Is there an official KeePass app for iPhone?

No. KeePass is a Windows desktop program with no official iOS version. On iPhone you use a third-party app that reads and writes the same KDBX file, such as KeePassium, Strongbox, or Kakuremi.

Can I use the same KDBX file on my desktop and my iPhone?

Yes. KDBX (versions 3 and 4) is a shared format. Keep the file in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, WebDAV, or another service, and every device opens the same file. Changes you make on one device appear on the others once the file syncs.

Does a KeePass app on iPhone work with AutoFill?

Yes. After you enable the app as a Credential Provider in Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords, it offers your saved logins above the keyboard in Safari and other apps, just like Apple's built-in Passwords.

Is Kakuremi free, and what's paid?

The free tier includes one KDBX vault, full creating and editing, iOS AutoFill, Face ID, a password generator, search, storing TOTP secrets, and free YubiKey unlock. Pro ($2.99/mo, $14.99/yr with a 1-month free trial for new yearly subscribers, or $49.99 lifetime) adds multiple databases, adding file attachments, and viewing/copying live TOTP codes.

Does YubiKey work with KeePass apps on iPhone?

Yes, over NFC, using HMAC-SHA1 Challenge-Response (the KeePassXC mechanism) — not FIDO2 or passkeys. You need a YubiKey 5 series or NEO with a configured HMAC-SHA1 slot, and you should keep a backup key with the same secret, because a lost key with no backup means no recovery.

Does Kakuremi sync to the cloud?

No. Kakuremi is local-first with no accounts, no built-in cloud sync, and no telemetry. You control where the KDBX file lives via the Files app or iCloud Drive, and the decrypted database stays in memory only.

KeePass for iPhone: How to Use Your KDBX Vault on iOS

Short answer: yes, you can use KeePass on your iPhone — you just don't install "KeePass" itself. KeePass is a Windows desktop program, and there is no official KeePass app for iOS. What's portable is the KDBX file (your encrypted database). To use it on an iPhone you bring that .kdbx file to iOS, open it in a KDBX-compatible app, and let that app fill your logins through Apple's built-in Password AutoFill.

This guide explains how the pieces fit together — the KDBX file, a compatible iOS app, AutoFill, and your own sync (iCloud Drive, Files, Dropbox, etc.) — then walks through getting your database onto your phone and compares the main app choices, including where Kakuremi (free, local-first, free YubiKey unlock) honestly fits.

App	Platforms	Free tier	YubiKey (HMAC-SHA1 CR)	Independent audit	Open source
Kakuremi	iOS 17/18+	Yes — 1 vault, full editing, AutoFill, Face ID, generator, search, store TOTP	Free (over NFC)	Not yet	No (Rust core, proprietary)
KeePassium	iOS, macOS	Yes (basic)	Paid (Premium/Pro)	Yes — Cure53, 2024	Yes
Strongbox	iOS, macOS	Yes (limited, non-commercial)	Pro-only	Not publicly stated	Source on GitHub
KeePassXC	Windows, macOS, Linux (no iOS app)	Yes (fully free)	Free	—	Yes
KeePass	Windows (no official iOS app)	Yes (fully free)	Via plugin	—	Yes

Competitor pricing and features verified June 2026 and may change — check each app's own site for the latest. Kakuremi details reflect the current App Store version.

How KeePass actually works on iPhone

KeePass isn't a single app you install everywhere — it's a file format plus an ecosystem of compatible apps. On the desktop you might use the original KeePass (Windows) or KeePassXC (Windows, macOS, Linux). Both store your passwords in one encrypted .kdbx file, and that file is the standard that ties everything together.

On iPhone the workflow has four parts:

1. The KDBX file — your encrypted vault. It travels with you, and the format (KDBX 3 and KDBX 4) is identical across desktop and mobile.
2. A compatible iOS app — because there's no official KeePass app for iOS, you pick a third-party reader/writer such as KeePassium, Strongbox, or Kakuremi. The app opens your KDBX with your master password (and optional key file or hardware key).
3. iOS AutoFill — once you enable the app as a Credential Provider in Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords, it offers your logins right above the keyboard in Safari and other apps, just like Apple's own Passwords.
4. Your own sync — KeePass apps don't run a cloud account. You keep the file in iCloud Drive, the Files app, Dropbox, WebDAV, or wherever you like, and every device reads the same file. You stay in control of where the vault lives.

The big idea: the KDBX format is the interop standard. Your file made in KeePassXC on a laptop opens in a KDBX app on your iPhone, and changes sync back through whatever storage you chose.

How to get your KDBX file onto your iPhone

If you already have a .kdbx file on your computer, here's the practical path to using it on iOS:

Step 1 — Put the file in cloud storage. Copy your .kdbx to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or another service your iPhone can reach. (For a one-off, you can also AirDrop it to the iPhone's Files app.)
Step 2 — Install a KDBX app. Get a KeePass-compatible app from the App Store (KeePassium, Strongbox, or Kakuremi).
Step 3 — Open the database. In the app, choose "Open" / "Add database" and browse to the file through the Files picker. The app reads it in place — no import that locks you in.
Step 4 — Unlock it. Enter your master password (plus key file or YubiKey if your database uses one). After the first unlock you can usually enable Face ID for faster access.
Step 5 — Turn on AutoFill. In Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords, enable the app so it can fill logins everywhere.

Starting fresh with no desktop vault? Any of these apps can create a new KDBX on the iPhone, and because it's standard KDBX you can later open the very same file on a desktop with KeePass or KeePassXC.

One safety note: a KDBX file is only as safe as its master password and your backups. Keep a copy of the file (and any key file) somewhere safe — if you lose the file or forget the password, no app can recover it.

