Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Authy vs GovQA

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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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

GovQA

Government

Government Request Management

From
$400/month
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.; GovQA pricing not published on vendor website; government contracting and custom quote model obscures list pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, GovQA covers FOIA Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and GovQA actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and GovQA differ
AttributeAuthyGovQA
Starting priceFree$400/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
FoundedUnknown1999

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 GovQA

  • FOIA Management
  • Subpoena Processing
  • e-Discovery
  • Constituent Portal
  • Reporting
  • Document Management
  • Email
  • Court Systems

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

GovQA

  • Public records request management and legal compliance automationnot Authy
  • Digital communication delivery to residents and constituentsnot Authy
  • Service request management for government agencies and local departmentsnot Authy
  • Agenda and meeting management for city councils and boardsnot Authy
  • Business licensing and permitting workflow automationnot 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.

GovQA

  • Pricing not published on vendor website; government contracting and custom quote model obscures list pricing
  • Requires booking a demo to learn pricing and deployment options

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

GovQA

$400/month
  • Request Management$400/month
    • FOIA Management
    • e-Discovery
    • Constituent Portal

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 GovQA if

  • You need foia management.
  • You also want subpoena processing.
GovQA review

Questions people ask

Is Authy or GovQA better?
Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and GovQA at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authy or GovQA?
Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and $400/month for GovQA.
Does Authy or GovQA 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. GovQA starts at $400/month.
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 GovQA is typically brought in for.
What can Authy do that GovQA cannot?
Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. GovQA covers FOIA Management, Subpoena Processing, e-Discovery, Constituent Portal.

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.

GovQA: What does GovQA (formerly Granicus) cost?

Granicus does not display pricing on its website. The vendor requires customers to schedule a demo or contact sales to receive cost estimates.

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.

GovQA: Does Granicus offer Government Experience Agent (GXA) pricing separately?

Granicus lists Government Experience Agent as a feature of its Government Experience Cloud platform, but separate licensing costs are not published.

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.

GovQA: How many users can access Granicus services under one license?

Granicus does not specify user seat counts, unlimited user models, or per-agency pricing on its website. Licensing terms vary by government size and jurisdiction.

Source
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.

Share

Related pages

More on Authy

More on GovQA

Keep looking

Other head to heads