Open-source hardware security key line from Berlin-based Nitrokey, with models ranging from the FIDO2-only Nitrokey Passkey to the Nitrokey 3, which adds PIV smart card, OpenPGP, and TOTP support.
Nitrokey
Win Mac Linux Android Open Source Germany
Official website nitrokey.com
Our take
Nitrokey’s key differentiator over Yubico is transparency: the firmware is open source and auditable, the hardware designs are published, and the company is based in Germany with no US jurisdiction concerns. The Nitrokey 3 covers the same protocol breadth as the YubiKey 5. The practical catch is ecosystem polish - the companion app and documentation are less refined than Yubico’s, and some enterprise integrations assume a YubiKey. A strong pick for privacy-conscious users who want to verify what runs on their security hardware.
GitHub at a glance
Nitrokey/nitrokey-3-firmware
Stars
371
Last commit
today
healthy
License
Apache-2.0
Latest release
v1.8.3
8mo ago
Listed in
Nitrokey alternatives
YubiKey 5 Series Full-featured hardware security key from Yubico supporting FIDO2/WebAuthn, TOTP/HOTP, smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP across multiple form factors including USB-A, USB-C, and NFC variants.
Yubico Security Key Yubico's entry-level hardware security key offering FIDO2/WebAuthn support at a lower price point, available in USB-A and USB-C variants, with NFC on select models.