Cybersecurity · head to head
Authy vs NordVPN
Authy
Cybersecurity
Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
NordVPN
Cybersecurity
Consumer and business VPN from Nord Security, registered in Panama, with repeated third-party no-logs audits.
- From
- $3.99/month
- 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.; NordVPN a server in a Finnish datacentre was accessed in March 2018 through a remote management interface left exposed by the hosting provider, and NordVPN did not disclose it until October 2019, so a buyer relying on the company's transparency is relying on a track record that includes a nineteen-month delay.
- They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, NordVPN covers NordLynx.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authy and NordVPN actually diverge.
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 NordVPN
- NordLynx
- Audited no-logs policy
- RAM-only servers
- Threat Protection
- Obfuscated servers
- Double VPN
- Kill switch
- Dedicated IP
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 NordVPN
- A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot NordVPN
- Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot NordVPN
- Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot NordVPN
NordVPN
- A buyer choosing on evidence rather than claims, who wants a no-logs policy that has been audited more than once by a named firmnot Authy
- Households and individuals wanting one subscription across ten devices including a smart TVnot Authy
- Travellers and remote workers on hotel and airport networks who need obfuscation where plain VPN protocols are blockednot Authy
- Small teams needing basic remote access to a shared resource, via the NordLayer business product rather than the consumer appnot 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.
NordVPN
- A server in a Finnish datacentre was accessed in March 2018 through a remote management interface left exposed by the hosting provider, and NordVPN did not disclose it until October 2019, so a buyer relying on the company's transparency is relying on a track record that includes a nineteen-month delay.
- Pricing depends on a long initial term and reverts to the standard rate at renewal, so the monthly figure that justified the purchase is not what the subscriber pays in the third year, and the cheapest way to stay is usually to cancel and re-subscribe.
- Panamanian registration is selected for the absence of a data retention law, but it also means a subscriber with a dispute has little practical recourse, and the protection rests on a corporate structure the customer cannot inspect or enforce against.
- NordLynx is unavailable for manual and router configurations, so the one device that could cover an entire home network falls back to OpenVPN or IKEv2 with the associated throughput loss, and obfuscated servers likewise only run over OpenVPN.
- Features such as Threat Protection are implemented in the client rather than in the network, so any device using a manual configuration, a router or an unsupported platform receives a bare tunnel without the protections the subscription is sold on.
Pricing, plan by plan
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
NordVPN
$3.99/month- Standard$3.99/month
- 6 devices
- 5,500+ servers
- Threat Protection Lite
- Plus$4.99/month
- All Standard features
- Threat Protection Pro
- NordPass password manager
- Complete$5.99/month
- All Plus features
- NordLocker 1TB encrypted cloud
- Identity theft protection
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 NordVPN if
- You need nordlynx.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- You also want audited no-logs policy.
Questions people ask
- Is Authy or NordVPN better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and NordVPN at $3.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authy or NordVPN?
- Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and $3.99/month for NordVPN.
- Does Authy or NordVPN run on more platforms?
- Authy runs on Web. NordVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
- Can I use Authy for free?
- Yes. Authy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NordVPN starts at $3.99/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 NordVPN is typically brought in for.
- What can Authy do that NordVPN cannot?
- Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. NordVPN covers NordLynx, Audited no-logs policy, RAM-only servers, Threat Protection.
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.
NordVPN: What jurisdiction is NordVPN under?
The VPN service company is registered in Panama, which has no mandatory data retention law for these services. The wider Nord Security group operates from Lithuania.
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.
NordVPN: Has the no-logs claim actually been audited?
Yes, more than once. PwC Switzerland examined it in 2018 and 2020 and Deloitte in later engagements. Each is a point-in-time assurance report over stated policy and server configuration, not ongoing monitoring.
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.
NordVPN: What happened in the 2018 breach?
An attacker reached one rented server in Finland via an insecure remote management tool left in place by the datacentre provider, and obtained a TLS key that had expired. NordVPN disclosed it in October 2019, nineteen months later, and afterwards moved the estate to RAM-only servers.
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.
NordVPN: How many devices does one subscription cover?
Ten simultaneous connections. A router configured with the service counts as one connection regardless of how many devices sit behind 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.
NordVPN: Does it work on restrictive networks?
There are obfuscated servers intended for networks that block VPN protocols, but they run over OpenVPN only and no provider can guarantee access in a country that actively filters. Treat it as best effort.
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