Apple Passwords vs Secrets (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Apple Passwords grades higher than Secrets: 3.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Apple Passwords grades higher on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Apple Passwords
Apple's free password and passkey app for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Secrets
Apple-only password manager with one-time purchases or a subscription
Which one is for you
Pick Apple Passwords if
- Fits if every device you own is Apple and you don't want to pay for a password manager
- Works for sharing a few family logins, or reaching Chrome, Edge and Firefox on a Windows PC
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have an Android phone or a Linux laptop, because your passwords won't follow you
- Too light for people who want somewhere to keep cards, documents or secure notes as well
- Tight if you share with more than one circle, as a password can go in only one group
- Not for you if your devices can't run iOS 18 or macOS Sequoia 15, or family members are below iOS 17
- Watch out: exports are unencrypted CSV files, and Wi-Fi passwords and Sign in with Apple accounts are left out
Pick Secrets if
- Fits if you are all-in on Apple and want iCloud sync
- Works for people who would rather pay once than subscribe
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as there is no app for either
- Tight if you want to stay free, since editing is locked after the 7-day trial
- Pricey if you want sharing too: it is a separate $39.99 unless bundled or subscribed
- Watch out: invited sharers get read-only access unless they pay too
- Watch out: the App Store shows promotional prices of $44.99 and $29.99 for the same items
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAApple PasswordsVery good | 2.2GPASecretsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree on the App Store with no in-app purchases shown, where the middle paid password manager here asks $2.99 a month and the dearest tenth starts at $4.99. This one never asks for anything. | C$2.99 a month or $29.99 a year, which is the category middle. One-time Editing is $59.99, or $79.99 with Sharing. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app costs nothing and holds nothing back: AutoFill, passkeys, verification codes, leak alerts and shared groups. Sync between your devices runs on iCloud Keychain with the Apple Account you already have. | CA 7-day trial with no card stated. Once it ends, editing is locked until you buy or subscribe. |
| Features | CThe basics are all covered: passwords, passkeys, two-factor codes, Wi-Fi passwords, alerts when something leaks, and sharing with a group. Apple's own guide marks the limits: a password can sit in only one group, and exports are unencrypted CSV, with Wi-Fi passwords and Sign in with Apple accounts left out. | CSyncs through iCloud with extensions and shared vaults. Invited sharers are read-only unless they also hold an editing purchase. |
| Ease of use | A4.72 from about 803,000 App Store ratings. Logins you save through AutoFill turn up in the app, and it fills two-factor codes without you opening it. | BAn app you install and start using, with no store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, plus Windows through iCloud for Windows with extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox. No Android and no Linux, and it wants iOS 18 or macOS Sequoia 15 or later. | CMac, iPhone and browser extensions only. No Windows or Android apps, though a Windows extension can ask an iPhone for logins. |
| Best for | free passwords and passkeys on Apple devices | an Apple-only password app bought once |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Apple Passwords and Secrets. How we grade
Price against what you get
Apple Passwords has no paid plan and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Secrets starts at $2.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
Apple Passwords scores higher and starts $2.50 a month lower. Of the other password managers on the chart, none scores higher than Apple Passwords for less, and 10 score higher than Secrets for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Apple Passwords is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Secrets can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Apple Passwords | Secrets | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year |
| Free plan | Listed as free on the App Store with no in-app purchases shown. Syncing between devices uses iCloud Keychain on an Apple Account. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial starts when you install; editing needs a purchase or subscription afterward |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Apple | Outer Corner, Unipessoal LDA |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Apple Passwords
- There is no Android or Linux version. On Windows it runs through iCloud for Windows, with extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
- The App Store listing requires iOS 18, iPadOS 18 or visionOS 2 or later, and the Mac guide starts at macOS Sequoia 15.
- A password or passkey can be shared with only one group, and every member needs iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14 or later.
- Exports are unencrypted CSV files, and Wi-Fi passwords and Sign in with Apple accounts cannot be exported.
Secrets
- There are no Windows or Android apps; on those systems a browser extension can request logins from Secrets on an iPhone or iPad.
- Editing is locked after the 7-day trial until you buy it or subscribe; sharing is a separate purchase unless you bundle it or subscribe.
- Invited sharers get read-only access unless they also hold an editing purchase or subscription.
- The App Store listing also shows promotional purchase prices of $44.99 for Editing and $29.99 for Sharing.
Key features
Apple Passwords
- One place for every credential
- Lists app and website passwords, passkeys, verification codes, Wi-Fi passwords and Sign in with Apple accounts, with sorting and search.
- AutoFill and iCloud Keychain sync
- Logins saved through AutoFill appear in the app automatically and are available on every device signed in to the same Apple Account with Passwords turned on in iCloud settings.
- Passkeys
- Creates and saves passkeys for sites and apps that support them and signs in with Touch ID or Face ID. Passkeys are stored in iCloud Keychain.
- Verification codes
- Two-factor verification codes can be set up inside Passwords and filled in automatically without opening the app.
- Security recommendations
- Alerts you when a saved password has been found in a data leak and recommends changing weak or compromised passwords.
- Shared groups
- Share passwords, passkeys and Sign in with Apple accounts with a group of contacts. Everyone in the group can change the shared items and add their own.
Secrets
- iCloud sync
- Syncs iPhone, iPad and Mac through iCloud, and puts selected items on Apple Watch; data is never synced to Secrets' own servers.
- Autofill and browser extensions
- Fills logins with Password AutoFill on iOS and macOS and with extensions for Safari, Chrome and Firefox, plus Chromium browsers.
- Passwords, passkeys and more
- Stores passwords, passkeys, credit cards, bank details, files and notes, with one-time password generation for two-factor logins.
- Shared vaults
- Shares logins and cards with family or a team, kept in sync; invited people have read-only access unless they also hold an editing purchase.
- Biometric unlock
- Unlocks with Face ID, Touch ID or an Apple Watch, with automatic locking, or with a strong passphrase.
- Import from other managers
- Brings data in from 1Password, LastPass, Enpass and others, or from a CSV file.
Plans
Apple Passwords
Free$0
The full app on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, with AutoFill, passkeys, verification codes and shared groups.
Secrets
Monthly$2.99
per month
Subscription that unlocks editing and sharing on all of your Apple devices.
Yearly$29.99
per year
The same subscription billed once a year.
Editing$59.99
one-time
In-app purchase to create, edit, delete and import items; valid on every platform.
Sharing$39.99
one-time
In-app purchase that unlocks shared vaults so others can be invited to your items.
Editing + Sharing$79.99
one-time
Bundle of both purchases for a single payment.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apple Passwords or Secrets?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Apple Passwords is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2.50 a month when paid by the year for Secrets. Apple Passwords is free, and Secrets starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
Which has a free plan, Apple Passwords or Secrets?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Apple Passwords has a free plan. Secrets does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Apple Passwords and Secrets run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Apple Passwords lists a Windows app. Both list macOS and iOS apps and a browser extension. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.