Cybersecurity · head to head
Authy vs Helix
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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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
Helix
Developer Tools
Post-modern modal text editor for the terminal, written in Rust
- 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.; Helix no official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.
- They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Helix covers Multiple Selections.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authy and Helix 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 Helix
- Multiple Selections
- Tree-sitter Syntax Trees
- Built-in LSP Support
- Fuzzy File Finder
- Project-wide Search
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 Helix
- A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Helix
- Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Helix
- Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Helix
Helix
- Editing code over SSH or in tmux sessionsnot Authy
- Working with syntax-aware selection and navigationnot Authy
- Getting IDE-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setupnot Authy
- Lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptopsnot 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.
Helix
- No official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.
- Plugin ecosystem is far smaller than Vim's or Neovim's, limiting customization.
- Keybindings differ from both Vim and Kakoune, adding a learning curve for users of either.
- Configuration is more limited than Neovim's Lua-based extensibility.
Pricing, plan by plan
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
Helix
Free- FreeFree
- Full editor, no paid tiers
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 Helix if
- You need multiple selections.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on linux, mac, windows.
- You also want tree-sitter syntax trees.
Questions people ask
- Is Authy or Helix better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Helix at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authy or Helix?
- Authy starts at Free and Helix at Free.
- Does Authy or Helix run on more platforms?
- Authy runs on Web. Helix runs on linux, mac, windows.
- 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 Helix is typically brought in for.
- What can Authy do that Helix cannot?
- Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Helix covers Multiple Selections, Tree-sitter Syntax Trees, Built-in LSP Support, Fuzzy File Finder.
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.
Helix: Is Helix free to use?
Yes, Helix is free and open source, licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0), with no paid tiers or subscriptions.
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.
Helix: How do I install Helix?
Install via your operating system's package manager, or download pre-built binaries from GitHub Releases; the nightly version requires building from source.
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.
Helix: Does Helix support plugins?
Not yet. Helix currently has no plugin system, though the project intends to add one eventually; it instead ships with built-in LSP and tree-sitter support out of the box.
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.
Helix: How do I configure Helix?
Helix ships with sane modern defaults requiring much less config-file fiddling than Vim, though settings can still be customized in a config.toml file.
SourceAuthy: 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.
Helix: Where can I get help or support?
Support is community-driven via GitHub for code and issues, the Matrix chat for discussion, and OpenCollective for funding ongoing development.
SourceRelated pages
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