The main KeePass-compatible iPhone apps

A few mature, well-regarded apps read and write KDBX on iOS. All share the same format, so the differences are in price, platforms, audit history, and hardware-key support.

KeePassium (iOS + macOS) — open source, freemium, and the most established choice. It completed an independent Cure53 security audit in 2024 and supports YubiKey, though YubiKey is part of its paid Premium/Pro tier (roughly €19.99/year, or a one-time €79.99 lifetime license — about $20/$80). A strong, polished pick, especially if you want a Mac app too.
Strongbox (iOS + macOS) — long-established and feature-rich, with WebDAV/SFTP sync, an Apple Watch app, and an SSH agent. It supports YubiKey Challenge-Response (the KeePassXC mechanism), but as a Pro-only feature; pricing is about $2.99/month, $24.99/year, or $124.99 lifetime, plus a limited free version.
Kakuremi (iOS) — free and local-first, with a Rust core. Its standout is that YubiKey unlock is free, along with full editing, AutoFill, and Face ID at no cost. More on where it fits below.
KeePassXC and KeePass (desktop) — worth knowing they are not iPhone apps. KeePassXC (Windows/macOS/Linux) and the original KeePass (Windows) are the desktop companions; on iPhone you pair them with one of the apps above by sharing the same KDBX file.

If you're coming from a cloud manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or Proton Pass, note that those use a different model (vendor-hosted accounts and sync) rather than a portable KDBX file you control.

Where Kakuremi fits

Kakuremi is a free, local-first KeePass (KDBX 3/4) app for iPhone (iOS 17/18+) from Springhiker Inc. It's a good fit if you want to use your KDBX on iOS without paying to unlock the basics — and especially if you protect your vault with a hardware key.

What's free in Kakuremi:

One KDBX vault, with full create and edit of entries, groups, and tags (editing is free, not gated)
iOS AutoFill, Face ID unlock, password generator, and search
Storing TOTP (2FA) secrets
Free YubiKey unlock over NFC

What's Pro ($2.99/mo, $14.99/yr with a 1-month free trial for new yearly subscribers, or $49.99 lifetime): multiple databases, adding/managing file attachments, and viewing & copying live TOTP codes. That's the entire Pro gate — nothing else.

The honest differentiator: most KeePass-compatible iOS apps charge for YubiKey (KeePassium's is a paid Premium feature, ~€19.99/year (about $20); Strongbox's is Pro-only). Kakuremi's YubiKey unlock is free. The core is written in Rust (memory-safe), there are no accounts, no cloud sync, no telemetry, and no analytics (App Store privacy label: "Data Not Collected"), and the decrypted database stays in memory only.

Where Kakuremi is the weaker choice — being fair: it's iOS-only (no Mac/desktop app — pair it with KeePassXC on the desktop), the core is not independently audited yet (KeePassium has a published Cure53 audit), and it's a newer, smaller app than KeePassium or Strongbox. If you need a polished macOS companion or a third-party audit today, KeePassium is the safer pick. If you want free, private, local-first KDBX on iPhone with free YubiKey, Kakuremi is a strong fit.

A note on YubiKey on iPhone (it's not passkeys)

"YubiKey support" in KeePass apps means a specific thing, and it's easy to confuse with passkeys. Kakuremi, Strongbox, and KeePassXC all use HMAC-SHA1 Challenge-Response — the key becomes a second factor baked into the database's encryption. This is not FIDO2, passkeys, or WebAuthn.

You need a YubiKey 5 series (or the older NEO) with a slot configured for HMAC-SHA1 Challenge-Response. FIDO2-only "Security Key" models do not work for this.
On iPhone it works over NFC — tap the key to the top of the phone when prompted.
Keep a backup key programmed with the same secret. If your database is bound to a YubiKey and you lose it with no backup, there is no recovery.

This is the same mechanism KeePassXC uses on the desktop, so a database you set up with a YubiKey works consistently across compatible apps.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official KeePass app for iPhone?: No. KeePass is a Windows desktop program with no official iOS version. On iPhone you use a third-party app that reads and writes the same KDBX file, such as KeePassium, Strongbox, or Kakuremi.
Can I use the same KDBX file on my desktop and my iPhone?: Yes. KDBX (versions 3 and 4) is a shared format. Keep the file in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, WebDAV, or another service, and every device opens the same file. Changes you make on one device appear on the others once the file syncs.
Does a KeePass app on iPhone work with AutoFill?: Yes. After you enable the app as a Credential Provider in Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords, it offers your saved logins above the keyboard in Safari and other apps, just like Apple's built-in Passwords.
Is Kakuremi free, and what's paid?: The free tier includes one KDBX vault, full creating and editing, iOS AutoFill, Face ID, a password generator, search, storing TOTP secrets, and free YubiKey unlock. Pro ($2.99/mo, $14.99/yr with a 1-month free trial for new yearly subscribers, or $49.99 lifetime) adds multiple databases, adding file attachments, and viewing/copying live TOTP codes.
Does YubiKey work with KeePass apps on iPhone?: Yes, over NFC, using HMAC-SHA1 Challenge-Response (the KeePassXC mechanism) — not FIDO2 or passkeys. You need a YubiKey 5 series or NEO with a configured HMAC-SHA1 slot, and you should keep a backup key with the same secret, because a lost key with no backup means no recovery.
Does Kakuremi sync to the cloud?: No. Kakuremi is local-first with no accounts, no built-in cloud sync, and no telemetry. You control where the KDBX file lives via the Files app or iCloud Drive, and the decrypted database stays in memory only.

If you want your KeePass KDBX vault on iPhone for free — with full editing and free YubiKey unlock — try Kakuremi free on the App Store and keep your file entirely your own. Download Kakuremi free.