Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Google Authenticator vs Periscope Holdings

Google Authenticator logo

Google Authenticator

Cybersecurity

Free TOTP two-factor authentication app that gained optional cloud sync in 2023

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Periscope Holdings logo

Periscope Holdings

Government

Statewide e-procurement systems and supplier networks for large public agencies

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Authenticator has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Authenticator enabling cloud sync moves the security boundary for your 2FA codes to your Google account, so a compromised Google account can expose the same codes syncing was meant to protect.; Periscope Holdings it is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Authenticator and Periscope Holdings actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Authenticator and Periscope Holdings differ
AttributeGoogle AuthenticatorPeriscope Holdings
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree, no in-app purchasesquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb
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 Google Authenticator

  • TOTP code generation
  • QR code setup
  • Optional Google account sync
  • Offline generation
  • Manual entry

Only in Periscope Holdings

  • Sealed bid solicitation
  • Supplier registration network
  • Contract catalogues
  • Cooperative purchasing
  • Spend and compliance reporting
  • Supplier diversity tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Authenticator

  • Someone setting up two-factor authentication on a website that asks for a TOTP appnot Periscope Holdings
  • A user who wants codes to survive a lost or replaced phone via account syncnot Periscope Holdings
  • Someone who prefers a simple, free, single-purpose authenticator over a password manager's built-in onenot Periscope Holdings
  • A person migrating between phones who wants existing 2FA codes to transfer automaticallynot Periscope Holdings

Periscope Holdings

  • A state building a central procurement portal serving many agencies and local entitiesnot Google Authenticator
  • A large agency needing statutory sealed bidding with a public opening recordnot Google Authenticator
  • A purchasing programme that must report spend and supplier diversity across entitiesnot Google Authenticator
  • A state wanting local governments to buy from its awarded cooperative contractsnot Google Authenticator

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Authenticator

  • Enabling cloud sync moves the security boundary for your 2FA codes to your Google account, so a compromised Google account can expose the same codes syncing was meant to protect.
  • It has no built-in backup export in a portable format, so moving away from Google Authenticator to another app usually means resetting 2FA on every individual service.
  • It lacks organisational features such as folders, search or notes that some competing authenticator apps offer for people managing many accounts.
  • There is no desktop app, so codes must be read off a phone screen when logging in from a computer.
  • If sync is off and the phone is lost without a separate backup, all codes are unrecoverable and every linked account needs its 2FA reset through account recovery.

Periscope Holdings

  • It is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
  • The interface reflects the age and regulatory weight of the platform, and suppliers routinely describe registration and bidding as harder than on newer portals, which can suppress bid response.
  • Ownership has changed twice since 2021, from independent to mdf commerce to KKR, so roadmap and support continuity should be written into the contract rather than assumed.
  • Sibling products inside mdf commerce cover adjacent procurement ground, which means an apparently competitive shortlist may contain two products with the same owner.
  • Statewide implementations are multi year projects with heavy configuration and change management, and the professional services cost commonly exceeds the software over the contract term.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Authenticator

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited accounts and codes
    • Optional Google account cloud sync
    • No ads

Periscope Holdings

On request
  • BuySpeed$undefined/year
    • Quoted per programme, scaled to entities served and transaction volume
    • Multi year statewide contracts with implementation priced separately
    • Supplier side registration fees form part of the commercial model on some programmes

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Authenticator if

  • You need totp code generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want qr code setup.
Google Authenticator review

Choose Periscope Holdings if

  • You need sealed bid solicitation.
  • You also want supplier registration network.
Periscope Holdings review

Questions people ask

Is Google Authenticator or Periscope Holdings better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Authenticator starts at Free and Periscope Holdings at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Authenticator or Periscope Holdings?
Google Authenticator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Authenticator and On request for Periscope Holdings.
Does Google Authenticator or Periscope Holdings run on more platforms?
Google Authenticator runs on iOS, Android. Periscope Holdings runs on Web.
Can I use Google Authenticator for free?
Yes. Google Authenticator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Periscope Holdings starts at On request.
What is Google Authenticator best used for?
Google Authenticator is most often used for someone setting up two-factor authentication on a website that asks for a totp app, a user who wants codes to survive a lost or replaced phone via account sync, someone who prefers a simple, free, single-purpose authenticator over a password manager's built-in one, a person migrating between phones who wants existing 2fa codes to transfer automatically. Of those, someone setting up two-factor authentication on a website that asks for a totp app and a user who wants codes to survive a lost or replaced phone via account sync are not what Periscope Holdings is typically brought in for.
What can Google Authenticator do that Periscope Holdings cannot?
Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, QR code setup, Optional Google account sync, Offline generation. Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation, Supplier registration network, Contract catalogues, Cooperative purchasing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Authenticator: Does Google Authenticator cost anything?

No, it is free with no subscription or in-app purchases.

Periscope Holdings: Who owns Periscope Holdings?

mdf commerce acquired it in 2021, and mdf commerce was itself acquired by KKR in 2024.

Google Authenticator: Is cloud sync safe?

Google documents it as protected by your Google account security. Whether that is an acceptable trade-off versus device-only storage is debated; you can turn sync off if you prefer local-only codes.

Periscope Holdings: Is it suitable for a single city?

Usually not. It is built and priced for statewide or very large agency programmes.

Google Authenticator: Can I export my codes to another app?

There is no official bulk export; moving to a different authenticator typically requires re-adding each account from its setup page.

Periscope Holdings: What is BuySpeed?

The e-procurement platform behind its statewide deployments, covering solicitation through catalogue ordering and reporting.

Periscope Holdings: Can we see what a state paid?

Yes. State procurement awards are public records and typically disclose the full multi year contract value.

Share

Related pages

More on Google Authenticator

More on Periscope Holdings

Keep looking

Other head to heads