Cybersecurity · head to head
Authy vs Socket
Authy
Cybersecurity
Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Socket
Cybersecurity
Supply chain security platform detecting and blocking malicious dependencies
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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.; Socket team plan requires minimum 5-developer commitment, expensive for small teams
- They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Socket covers Malware detection.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authy and Socket actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Socket
- Malware detection
- Automatic blocking
- AI behavior analysis
- Reachability analysis
- Slack integration
- SBOM support
- SAML SSO
- GitHub Actions scanning
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 Socket
- A small team sharing access to a service account where the same tokens must be available on more than one handsetnot Socket
- Replacing SMS-based codes with TOTP for someone who would abandon two-factor entirely if recovery were difficultnot Socket
- Consolidating tokens scattered across several apps onto one device list with recognisable names and iconsnot Socket
Socket
- Blocking zero-day malware attacks in JavaScript dependenciesnot Authy
- Managing CVE false positives with precomputed reachability analysisnot Authy
- Securing Python and Go supply chains at scalenot Authy
- Automating compliance requirements for regulated industriesnot Authy
- Real-time threat notifications via Slack integrationnot 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.
Socket
- Team plan requires minimum 5-developer commitment, expensive for small teams
- Business plan $50/dev/month becomes costly for teams exceeding 20 members
- Enterprise pricing requires custom consultation with no transparent pricing
- Free plan limited to individual developers without team collaboration
- Reachability analysis improvement (90% false positive reduction) only on Enterprise
Pricing, plan by plan
Authy
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.
Socket
Free- FreeFree
- For individual developers
- Detects 70+ risk types
- Blocks malicious dependencies automatically
- Team$25/month
- Per developer on minimum 5 developers
- Precomputed reachability analysis cuts 60% false positives
- Slack alerts for threats
- Business$50/month
- Per developer on minimum 20 developers
- All Team features
- Compliance integrations with Vanta
- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Function-level reachability eliminates up to 90% irrelevant CVEs
- Multi-repository system support
- Named account manager
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 Socket if
- You need malware detection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, CLI, GitHub.
- You also want automatic blocking.
Questions people ask
- Is Authy or Socket better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Socket at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Authy or Socket?
- Authy starts at Free and Socket at Free.
- Does Authy or Socket run on more platforms?
- Authy runs on Web. Socket runs on Web, CLI, GitHub.
- 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 Socket is typically brought in for.
- What can Authy do that Socket cannot?
- Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Socket covers Malware detection, Automatic blocking, AI behavior analysis, Reachability analysis.
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.
Socket: How many zero-day attacks does Socket detect?
Socket detects over 100 zero-day attacks weekly across JavaScript, Python, and Go ecosystems.
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.
Socket: What is precomputed reachability analysis?
Socket's precomputed reachability analysis cuts CVE false positives by 60% automatically on Team plans, and up to 90% on Enterprise plans through function-level analysis.
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.
Socket: Is there a discount for annual billing?
Yes. Socket offers a 20% discount for annual commitments across all subscription tiers.
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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