Since macOS Sequoia, the built-in Passwords app generates two-factor codes for free: it verifies TOTP codes, has a small menu-bar companion, autofills in Safari and some browsers, and syncs through iCloud. For many people, that's genuinely enough. HotKey OTP is for the moments it isn't — when the code has to land in a terminal, a VPN client, a Slack prompt, or any of the thirty accounts you juggle every day.
Free for 14 days, no card or account needed · then $4.99/month or $17.99 once · macOS 13 Ventura or later
Both apps generate standard TOTP codes and sync through iCloud. The difference is where those codes can go — and how fast you can get to them.
| HotKey OTP | Apple Passwords | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 14-day free trial, then $17.99 once — or $4.99/month | Free, built into macOS Sequoia |
| TOTP verification codes | ✓Plus HOTP, SHA-256/512, 6–8 digits, custom periods | ✓Standard TOTP |
| Autofill in Safari | ✓The hotkey types codes into Safari like any other app | ✓Native autofill; other browsers via the iCloud Passwords extension |
| Codes in every app | ✓Global hotkey types the code wherever your cursor is — Terminal, VS Code, Slack, remote desktops | ✗Autofill reaches Safari and supported browsers, not native apps |
| All codes at a glance | ✓One menu-bar list, one click to copy — plus a ⌥⌘K search palette | Codes live inside each login item; the menu-bar mini-app shows one login at a time |
| Steam Guard | ✓Generates Steam's five-character codes | ✗Not supported |
| Clock-drift auto-correction | ✓Codes stay valid even when a device's clock drifts | — |
| Next-code preview | ✓See the upcoming code before the current one expires | — |
| Folders & favorites | ✓Organize accounts your way, pin the ones you use daily | — |
| Backups & export | ✓iCloud Keychain sync plus encrypted file backups and QR export — your data is never locked in | iCloud sync |
| Passkeys | ✓As a dedicated authenticator you choose in AutoFill settings (macOS 14+) | ✓Built in |
Autofill is wonderful — right up until the code field isn't in a browser.
An aws sso login prompt, a VPN client, an SSH gateway asking for a verification code. Apple Passwords can't autofill there — you'd open the app, find the login, copy, switch back, paste. With HotKey OTP you press one hotkey and the code is typed into the prompt, cursor and all.
When codes hide inside individual login items, every sign-in starts with a search. HotKey OTP shows everything in one menu-bar list — folders, favorites on top, a next-code preview so an expiring timer never catches you mid-type, and clock-drift correction so codes just work.
Steam Guard uses its own five-character code format that Apple Passwords doesn't generate. HotKey OTP speaks it natively — add your Steam account and trade confirmations stop depending on your phone being within reach.
Honestly — for a lot of people, yes. If you have a handful of accounts, sign in mostly through Safari, and don't mind codes living inside each login item, the built-in app is free and solid. HotKey OTP earns its place when your codes need to go beyond the browser, when you have enough accounts that organization matters, or when you use services Apple doesn't cover, like Steam Guard.
Partly. It autofills in Safari natively, and in Chrome, Edge and Firefox through the iCloud Passwords extension. It doesn't reach native apps — terminals, code editors, chat apps, VPN clients or remote-desktop sessions. HotKey OTP's global hotkey types the code into whatever app has your cursor, so it works in all of those, browsers included.
Yes, and it's a sensible setup. When a service shows its 2FA setup QR, you can scan the same QR into both apps — they'll generate identical codes. Some people keep Apple Passwords for Safari autofill and use HotKey OTP everywhere else. There's no conflict; TOTP is an open standard.
No — and it doesn't try to. HotKey OTP is a dedicated authenticator: two-factor codes and passkeys, with recovery-code storage, encrypted backups and QR export. Keep managing passwords wherever you do today; HotKey OTP handles the second factor, everywhere on your Mac.
Both use iCloud for sync. HotKey OTP stores secrets in the macOS Keychain and syncs them end-to-end encrypted via iCloud Keychain to your other Macs and to the iPhone, iPad & Apple Watch app — nothing touches our servers. On top of that it adds encrypted file backups and QR export, so you always hold a copy of your own data.
Try HotKey OTP free for 14 days and see how often one hotkey beats copy-and-paste.
Free for 14 days · then $4.99/month or $17.99 once · macOS 13 Ventura or later