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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authy vs Socure

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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Socure logo

Socure

Cybersecurity

Predictive identity verification and fraud scoring for the US market

From
On request
Rated
-
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.; Socure coverage and accuracy depend on US consumer data density, so international expansion means adding a second, document-based vendor rather than scaling the same contract.
  • They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Socure covers ID+ identity verification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and Socure actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and Socure differ
AttributeAuthySocure
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

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 Socure

  • ID+ identity verification
  • Synthetic identity detection
  • Document verification
  • Watchlist screening
  • Consortium signals
  • Reason codes
  • Account intelligence

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

Socure

  • A US lender losing money to synthetic identities that pass document verification and thin-file credit checksnot Authy
  • A credit union that wants to open accounts without asking applicants to photograph a driving licencenot Authy
  • A government benefits programme needing identity assurance for applicants without in-person enrolmentnot Authy
  • A fintech that needs auditable reason codes for every decline to support adverse action noticesnot 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.

Socure

  • Coverage and accuracy depend on US consumer data density, so international expansion means adding a second, document-based vendor rather than scaling the same contract.
  • Data-only verification performs worst on thin-file populations, and young, recently arrived or credit-invisible applicants are declined at higher rates, which creates a fair lending exposure a bank must monitor.
  • Pricing is per decision with an annual commitment and is not published, so the cost of a traffic spike or a bot attack on your signup flow lands on your bill.
  • Modules for verification, fraud and compliance are licensed separately, so the shortlist price rarely matches the final contract once screening and document fallback are added.
  • A probabilistic score is harder to defend to an examiner than a documented identification procedure, so US institutions still have to map the score to explicit Customer Identification Programme controls themselves.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

Socure

On request
  • Socure ID+$undefined/year
    • Priced per identity decision with annual commitment
    • Modules for verification, fraud and compliance priced separately
    • US data coverage strongest, international more limited

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 Socure if

  • You need id+ identity verification.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want synthetic identity detection.
Socure review

Questions people ask

Is Authy or Socure better?
Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Socure at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authy or Socure?
Authy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Authy and On request for Socure.
Does Authy or Socure run on more platforms?
Authy runs on Web. Socure runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Authy for free?
Yes. Authy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Socure starts at On request.
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 Socure is typically brought in for.
What can Authy do that Socure cannot?
Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, Multi-device sync, Standard TOTP, Offline code generation. Socure covers ID+ identity verification, Synthetic identity detection, Document verification, Watchlist screening.

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.

Socure: Does Socure work outside the United States?

International coverage exists but the data depth that makes the US product accurate is not replicated everywhere. Most global buyers pair it with a document vendor.

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.

Socure: Can it verify without a document photo?

Yes, that is the core proposition. Document verification is available as a step-up when the data-only score is inconclusive.

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.

Socure: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted per decision against an annual volume commitment.

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.

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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