[iOS, macOS] 20% off Strongbox $60.99 iOS / $27.99 MacOS @ Apple App Store

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PipSqueakables on 26/11/2021 - 06:10 apps.apple.com (177 clicks)
Last edited 26/11/2021 - 10:19 by 1 other user

One of the best password manager for iOS and MacOS.

Open Source. Compatible with KeePass and Password Safe. One-time fee and allows family sharing on the AppStore.

Strongbox supports the open source Password Safe (version 3) and KeePass file formats (KeePass 1 and 2, i.e. KDB, KDBX (3.1 and 4)). Strongbox uses open source encryption algoritms likes TwoFish, Argon2d, ChaCha20, Aes, Salsa20 and various other cryptographic techniques (SHA256s, HMACs, CSPRNGs) to store groups and entries, containing various secrets, mostly designed around password storage. You can also store File Attachments in KeePass format safes. YubiKey is also supported!

Related Stores

Apple App Store

Marketplace

Phoebe Code Limited

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  Psygnosis on 26/11/2021 - 07:56

  +1

  WTF! Why pay $60 for this when Bitwarden is free and open source too.

  • 

    00 on 26/11/2021 - 08:11

    +1

    Strongbox does not use or a require a server. Bitwarden does. Strongbox can be used completely offline, it uses a simple plain old single file (encrypted really well) that you manage yourself.

    Source: reddit comments

  • 

    UsernameChecksIn on 26/11/2021 - 09:20

    +1

    There are some other KeePass offline open source apps also available on Play Store

    comes down to developer/publisher trust unless you can verify the sideloaded app or verify that the published version is also the same as a published open-source sauce

    Ameliorated against a streamlined user experience / minimal user friction

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  UsernameChecksIn on 26/11/2021 - 09:19

  Price in title please

  Quick click shows it seems expensive $60.99 for something that is open source.

  *may not be open source for the app itself; advertises that it supports the open source integrations

  Who is phoebe-code-limited

  (oops I thought I posted this comment 3 hours ago) mb

  • 

    PipSqueakables on 26/11/2021 - 09:48

    +1

    Edited to include price.

    It IS open source. https://github.com/strongbox-password-safe/Strongbox

    There is no reason to bash the price just because it is open source. There are many high quality apps out there that are open source and enterprise-grade that deserves to be paid.

    Most password manager apps are now using the subscription, Strongbox offers a choice of one-time fee or subscription. Furthermore, the one-time fee on the AppStore allows family sharing (up to 6 members).

    • 

      UsernameChecksIn on 26/11/2021 - 09:55

      Thanks for the insights

      Not bashing. Sorry I did not put in the time to find out more in this comparative market

      Your concise summary shows great selling points.

      Now I just need to make a couple more family members..

      Could get into the varying degrees of open-source

      It looks like the commit history and repo is good for verification of the source behaviour, though the lack of ability to collaborate mars the community-vetting aspect.

      Do you know further about how they collaborate on open-source? It looks a bit intentionally obfuscated (apologies for the connotation) by the publishing license necessity

      I cannot accept outside pull requests from the community for licensing reasons. To release to Apple's App Store I have to manage Strongbox under a dual licence. The code here is under the GPL which Apple will not allow in the App Store. As mentioned above the code is provided here for transparency and openness, something I consider a prerequisite for a Password Manager. I need to maintain full ownership of the code so that I can licence to Apple separately, and also any outside/other licencing that might come along, commercial or otherwise. Accepting contributions (no matter how awesome) would involve the contributer signing their life and probably first born child away… There is probably a way to do this but I believe it will involve legally binding documents and other bureaucracies so to keep things simple I'm just going to manage the development myself. Other people's code sucks anyway, right?

      These commits look to be the "curated" public version (though that could be a development preference); there are no granular commits, descriptions or branches.

      probably more than I wanted to get into on OzBargain comment :P

      • 

        PipSqueakables on 26/11/2021 - 10:11

        Sorry, I don't know how they collaborate.

        By the way if you want to use family sharing, use the outright purchase on AppStore. DO NOT use in-app purchase (upgrade from free to pro), in-app purchases cannot be shared.

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  smiles on 26/11/2021 - 09:46

  +2

  JC!
  $61 but I'm using Strongbox free version and it does the job very well.
  Integrates to KeyPass very well.

  • 

    PipSqueakables on 26/11/2021 - 09:51

    +1

    Yes the free version works well, I paid for this so that I can have the convenience of thumb ID and share it with my family. After trying a few Keepass iOS app, I find this one equivalent to 1Password (which I previously used).

    • 

      UsernameChecksIn on 26/11/2021 - 10:00

      Do you personally synchronise keepasses around?

      From the note of preferring not to require a server

      (Asking for how user-friendly it is or for security recommendations)

      Considering making a big move

      also noting the irony personally-identifying/-profiling discussions for security-related decisions. 🐎🔋📎

      • 

        PipSqueakables on 26/11/2021 - 10:07

        +1

        Yes, I use keepassXC on my desktop and StrongBox on all my iOS devices. I can put my Keepass file on any cloud storage I choose.

        • 

          UsernameChecksIn on 26/11/2021 - 10:09

          @PipSqueakables: Awesome!

          Thanks @PipSqueakables

          Helps me get out of inundating comparisons with Keepass vs KeepassX vs KeepassXC * 1000 and all the other derivatives