Cybersecurity · head to head
Authy vs Namespace
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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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
Namespace
Developer Tools
The dev platform for the next 100 billion commits
- 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.; Namespace developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear
- They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Namespace covers Devboxes.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authy and Namespace 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 Namespace
- Devboxes
- GitHub Actions runners
- Docker builds
- Cross-invocation caching
- NVMe storage
- High-speed networking
- Multiple OS support
- Bazel and Turborepo support
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 Namespace
- A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Namespace
- Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Namespace
- Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Namespace
Namespace
- Providing AI coding agents with cloud-based development environmentsnot Authy
- Accelerating CI builds with faster GitHub Actions runnersnot Authy
- Distributing builds across teams with managed infrastructurenot Authy
- Scaling development velocity for monorepo organizationsnot 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.
Namespace
- Developer plan is pay-as-you-go only; minimum usage unclear
- Team plan $100/mo is competitive but usage limits may be tight
- Devbox pricing separate at $0.004/minute could add up quickly
- Enterprise plan requires custom sales conversation
Pricing, plan by plan
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
Namespace
Free- DeveloperFree
- Pay-as-you-go
- On-demand compute
- Docker builds
- Team$100/month
- 100,000 unit minutes
- 1,000 Docker builds
- Everything in Developer
- Business$250/month
- 250,000 unit minutes
- 2,500 Docker builds
- Everything in Team
- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom compute/Docker build limits
- Audit log export
- Enterprise SSO
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 Namespace if
- You need devboxes.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud, Mac, Windows, Linux.
- You also want github actions runners.
Questions people ask
- Is Authy or Namespace better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Namespace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authy or Namespace?
- Authy starts at Free and Namespace at Free.
- Does Authy or Namespace run on more platforms?
- Authy runs on Web. Namespace runs on Cloud, Mac, Windows, Linux.
- 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 Namespace is typically brought in for.
- What can Authy do that Namespace cannot?
- Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Namespace covers Devboxes, GitHub Actions runners, Docker builds, Cross-invocation caching.
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.
Namespace: How is compute usage metered on the Developer plan?
Developer plan uses pay-as-you-go billing. Devboxes bill at $0.004 per minute. Storage and caching services have separate usage-based fees. A 30-day free trial is available to test usage patterns.
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.
Namespace: What is the difference between Team and Business plans?
Team ($100/mo) includes 100,000 unit minutes and 1,000 Docker builds with email support. Business ($250/mo) includes 250,000 unit minutes, 2,500 Docker builds, and high concurrency with a dedicated Slack channel.
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.
Namespace: Can Namespace support AI coding agents?
Yes, Namespace Devboxes are specifically designed as feature-rich development environments for AI coding agents, with full tooling and performance optimization.
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.
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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