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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authy vs Fenergo

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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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

Fenergo

Cybersecurity

Client lifecycle management and KYC onboarding for regulated financial institutions

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Authy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Fenergo implementations commonly run twelve to twenty-four months and depend on a systems integrator, so the services cost frequently exceeds the software subscription in year one.
  • They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Fenergo covers Regulatory rules library.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and Fenergo actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and Fenergo differ
AttributeAuthyFenergo
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 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 Fenergo

  • Regulatory rules library
  • Digital onboarding
  • Perpetual KYC
  • Entity data model
  • Screening orchestration
  • Case management

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 Fenergo
  • A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Fenergo
  • Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Fenergo
  • Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Fenergo

Fenergo

  • A bank operating in twenty jurisdictions that cannot keep local KYC requirements current across separate regional teamsnot Authy
  • A custodian moving from calendar-based periodic review to event-driven perpetual KYC to cut analyst headcountnot Authy
  • An asset manager onboarding funds and trusts where the ownership hierarchy defeats generic identity verification toolsnot Authy
  • A payments institution facing a regulatory remediation order and needing a defensible audit trail of every client reviewnot 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.

Fenergo

  • Implementations commonly run twelve to twenty-four months and depend on a systems integrator, so the services cost frequently exceeds the software subscription in year one.
  • It orchestrates screening but does not supply the sanctions, PEP or adverse media data, so you still buy Dow Jones, LexisNexis or World-Check separately and those fees are per screened entity.
  • The entry price is set for institutions with large onboarding volumes, which puts it out of reach of smaller banks and fintechs that would otherwise benefit from the rules library.
  • Configuration is deep and specific, which makes upgrades between major versions a project rather than a patch, and some customers stay on old releases for years.
  • The rules library covers regulatory requirements, not your internal risk appetite, so the policy tuning that determines whether onboarding actually gets faster remains your work.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

Fenergo

On request
  • Fenergo Client Lifecycle Management$undefined/year
    • Priced by institution size, jurisdictions in scope and modules licensed
    • Regulatory rules content subscription bundled into the annual fee
    • Implementation delivered by Fenergo or a systems integrator and quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Authy if

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

Choose Fenergo if

  • You need regulatory rules library.
  • You also want digital onboarding.
Fenergo review

Questions people ask

Is Authy or Fenergo better?
Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Fenergo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authy or Fenergo?
Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and On request for Fenergo.
Does Authy or Fenergo run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Authy for free?
Yes. Authy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fenergo starts at On request.
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 Fenergo is typically brought in for.
What can Authy do that Fenergo cannot?
Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Fenergo covers Regulatory rules library, Digital onboarding, Perpetual KYC, Entity data model.

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.

Fenergo: Does Fenergo do the sanctions screening itself?

No. It orchestrates calls to third-party data providers such as Dow Jones and World-Check, and those subscriptions are additional and usually charged per screened entity.

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.

Fenergo: Is it SaaS or on-premises?

Both. The SaaS offering runs on Microsoft Azure with regional deployment options, which matters where data residency rules prohibit client data leaving the jurisdiction.

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.

Fenergo: How long does a deployment take?

Plan for a year at minimum for a multi-jurisdiction rollout. Single-jurisdiction deployments with a narrow product set can be shorter but rarely under six months.

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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