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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authy vs RecDesk

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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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

RecDesk

Government

Parks and recreation management for municipalities with published annual pricing and no per-seat fee

From
$3835/year
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.; RecDesk scope is recreation only, so a municipality wanting parks asset management, work orders or wider permitting must buy and integrate a second system.
  • They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, RecDesk covers Activity registration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and RecDesk actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and RecDesk differ
AttributeAuthyRecDesk
Starting priceFree$3835/year
Pricing modelfreePer year, all inclusive with unlimited users
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

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 RecDesk

  • Activity registration
  • Facility reservations
  • Memberships and passes
  • League scheduling
  • Resident portal
  • Unlimited users
  • Financial reporting
  • Premium integrations

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

RecDesk

  • A town recreation director who needs a budget number for next year without running a procurement to get a quotenot Authy
  • A department with a dozen seasonal part-time staff who would each cost a seat on per-user municipal softwarenot Authy
  • A small city replacing paper facility permits and phone registrations with an online resident portalnot Authy
  • A recreation district running summer camps, pool passes and youth leagues on one household accountnot 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.

RecDesk

  • Scope is recreation only, so a municipality wanting parks asset management, work orders or wider permitting must buy and integrate a second system.
  • The published prices are starting points and the premium integrations most departments actually need, such as financial system and access control links, are priced separately and not listed.
  • Customer concentration is regional, mostly in the north-eastern United States, so a department elsewhere will find fewer local references and less familiarity with its state reporting requirements.
  • The resident-facing portal is plain compared with commercial registration platforms, which matters when residents compare it with the private classes they book elsewhere.
  • As a smaller vendor it does not offer the procurement conveniences larger municipalities expect, such as cooperative contract vehicles across many states, which lengthens the buying process for some agencies.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

RecDesk

$3835/year
  • Essential$3835/year
    • Activity registration and household accounts
    • Resident portal
    • Unlimited staff users
  • Standard$6240/year
    • Adds facility reservations and memberships
    • Unlimited users
    • Financial reporting
  • Plus$10790/year
    • Adds league scheduling and expanded modules
    • Unlimited users
  • Enterprise$16250/year
    • Largest configuration
    • Premium integrations such as access control, GIS and financial system links priced separately

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 RecDesk if

  • You need activity registration.
  • You also want facility reservations.
RecDesk review

Questions people ask

Is Authy or RecDesk better?
Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and RecDesk at $3835/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authy or RecDesk?
Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and $3835/year for RecDesk.
Does Authy or RecDesk 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. RecDesk starts at $3835/year.
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 RecDesk is typically brought in for.
What can Authy do that RecDesk cannot?
Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. RecDesk covers Activity registration, Facility reservations, Memberships and passes, League scheduling.

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.

RecDesk: Is the pricing really published?

Yes, which is unusual in municipal recreation software. Four tiers from $3,835 to $16,250 a year, described as all-inclusive with unlimited users. Premium integrations are extra.

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.

RecDesk: Are there per-user charges?

No. Unlimited staff users on every tier, which is the main saving against per-seat municipal systems.

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.

RecDesk: Does it do parks maintenance and work orders?

No. It is registration, reservations, memberships and leagues. Asset and work order management needs another system.

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.

RecDesk: Will it integrate with our finance system?

There is a premium financial system integration option, priced separately. Confirm your specific ERP is supported before assuming 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.

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