Secure Storage in React Native: Keychain vs SensitiveInfo

Both react-native-keychain and react-native-sensitive-info solve the same core problem — keeping secrets safe on a user's device. They both tap into native security hardware like the iOS Keychain and Android Keystore. However, they approach the task differently, and one is generally safer for critical data like login tokens. Let's look at how they handle security, API design, and real-world usage.

🔒 Security Model: Credentials vs Key-Value

react-native-keychain treats data as credentials.

• It is built to store username and password pairs or generic secrets.
• On Android, it forces the use of the Keystore system for encryption keys.
• This makes it harder for attackers to extract data even with root access.

// react-native-keychain: Stores as credentials
import * as Keychain from 'react-native-keychain';

await Keychain.setGenericPassword('user123', 'token_xyz', {
  service: 'com.example.app',
  accessControl: Keychain.ACCESS_CONTROL.BIOMETRY_ANY,
});

react-native-sensitive-info treats data as key-value pairs.

• It works like a secure dictionary (setItem, getItem).
• Historically, Android implementations varied between SharedPreferences and Keystore.
• Newer versions use EncryptedSharedPreferences, but configuration is critical.

// react-native-sensitive-info: Stores as key-value
import RNSensitiveInfo from 'react-native-sensitive-info';

await RNSensitiveInfo.setItem('auth_token', 'token_xyz', {
  sharedPreferencesName: 'secure_prefs',
  keychainService: 'com.example.app',
});

📟 API Design: Structured vs Flexible

react-native-keychain has a strict structure.

• You usually store a username and password together.
• This matches how most login systems work (identity + secret).
• Retrieving data returns an object with username and password fields.

// react-native-keychain: Structured retrieval
const credentials = await Keychain.getGenericPassword({
  service: 'com.example.app',
});

if (credentials) {
  console.log(credentials.username); // 'user123'
  console.log(credentials.password); // 'token_xyz'
}

react-native-sensitive-info is more flexible.

• You can store any string value under any key.
• Useful for storing multiple unrelated settings securely.
• You can fetch all items at once, which can be risky if not handled carefully.

// react-native-sensitive-info: Flexible retrieval
const token = await RNSensitiveInfo.getItem('auth_token');
const settings = await RNSensitiveInfo.getAllItems();

console.log(token); // 'token_xyz'
console.log(settings); // { auth_token: 'token_xyz', ... }

🆔 Biometric Authentication: Built-In vs Configured

react-native-keychain integrates biometrics directly.

• You pass an option when setting or getting data.
• The OS prompts for FaceID or Fingerprint automatically.
• This ensures the user is present before releasing secrets.

// react-native-keychain: Biometric lock
await Keychain.setGenericPassword('user', 'pass', {
  accessControl: Keychain.ACCESS_CONTROL.BIOMETRY_ANY,
  accessible: Keychain.ACCESSIBLE.WHEN_PASSCODE_SET_THIS_DEVICE_ONLY,
});

// Retrieval triggers biometric prompt
const creds = await Keychain.getGenericPassword({
  accessControl: Keychain.ACCESS_CONTROL.BIOMETRY_ANY,
});

react-native-sensitive-info supports biometrics but requires setup.

• You must enable specific options in the Android manifest and iOS plist.
• The API allows passing options, but behavior can vary by OS version.
• It is less opinionated, meaning more room for configuration errors.

// react-native-sensitive-info: Biometric options
await RNSensitiveInfo.setItem('secret', 'value', {
  keychainService: 'com.example.app',
  // Requires native config to enforce biometrics strictly
});

const value = await RNSensitiveInfo.getItem('secret', {
  keychainService: 'com.example.app',
});

🤖 Android Implementation: Keystore vs SharedPreferences

react-native-keychain uses the Android Keystore system.

• It generates hardware-backed keys to encrypt data.
• Data is inaccessible without the proper unlock state (like PIN or Biometric).
• This is the gold standard for Android security.

// react-native-keychain: Android Keystore enforced
// No extra code needed — library handles Keystore integration
await Keychain.setGenericPassword('user', 'pass', {
  storage: Keychain.STORAGE_TYPE.AES, // Uses hardware-backed AES
});

react-native-sensitive-info uses EncryptedSharedPreferences.

• Older versions used standard SharedPreferences (not secure).
• Current versions use encryption, but rely on correct initialization.
• Developers must ensure they are on the latest version to avoid plaintext leaks.

// react-native-sensitive-info: EncryptedSharedPreferences
// Ensure library version is up-to-date to avoid plaintext storage
await RNSensitiveInfo.setItem('key', 'value', {
  sharedPreferencesName: 'encrypted_prefs',
});

🛠 Maintenance and Community Trust

react-native-keychain is widely adopted for auth.

• It has a large user base in production finance and health apps.
• Issues regarding security are typically addressed quickly.
• It is the default recommendation for storing OAuth tokens.

// react-native-keychain: Community standard
// Widely used in boilerplates like Ignite or React Native Template
import * as Keychain from 'react-native-keychain';

react-native-sensitive-info has had maintenance gaps.

• There have been periods with long delays between releases.
• Security audits have previously flagged Android implementation risks.
• Developers should verify the current fork or maintenance status before use.

// react-native-sensitive-info: Check maintenance
// Verify active maintenance before adding to critical paths
import RNSensitiveInfo from 'react-native-sensitive-info';

🤝 Similarities: Shared Ground Between Libraries

While they differ in focus, both libraries share core capabilities for secure storage.

1. 📱 Native Security Backing

• Both use iOS Keychain for Apple devices.
• Both use Android Keystore or encrypted storage for Google devices.
• Data survives app reinstalls (unless explicitly wiped).

// Both persist data across app restarts
// Keychain
await Keychain.setGenericPassword('u', 'p'); 

// SensitiveInfo
await RNSensitiveInfo.setItem('k', 'v');

2. 🗑️ Data Removal

• Both provide methods to clear data securely.
• Essential for logout functionality.
• Ensures secrets are not left on discarded devices.

// Keychain: Reset credentials
await Keychain.resetGenericPassword();

// SensitiveInfo: Delete specific key
await RNSensitiveInfo.deleteItem('auth_token');

3. ⚙️ Service Naming

• Both allow you to namespace data by service name.
• Prevents conflicts if multiple apps share a device.
• Helps organize secrets within the native storage.

// Keychain: Service option
await Keychain.setGenericPassword('u', 'p', { service: 'my.app' });

// SensitiveInfo: KeychainService option
await RNSensitiveInfo.setItem('k', 'v', { keychainService: 'my.app' });

📊 Summary: Key Similarities

🆚 Summary: Key Differences

💡 The Big Picture

react-native-keychain is the specialist tool 🔐 — built specifically for authentication flows. It enforces better security defaults on Android and matches the mental model of logging in (username + password). Use this for anything related to user sessions.

react-native-sensitive-info is the generalist tool 🗃️ — built for storing various secure settings. It is flexible but requires more diligence to ensure Android security is configured correctly. Use this for non-critical secrets or if you need a simple dictionary interface.

Final Thought: Security is not just about encryption — it is about maintenance and defaults. For most professional apps, react-native-keychain provides a safer baseline with less room for configuration errors.