1 Best Open Source Authy Alternatives

Authy is a two-factor authentication app from Twilio that generates time-based one-time codes for logging into other services. Its main selling point over built-in authenticator apps is encrypted cloud backup and multi-device sync, so losing a phone does not mean losing access to every account protected by 2FA codes.

People look for alternatives to Authy for a couple of reasons. Twilio has changed Authy's desktop and API offerings over time, which has made some users wary of depending on it long-term, and syncing 2FA codes through a company's cloud means trusting that company with the keys to your other accounts. Some users simply prefer software where the code handling their authentication secrets is publicly auditable.

Ente is one open-source option that covers this use case through Ente Auth, a dedicated 2FA app from the same team behind Ente's encrypted photo storage. It stores authentication codes end-to-end encrypted and syncs them across devices, similar to Authy's core function, and the client and server code is open source. It also supports standard TOTP and HOTP, so it works with the same services that support Authy.

Before switching, export your existing 2FA secrets from Authy or from each individual service, since not all services make this easy after the fact. Confirm the alternative supports import from a standard format like a QR code or encrypted export file. Also check that any sync feature you rely on works across all the devices and platforms you actually use, since some open-source 2FA apps are stronger on mobile than on desktop, or vice versa.