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Cybersecurity · head to head

Google Authenticator vs Salient CompleteView

Google Authenticator logo

Google Authenticator

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salient CompleteView logo

Salient CompleteView

Cybersecurity

Per-camera licensed video management software with unlimited client workstations

From
On request
Rated
-
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.; Salient CompleteView the third-party integration ecosystem is much smaller than Milestone's, so a specialist analytics, LPR or access control requirement is more likely to need custom integration work.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, Salient CompleteView covers One licence per camera.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Authenticator and Salient CompleteView actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Authenticator and Salient CompleteView differ
AttributeGoogle AuthenticatorSalient CompleteView
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree, no in-app purchasesquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWindows, Web, 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 Google Authenticator

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

Only in Salient CompleteView

  • One licence per camera
  • Open camera support
  • Perpetual or subscription
  • Recording server architecture
  • Video wall
  • Cloud Services
  • Forensic search
  • First responder access

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 Salient CompleteView
  • A user who wants codes to survive a lost or replaced phone via account syncnot Salient CompleteView
  • Someone who prefers a simple, free, single-purpose authenticator over a password manager's built-in onenot Salient CompleteView
  • A person migrating between phones who wants existing 2FA codes to transfer automaticallynot Salient CompleteView

Salient CompleteView

  • A school district where dozens of administrators and resource officers need viewing access without per-seat licencesnot Google Authenticator
  • A hospital campus consolidating legacy recorders under one recording architecturenot Google Authenticator
  • A city department needing first responder access to specific cameras during an incidentnot Google Authenticator
  • An integrator deploying a mid-sized site where an enterprise VMS would be over-engineerednot 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.

Salient CompleteView

  • The third-party integration ecosystem is much smaller than Milestone's, so a specialist analytics, LPR or access control requirement is more likely to need custom integration work.
  • It is Windows server based with a conventional recording architecture, so it carries the server, storage and maintenance burden that cloud-native competitors remove entirely.
  • International presence is limited and the channel is concentrated in North America, so buyers elsewhere face thin support and few experienced integrators.
  • No current pricing is published; distribution list prices circulate but the actual number depends on the integrator, which makes competitive comparison slow.
  • Brand recognition is lower than the market leaders, which matters in public procurement where specifications are sometimes written around a named competitor and a substitution has to be argued.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Authenticator

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

Salient CompleteView

On request
  • CompleteView$undefined/one-time
    • One licence per IP camera, sold through distribution
    • No charge or licence for client workstations, unlimited clients
    • Perpetual and subscription licensing both available

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 Salient CompleteView if

  • You need one licence per camera.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want open camera support.
Salient CompleteView review

Questions people ask

Is Google Authenticator or Salient CompleteView better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Authenticator starts at Free and Salient CompleteView at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Authenticator or Salient CompleteView?
Google Authenticator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Authenticator and On request for Salient CompleteView.
Does Google Authenticator or Salient CompleteView run on more platforms?
Google Authenticator runs on iOS, Android. Salient CompleteView runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Authenticator for free?
Yes. Google Authenticator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salient CompleteView 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 Salient CompleteView is typically brought in for.
What can Google Authenticator do that Salient CompleteView cannot?
Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, QR code setup, Optional Google account sync, Offline generation. Salient CompleteView covers One licence per camera, Open camera support, Perpetual or subscription, Recording server architecture.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Authenticator: Does Google Authenticator cost anything?

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

Salient CompleteView: Do I pay for client workstations?

No. CompleteView licenses one licence per IP camera with no additional charge or licence for clients and no limit on the number of client workstations.

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.

Salient CompleteView: Is licensing perpetual or subscription?

Both are offered. Perpetual suits capital budgets; subscription suits organisations that prefer operating expenditure.

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.

Salient CompleteView: Does it have a cloud option?

Yes, Salient Cloud Services, with free registration for an asset dashboard and paid upgrades for remote access, monitoring and first responder connectivity.

Salient CompleteView: What version is current?

CompleteView 8.0 is the current release line.

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