The best digital ids, according to hackers
7 digital ids recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.
All digital ids
- BankIDWidely used Nordic electronic ID, praised for convenience and reliability, though critics say its central system and bank and app-store ties create lock-in.25recommend
- EU Digital Identity WalletRecommended as an open-source way to prove age or identity without sharing personal data. Common caveat: critics say it relies on Google or Apple device attestation.13recommend
- DigiDDutch government login that works as single sign-on for government apps, quick to use and free; critics object to its operation being handed to a commercial supplier.11recommend
- MitIDDanish national digital ID for logging in to banks and public services and verifying identity without uploading documents; critics mainly cite outages and centralization.11recommend
- Apple Wallet Digital IDPeople like that it presents only the information needed for a transaction, such as proof of age, and works while the phone is locked. Critics distrust Apple's closed platform and worry about police searches and government tracking.9recommend
- Login.govPeople recommend it as a government sign-in option that is more secure than alternatives like ID.me, especially for federal services, with in-person ID checks cited as a strength.8recommend
- AusweisAppFree, open-source German eID app that is available on Windows, Linux and FreeBSD and works with NFC on modern phones. Caveat: aligning the card with the phone can be fiddly.7recommend