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Cybersecurity · head to head

Google Authenticator vs VUEWorks

Google Authenticator logo

Google Authenticator

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Google AuthenticatorFull review
VUEWorks logo

VUEWorks

Government

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

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit VUEWorksFull review

The short version

  • Google Authenticator is free; VUEWorks prices on request.
  • Only Google Authenticator lists TOTP code generation; only VUEWorks lists native Esri integration.
  • Where Google Authenticator falls short: there is no desktop app, so codes must be read off a phone screen when logging in from a computer.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Authenticator and VUEWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Authenticator and VUEWorks differ
AttributeGoogle AuthenticatorVUEWorks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree, no in-app purchasesQuote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

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 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.

Google Authenticator

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

VUEWorks

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

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

Google Authenticator

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

VUEWorks

On request
  • VUEWorks EnterpriseOn request
    • 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 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 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 Google Authenticator or VUEWorks better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Authenticator 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, Google Authenticator or VUEWorks?
Google Authenticator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Authenticator and On request for VUEWorks.
Does Google Authenticator or VUEWorks run on more platforms?
Google Authenticator runs on iOS, Android. VUEWorks runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Google Authenticator for free?
Yes. Google Authenticator has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VUEWorks 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 VUEWorks is typically brought in for.
What can Google Authenticator do that VUEWorks cannot?
Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, QR code setup, Optional Google account sync, Offline generation. VUEWorks covers Native Esri integration, Work orders and requests, Inspections, Condition and risk.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Authenticator: Does Google Authenticator cost anything?

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

VUEWorks: Do we need Esri ArcGIS?

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

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.

VUEWorks: Is pricing published?

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

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.

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.

VUEWorks: Is there a cloud option?

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

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