people who take account security seriously enough to want everything in one place and nothing left unprotected. Use two-factor authentication on your accounts but manage your codes, passwords and sensitive files across three or four different apps and want everything consolidated under a single layer of encryption and Face ID. Have lost access to accounts before because you changed phones and had no encrypted backup of your 2FA codes โ and want Cloud Sync that keeps everything recoverable without compromising what is stored. Type passwords and copy 2FA codes manually every time you log in because your authenticator and your password manager do not talk to each other โ and want Auto Fill that handles both in one step WHAT YOU GET INSIDE 2FA Authentication โ secure TOTP and HOTP code generation for any account that supports two-factor authentication, codes refreshed every 30 seconds QR Scanner โ instant account setup by pointing the camera at any 2FA QR code MFA and OTP Support โ full multi-factor and one-time password compatibility across all standard authentication formats Backup Codes โ stored recovery codes for every account so a fallback always exists when the primary device is unavailable Password Manager โ encrypted credential storage for every login, organized and accessible without switching apps Secure Vault โ end-to-end encrypted storage for sensitive files, recovery keys, private notes and anything that does not belong in a standard notes app Private Browser โ built-in browser for sessions that should stay separate from your regular browsing history, with vault access directly inside it Auto Fill โ automatic code and password entry across apps and websites so nothing needs to be copied or typed manually Cloud Sync โ encrypted backup across all your devices so your full setup is recoverable on any new device from the moment you sign in Widgets โ home screen and lock screen access to your most-used codes without opening the app Encryption โ end-to-end protection applied across every feature, every stored item and every synced file SUBSCRIPTION & ACCESS Important: Subscription required; no free content. Payment upon subscription confirmation. -Subscription management in Account Settings. -Free trial shifts to paid subscription; unused portion forfeited upon upgrade. -Renewals unless disabled 24 hours before the current period ends. -Subscription: Premium Access - 7 days Premium Access Year - 1 year https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D__ycr3EDHVUEbXERJxifE4Sbyfgfl2IJtkC_6f6u7c/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lOqETe8b4Osox6y-0n5vfxrXWd_8yZA7kxd1_Cda1IQ/edit?usp=sharing
lowkeysafe
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lowkey safe is a password generator and vault that runs entirely on your device. There is no account to create, no sync service and no cloud. Everything you save is kept in an encrypted vault that never leaves your iPhone. GENERATE โข Basic โ a strong random password in one tap โข Advanced โ set the length and choose exactly which characters to include or exclude โข Passphrase โ real words strung together, so you can actually remember it โข Pronounceable โ easy to say and type, without being a real word TWO-FACTOR CODES Add a 2FA key to an entry and the six-digit code sits right next to the password, with a countdown so you know whether to use it now or wait for the next one. Tap to copy. Paste in the secret or the whole otpauth link โ there is no QR scanner yet. SECURE NOTES Not everything worth protecting is a password. Keep Wi-Fi codes, recovery keys, account numbers and software licences in the same encrypted vault, in their own tab. Write a note however you like, one item per line. Tap a line to copy it. When a line reads like "Account: 12345", tapping copies just the number โ press and hold to copy the whole line instead. No selecting text, no fiddling with a cursor. CHECK WHAT YOU ALREADY USE Type in an existing password and see what it is really made of: length, character types, pool size and entropy, plus an estimated brute-force time you can model against different GPUs and hashing algorithms. lowkey safe also warns you when a password looks suspiciously similar to one you have already saved. KEEP IT ORGANISED Save what you generate with a label like Gmail or Netflix, add notes, tags and categories, and star the ones you reach for most. Search looks inside your notes too. When it is time to change a password, the change flow keeps the old one linked as history instead of losing it. Logins have their own fields for the account name and the website, so an entry is more than just a password. SEE WHAT IS WEAK Insights reads your saved passwords and tells you what needs attention: which ones are weak, which ones you have reused across sites, and how your strength is spread overall. MOVE IN FROM ANOTHER APP Already using something else? Import a CSV export from Chrome, Edge, Safari, 1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass or KeePass. You see a preview before anything is written, and entries you already have are flagged instead of added twice. STAY IN CONTROL โข App lock with Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode โข The vault is encrypted with AES-256, and the key is held in the iOS Keychain โข Copied passwords are marked local-only, so they never travel to your other devices โข Deleted entries go to a recycle bin first, so a mistake stays recoverable โข Encrypted, keyword-protected backups (Argon2id and AES-256-GCM) for moving to a new phone PRIVACY No account, no sync, no ads. Optional anonymous usage analytics are switched off by default and can stay that way โ they never include a password, a label or a note. Available in English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: lowkeysafe at none against Authenticator's 2. lowkeysafe also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.5). Authenticator's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Authenticator sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. lowkeysafe asks for nothing beyond the download.
Authenticator ships an update weekly, lowkeysafe every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Authenticator | lowkeysafe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 5 days โ better |
| Ads | No โ better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No โ better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | 15.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BU Guard GmbH | WAI TONG CHU |
In-app purchases
Authenticator
- Premium Access3 Days trial$9.997 Days
- Premium Access Year$44.991 Year
lowkeysafe
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Authenticator free?
Is lowkeysafe free?
Do Authenticator or lowkeysafe have ads?
Which is updated more often, Authenticator or lowkeysafe?
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