AllApps

Password managers you buy once.

Buy pwSafe 2, and mostly because of its file format: it writes a Password Safe vault that other software can open, so you are never trapped. aWallet is the healthiest of these on the evidence, and the one to pick if you also carry an Android phone. Read the catch on every one of these before you commit — a password manager is the worst place to discover you cannot get your data out.

The filter. Every app here is a single purchase. None of them can start charging you monthly for what you already bought. See every app under this rule ›
Top pick

pwSafe 2 - Password Safe

Huvisoft B.V.
View on the App Store ›
$2.99 once4.7★ (5,108)Updated Oct 21, 2026
Verdict
pwSafe 2 syncs passwords across iPhone, iPad, Mac and even Windows or Linux desktop clients, which is unusual for an app in this price tier, but a meaningful minority of reviewers report sync breaking and one describes losing passwords despite paying for extra iCloud storage.
Best for
Someone who already keeps a password database in the desktop PwSafe format and wants it to sync across an entire household of Apple devices without adopting a subscription vault.
The catch
Sync between devices (iCloud or Dropbox) doesn't always work reliably, and at least one reviewer reports losing access to their password database after troubleshooting sync issues.
One-time purchaseOpen vault formatDropbox or iCloud

aWallet Cloud Password Manager

Petr Synek
View on the App Store ›
$9.99 once4.9★ (1,931)Updated Oct 27, 2026
Verdict
aWallet stores passwords and other sensitive data locally and syncs it across devices via its own cloud service rather than iCloud, and reviewers consistently praise the interface as simple and intuitive.
Best for
Someone who wants a straightforward password vault that syncs across an iPhone and an Android device without relying on iCloud.
The catch
It doesn't use iCloud sync, which one reviewer flagged as missing, so cross-device syncing depends on the developer's own cloud service instead.
One-time purchaseDropbox or Drive syncAlso on Android

Password Manager-

广栋 莫
View on the App Store ›
$5.99 once4.6★ (6,463)Updated May 9, 2025
Verdict
Simple, easy-to-use password storage that people rely on for years, but there's a real history of an older version breaking after an iOS update and locking users out of a decade of saved data with no export path and unresponsive support.
Best for
Someone who wants a straightforward, no-frills vault for passwords and personal notes on a single iPhone or iPad and is willing to keep the app updated proactively.
The catch
Multiple reviewers report a prior version of this app stopped working after an iOS update, with no data export option and no response from customer support to recover years of stored passwords.
One-time purchaseAutofilliPhone and iPad

Side by side.

AppPriceVault formatSyncs withExports toUpdated
pwSafe 2 - Password Safe$2.99 once Password Safe (open)iCloud, DropboxOpen formatOct 21, 2026
aWallet Cloud Password Manager$9.99 once PrivateDropbox, DriveOwn formatOct 27, 2026
Password Manager-$5.99 once PrivateiCloudOwn format onlyMay 9, 2025

Who should skip this entirely.

Most people should skip this entire category. iCloud Keychain is free, built into every Apple device, syncs without setup and fills passwords in Safari and apps. More than that: a password manager is only as safe as its maintenance, and buying one outright means nobody is being paid to keep patching it. Several apps here have gone years between updates. If you want a vault someone is actively maintaining, a subscription is the honest price of that, and you should pay it.

Questions.

Is a one-time-purchase password manager a bad idea?It can be. The money that keeps a vault patched has to come from somewhere, and reviewers of several apps here report long gaps between updates. Buy one because you want the file format or the offline vault, not only to avoid a subscription.
Why is 1Password or Bitwarden not here?1Password is subscription-only and Bitwarden is free with a paid tier, so neither passes the rule this list is built on. Both are maintained, which is worth something.

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