Cybersecurity · head to head
Authy vs Hanwha Vision
Authy
Cybersecurity
Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Hanwha Vision
Cybersecurity
Korean camera maker whose Wisenet WAVE VMS licences are perpetual per channel with no annual renewal
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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.; Hanwha Vision nDAA compliance is confirmed per model and per bill of materials rather than across the brand, and TAA status depends on whether a specific unit was made in Korea or Vietnam, so a buyer with procurement obligations must get both stated on the quote rather than relying on a brand-level claim.
- They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Hanwha Vision covers Wisenet WAVE VMS.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authy and Hanwha Vision actually diverge.
| Attribute | Authy | Hanwha Vision |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | free | One-time purchase |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web | Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android |
Identical on both: 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 Hanwha Vision
- Wisenet WAVE VMS
- On-camera AI
- NDAA and TAA positioning
- Multi-site management
- Open platform
- Wisenet cameras and recorders
- Cybersecurity hardening
- Integration licences
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 Hanwha Vision
- A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Hanwha Vision
- Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Hanwha Vision
- Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Hanwha Vision
Hanwha Vision
- A federal agency or federal contractor whose procurement rules exclude Section 889 covered manufacturersnot Authy
- A school district that wants a fixed one-time software cost rather than a per-camera monthly subscriptionnot Authy
- A site running 200 cameras for a decade where a cloud subscription would cost several times a perpetual licencenot Authy
- An integrator standardising on one manufacturer for cameras, recorders and VMS to simplify supportnot 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.
Hanwha Vision
- NDAA compliance is confirmed per model and per bill of materials rather than across the brand, and TAA status depends on whether a specific unit was made in Korea or Vietnam, so a buyer with procurement obligations must get both stated on the quote rather than relying on a brand-level claim.
- Perpetual licences mean you own the servers, storage and patching, so the cost avoided on subscription reappears as IT labour and a hardware refresh every five to seven years.
- Hanwha publishes no list pricing and sells through distributors, so the perpetual-versus-subscription comparison it wins on paper still requires a distributor quote to verify.
- Wisenet WAVE is a solid mid-market VMS but does not match Genetec or Milestone on enterprise features such as federation across independently owned systems, scripted operator procedures or deep access control unification.
- Hanwha Vision is part of Hanwha Group, a large Korean conglomerate spanning defence, chemicals and finance, so the video business is one line among many and roadmap priority is set at a corporate level well above the security division.
Pricing, plan by plan
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
Hanwha Vision
On request- Wisenet WAVE channel licence$undefined/year
- Perpetual per-channel licence that does not expire once activated
- No annual renewal fee to keep the system running
- Sold singly and in 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 channel bundles
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 Hanwha Vision if
- You need wisenet wave vms.
- You work on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want on-camera ai.
Questions people ask
- Is Authy or Hanwha Vision better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Hanwha Vision at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authy or Hanwha Vision?
- Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and On request for Hanwha Vision.
- Does Authy or Hanwha Vision run on more platforms?
- Authy runs on Web. Hanwha Vision runs on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Authy for free?
- Yes. Authy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hanwha Vision 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 Hanwha Vision is typically brought in for.
- What can Authy do that Hanwha Vision cannot?
- Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Hanwha Vision covers Wisenet WAVE VMS, On-camera AI, NDAA and TAA positioning, Multi-site management.
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.
Hanwha Vision: Is Hanwha Vision NDAA compliant?
Hanwha is a South Korean manufacturer and is not among the Section 889 covered entities, which are Hikvision, Dahua, Huawei, ZTE and Hytera, and its cameras do not use banned Chinese system-on-chip processors. Confirm compliance per model on the quote.
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.
Hanwha Vision: Are Wisenet WAVE licences subscriptions?
No. Channel licences are perpetual and do not expire once activated, with no annual renewal fee.
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.
Hanwha Vision: Is Wisenet WAVE the same as Nx Witness?
It is built on the Network Optix platform, so the two share a common core, with Hanwha adding its own camera integration and support.
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.
Hanwha Vision: Is Hanwha TAA compliant?
Many models are, manufactured in South Korea and Vietnam, but TAA is a per-unit question tied to manufacturing origin, so it must be verified model by model.
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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