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Cybersecurity · head to head

Authy vs VUEWorks

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Twilio's free authenticator app with encrypted cloud backup, mobile only since the desktop clients were withdrawn in 2024.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

VUEWorks

Government

GIS-centred enterprise asset management for public agencies, built around Esri ArcGIS

From
On request
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.; VUEWorks the product assumes a maintained enterprise ArcGIS geodatabase; agencies without one face a spatial data cleanup project before VUEWorks does anything useful, and that project is usually quoted by the same consultancy selling the software.
  • They diverge on capability: Authy covers Encrypted cloud backup, VUEWorks covers Native Esri integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and VUEWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and VUEWorks differ
AttributeAuthyVUEWorks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

Identical on both: 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 VUEWorks

  • Native Esri integration
  • Work orders and requests
  • Inspections
  • Condition and risk
  • Capital planning
  • Pavement management
  • Mobile field access
  • Dashboards

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

VUEWorks

  • A county public works department that already runs Esri and wants work orders raised directly against map featuresnot Authy
  • A stormwater utility recording CCTV sewer inspection results against pipe segments for regulatory reportingnot Authy
  • A transport agency modelling pavement treatment strategies to defend a road resurfacing budgetnot Authy
  • A city consolidating sign, signal and streetlight inventories that currently live in separate spreadsheetsnot 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.

VUEWorks

  • The product assumes a maintained enterprise ArcGIS geodatabase; agencies without one face a spatial data cleanup project before VUEWorks does anything useful, and that project is usually quoted by the same consultancy selling the software.
  • No pricing is published and deals are typically bundled with consulting services, which makes it hard to separate the software cost from the data work when comparing bids.
  • The interface is functional rather than modern, and field crews accustomed to consumer mobile apps often resist it, which undermines the data quality the capital planning depends on.
  • The Esri dependency is also an Esri cost: agencies need current ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online licensing, and that sits outside the VUEWorks quote entirely.
  • It is a small vendor with a limited partner network and a mainly North American footprint, so support and implementation capacity outside that region is thin.

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

VUEWorks

On request
  • VUEWorks Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Quoted per agency by user count and modules
    • Hosted or on-premise deployment options
    • GIS integration, data migration and configuration quoted 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 VUEWorks if

  • You need native esri integration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want work orders and requests.
VUEWorks review

Questions people ask

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

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.

VUEWorks: Do we need Esri ArcGIS?

Effectively yes. The asset register is the GIS, and the ArcGIS licensing sits outside the VUEWorks quote.

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.

VUEWorks: Is pricing published?

No. VUEWorks is quoted per agency by users and modules, often bundled with data collection services.

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.

VUEWorks: Can it replace Cityworks?

It occupies the same GIS-centric municipal asset management space, so yes in principle, but migration means remapping workflows and history.

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.

VUEWorks: Is there a cloud option?

Yes, VUEWorks is offered hosted as well as on-premise.

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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