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Cybersecurity · head to head

Akeyless vs Authy

Akeyless logo

Akeyless

Cybersecurity

Runtime identity security at agentic scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Authy logo

Authy

Cybersecurity

Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Akeyless pricing is usage-based and complex, requires sales consultation; Authy there is no export function for stored TOTP secrets, so moving to a different authenticator means disabling and re-enrolling two-factor authentication on every account individually, which is the reason most users stay rather than a reason anyone should choose it.
  • They diverge on capability: Akeyless covers Secrets management, Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akeyless and Authy actually diverge.

Attributes where Akeyless and Authy differ
AttributeAkeylessAuthy
Pricing modelUsage-based pricing units that vary by product modulefree
PlatformsCloud, Hybrid, On-PremisesWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Akeyless

  • Secrets management
  • Machine identity
  • AI agent identity
  • Certificate management
  • Privileged access management
  • Multi-vault governance
  • Encryption and KMS
  • Password manager

Only in Authy

  • Encrypted cloud backup
  • Multi-device sync
  • Standard TOTP
  • Offline code generation
  • App lock
  • Multi-device toggle
  • Token organisation
  • Free with no account tier

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Akeyless

  • Securing AI agents with dedicated identity trackingnot Authy
  • Managing machine-to-machine credentials at scalenot Authy
  • Automating PKI and certificate lifecyclenot Authy
  • Implementing just-in-time privileged accessnot Authy

Authy

  • An individual who wants two-factor authentication on personal accounts and needs it to survive losing or replacing a phonenot Akeyless
  • A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Akeyless
  • Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Akeyless
  • Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Akeyless

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Akeyless

  • Pricing is usage-based and complex, requires sales consultation
  • Free tier is very limited with restricted access
  • No transparent pricing published for enterprise features
  • Pricing model varies significantly by product module

Authy

  • There is no export function for stored TOTP secrets, so moving to a different authenticator means disabling and re-enrolling two-factor authentication on every account individually, which is the reason most users stay rather than a reason anyone should choose it.
  • The Windows, macOS and Linux desktop applications were discontinued in 2024 and stopped working, so any workflow that depended on copying codes on a computer now requires a phone in hand, and users who held tokens only on a desktop client had to restore from backup or re-enrol.
  • The account is keyed to a phone number, so an attacker who takes over that number through a SIM swap can begin the device registration flow, and the only remaining control is the backup password that most users set once and cannot recall.
  • In 2024 an unauthenticated Twilio endpoint allowed attackers to confirm which numbers from a supplied list were registered Authy accounts, exposing around 33 million phone numbers, which disclosed no codes but handed phishers a validated list of people known to use two-factor authentication.
  • It is a free consumer application inside a company that has already retired the paid Authy developer API it once supported, so it carries no revenue of its own, and users should treat its continued existence as a business decision rather than a roadmap commitment.

Pricing, plan by plan

Akeyless

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited feature access
    • Restricted usage quotas
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom pricing based on usage
    • Unlimited resource quotas
    • Full feature access

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Akeyless if

  • You need secrets management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, On-Premises.
  • You also want machine identity.
Akeyless review

Choose Authy if

  • You need encrypted cloud backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want multi-device sync.
Authy review

Questions people ask

Is Akeyless or Authy better?
Neither clearly leads. Akeyless starts at Free and Authy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akeyless or Authy?
Akeyless starts at Free and Authy at Free.
Does Akeyless or Authy run on more platforms?
Akeyless runs on Cloud, Hybrid, On-Premises. Authy runs on Web.
Can I use Akeyless for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Akeyless best used for?
Akeyless is most often used for securing ai agents with dedicated identity tracking, managing machine-to-machine credentials at scale, automating pki and certificate lifecycle, implementing just-in-time privileged access. Of those, securing ai agents with dedicated identity tracking and managing machine-to-machine credentials at scale are not what Authy is typically brought in for.
What can Akeyless do that Authy cannot?
Akeyless covers Secrets management, Machine identity, AI agent identity, Certificate management. Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Akeyless: What pricing model does Akeyless use?

Akeyless uses usage-based pricing units that vary by product. For example, Secrets Management is priced by clients, Certificate Management by managed certificates, Encryption by transactions, and PAM by users. Contact sales for a custom quote.

Source
Authy: Is Authy still supported?

The mobile apps for iOS and Android are still available and functional. The desktop applications were withdrawn in 2024 and the Authy developer API has been retired in favour of Twilio Verify, so the surrounding product has been shrinking.

Akeyless: Does Akeyless support hybrid deployment?

Yes, Akeyless offers Pure SaaS cloud-managed deployment and Hybrid SaaS with on-premise gateways and zero-knowledge encryption for sensitive environments.

Source
Authy: Can I export my tokens?

No. There is no export of the underlying secrets, by design. Migrating to another authenticator means going to each service, disabling two-factor authentication and setting it up again with the new app.

Akeyless: How does Akeyless handle AI agent identities?

Akeyless provides dedicated AI agent identity tracking with runtime access control, allowing organizations to manage AI agent access separately from human and machine identities.

Source
Authy: What happened to the desktop app?

Twilio announced its discontinuation in March 2024 and the applications stopped working later that year. There is no replacement desktop client; the mobile apps are the product now.

Authy: Is multi-device sync safe to leave on?

It is the feature most worth understanding. Leaving new device registration enabled means anyone who controls your phone number can attempt to add a device. The usual advice is to turn the multi-device setting off once your devices are registered and turn it on only when you need to add one.

Authy: What if I lose my phone and forget the backup password?

The secrets are encrypted with that password and Twilio does not hold it, so they cannot be recovered. You would fall back to each individual service's account recovery process, which is exactly the situation the backup was meant to avoid.

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