Authy review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Authy suits anyone who wants a plain authenticator app at no cost, covering iOS, Android and Apple Watch under the Twilio Inc. name. Backup keys are encrypted on the device and only ciphertext leaves it, and 100% confirms every app in the authenticator ranking keeps a free version.
Key facts
- Best for
- Free authenticator codes on a phone and a watch, with backup keys encrypted on the device.
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, Apple Watch (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Encryption
- Authenticator keys encrypted with AES-256 in CBC mode using a PBKDF2-derived key; encryption and decryption happen on the device, only ciphertext, salt and IV are sent to the cloud (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- TOTP (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Twilio Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2011 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
- Official website
- authy.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
Pros
- A free plan, so there is no entry price and no renewal price to weigh.
- The platform list is iOS, Android and Apple Watch, so a phone and a watch both carry codes.
- Backup encryption and decryption happen on the device, and only ciphertext, salt and the IV reach the cloud.
- Ownership sits with Twilio Inc. in the US, a business founded in 2011.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, with no published phone, email or chat route.
- The feature set is totp codes alone, so it is a code generator rather than a password vault.
- Platforms stop at iOS, Android and Apple Watch, leaving desktop and web clients to other products.
Who it suits
- People who want a second factor on iOS, Android and Apple Watch and do not want to pay for it.
- Readers who check how backup keys are handled, since encryption and decryption stay on the device.
- Anyone who wants a single account holding codes for every service they enrol.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for password storage: Bitwarden lists Web app (vault.bitwarden.com), Browser extensions (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo, Tor) and Windows desktop app, so a desktop and browser vault is available there.
- Not for cross-platform desktop use: Sinew Software Systems covers Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Not for readers who want one tool across desktop, mobile and browser: NordPass spans Windows, macOS and Linux.
Who runs it
Authy is the consumer name, and the legal entity behind it is Twilio Inc., headquartered in the US. The company was founded in 2011, so the app sits with a long-established business. Support runs on help centre only, which leaves self service articles as the published help route. Ownership is clear; direct contact is not.
How Authy compares
8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 8.8
8.7 vs 8.5
8.7 vs 9.5
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 9.2Spans Windows, macOS and Linux, so one account covers desktop, mobile and browser use rather than a phone and a watch alone.
8.7 vs 9.4
8.7 vs 9.2
8.7 vs 8.8
8.7 vs 9.3
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.0
8.7 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
Does Authy cost anything?+
There is a free plan, and the pricing model is listed as free, so there is no entry price and no renewal price to weigh. Free tiers dominate this category: 100% means every app in the authenticator ranking keeps a free version, and Authy is one of them. Expect to pay nothing for codes.
Which devices does Authy run on?+
Authy runs on iOS, Android and Apple Watch, a phone and watch set that leaves desktop and web out. Readers who want codes alongside a password vault on a computer will find a wider platform list elsewhere: Bitwarden covers Web app (vault.bitwarden.com), Browser extensions (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo, Tor) and Windows desktop app.
What does Authy actually generate?+
The listed feature set is totp, so Authy issues time-based one-time password codes rather than stored logins. It does not fill web forms, sync a password vault or share secrets, and the plan is free on that basis. Anyone who needs password storage as well as a second factor is looking at a different product.
How are Authy's backup keys protected?+
Backups are encrypted on the device with a key derived from your password, and only ciphertext, salt and the IV are sent to the cloud, so a stored backup never sits in readable form. Authy covers totp codes, so that backup holds second factors rather than a password vault, and the pricing model stays free.
How do I get help if a code stops working?+
Support runs on help centre only, so there is no published phone, email or live chat route to fall back on. That matches the category rather than standing out from it, since help centres cover 96.4% of the apps in the authenticator ranking. Plan for self service.
Who owns Authy?+
The service belongs to Twilio Inc., a company headquartered in the US, and it was founded in 2011. Account, billing and data questions therefore go to a named corporate operator rather than an independent developer, and the app runs as one product within a larger business.
How does Authy compare with password managers on price?+
Authy sits at the free end of the authenticator apps ranking, where the monthly median is €5.95 and the entry price median is €3. Password managers on this page are paid products, so a reader comparing a code app with a vault sees a very different price profile on each side.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters
“Authy Inc. founders Daniel Palacio and Gleb Chuvpilo were accepted into the Y Combinator startup accelerator program in late 2011.”
- authy.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Pricing model, Free plan
“Copyright (c) 2026 Twilio Inc. All rights reserved.”
- authy.com/features checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Platforms
“Access tokens - On any device. Your phone, tablet, even your Apple Watch.”
- authy.com/help checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Just want to browse our support FAQs? Visit Twilio Help Center”
- twilio.com/en-us/blog/how-the-authy-two-factor-backups-work checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Encryption, Features
“Using the derived key, each authenticator key is encrypted with Advanced Encryption Standard AES-256, in Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode along with a different initialization vector (IV) for each...”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price from.
Related by the facts
Authy
Free authenticator codes on a phone and a watch, with backup keys encrypted on the device.