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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authy vs GovPilot

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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
GovPilot logo

GovPilot

Government

Digital forms and workflow modules for small municipalities priced out of enterprise govtech

From
On request
Free plan
No
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.; GovPilot modules are prebuilt and configured rather than developed, so a municipality with an unusual ordinance or fee structure must adapt its process to the software rather than the reverse.
  • They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, GovPilot covers Prebuilt process modules.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and GovPilot actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and GovPilot differ
AttributeAuthyGovPilot
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

Identical on both: 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 GovPilot

  • Prebuilt process modules
  • GIS property map
  • Digital form intake
  • Report a concern app
  • Public records request handling
  • Workflow routing

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

GovPilot

  • A small town replacing paper permit applications without funding a large implementationnot Authy
  • A clerk's office that needs a defensible record of public records requests and response timesnot Authy
  • A municipality wanting residents to report issues from a phone with location attachednot Authy
  • A borough adding modules gradually as budget allows rather than buying a full system at oncenot 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.

GovPilot

  • Modules are prebuilt and configured rather than developed, so a municipality with an unusual ordinance or fee structure must adapt its process to the software rather than the reverse.
  • The install base is concentrated in New Jersey and the north east, so agencies elsewhere find fewer reference sites and modules tuned to another state's terminology.
  • Module based pricing means the total climbs in steps as departments are added, and the initial quote often covers fewer processes than the town eventually needs.
  • It is not built for the complexity larger cities carry, so an agency that grows into multi department plan review will outgrow it and face a second migration.
  • Integration options are limited compared with enterprise platforms, so connecting to an existing finance or utility billing system may mean manual reconciliation.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

GovPilot

On request
  • GovPilot$undefined/year
    • Quoted by module count and municipality population
    • Implementation is short because modules are configured rather than built
    • Payment processing on citizen transactions charged 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 GovPilot if

  • You need prebuilt process modules.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want gis property map.
GovPilot review

Questions people ask

Is Authy or GovPilot better?
Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and GovPilot at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authy or GovPilot?
Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and On request for GovPilot.
Does Authy or GovPilot run on more platforms?
Authy runs on Web. GovPilot runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Authy for free?
Yes. Authy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GovPilot 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 GovPilot is typically brought in for.
What can Authy do that GovPilot cannot?
Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. GovPilot covers Prebuilt process modules, GIS property map, Digital form intake, Report a concern app.

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.

GovPilot: Who is GovPilot actually for?

Small and mid sized municipalities that are currently on paper and cannot fund an Accela or Tyler implementation.

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.

GovPilot: How long does implementation take?

Short by govtech standards, because modules are prebuilt and configured rather than custom developed.

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.

GovPilot: Can we find comparable pricing?

Yes. Municipal contracts are public, and in this segment neighbouring towns' council minutes give a genuinely comparable number.

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.

GovPilot: Will we outgrow it?

A city that develops complex multi department plan review will, and should plan for that rather than discover it.

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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