Cybersecurity · head to head
Authy vs Daytona
Authy
Cybersecurity
Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Daytona
Developer Tools
Infrastructure for spinning up secure, sub-second sandboxes to run AI-generated code
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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.; Daytona pricing is purely usage-based with no flat monthly plan, which can make costs harder to predict for steady workloads.
- They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Daytona covers Sub-second sandbox creation.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authy and Daytona actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Authy
- Encrypted cloud backup
- Multi-device sync
- Standard TOTP
- Offline code generation
- App lock
- Multi-device toggle
- Token organisation
- Free with no account tier
Only in Daytona
- Sub-second sandbox creation
- Per-second billing
- GPU instances
- Windows OS support
- Enterprise BYOC
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Authy
- An individual who wants two-factor authentication on personal accounts and needs it to survive losing or replacing a phonenot Daytona
- A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Daytona
- Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Daytona
- Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Daytona
Daytona
- Running AI agent-generated code in a disposable, isolated sandboxnot Authy
- Executing untrusted user code for a coding platformnot Authy
- Running GPU workloads on demand without provisioning dedicated serversnot Authy
- Testing Windows-specific code paths in a sandboxnot Authy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Daytona
- Pricing is purely usage-based with no flat monthly plan, which can make costs harder to predict for steady workloads.
- GPU instances are priced separately and can be significantly more expensive than standard compute for AI-heavy use cases.
- Enterprise features like SSO, audit logs, and BYOC are only available by contacting sales rather than self-serve.
Pricing, plan by plan
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
Daytona
Free- Pay-as-you-go$undefined/mo
- $0.0504 per vCPU/hour
- $0.0162 per GiB memory/hour
- $0.000108 per GiB storage/hour after 5 free GiB
- Startup Program$undefined/mo
- Up to $50,000 in free credits for qualifying startups
- Enterprise$undefined/mo
- Custom usage limits
- SSO
- Audit logs
Which should you pick?
Choose Authy if
- You need encrypted cloud backup.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want multi-device sync.
Choose Daytona if
- You need sub-second sandbox creation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on web, linux, windows, api.
- You also want per-second billing.
Questions people ask
- Is Authy or Daytona better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Daytona at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authy or Daytona?
- Authy starts at Free and Daytona at Free.
- Does Authy or Daytona run on more platforms?
- Authy runs on Web. Daytona runs on web, linux, windows, api.
- Can I use Authy for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Authy best used for?
- Authy is most often used for an individual who wants two-factor authentication on personal accounts and needs it to survive losing or replacing a phone, a small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handset, replacing sms-based codes with totp for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficult, consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and icons. Of those, an individual who wants two-factor authentication on personal accounts and needs it to survive losing or replacing a phone and a small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handset are not what Daytona is typically brought in for.
- What can Authy do that Daytona cannot?
- Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Daytona covers Sub-second sandbox creation, Per-second billing, GPU instances, Windows OS support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
Daytona: How is Daytona usage metered?
Usage is billed per second across vCPU, memory, and storage consumed, with separate per-hour rates for GPU and Windows instances.
SourceAuthy: 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.
Daytona: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?
There is no flat free plan, but new signups receive $200 in free compute credit with no credit card required to start.
SourceAuthy: 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.
Daytona: Are discounts available for startups?
Yes, the Startup Program offers up to $50,000 in free credits for qualifying companies.
SourceAuthy: 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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