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Cybersecurity · head to head

Google Authenticator vs Sardine

Google Authenticator logo

Google Authenticator

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sardine logo

Sardine

Cybersecurity

Device intelligence and behaviour biometrics for fraud and compliance

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.; Sardine signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, Sardine covers Device intelligence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

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

  • Device intelligence
  • Behaviour biometrics
  • Scam detection
  • Onboarding risk scoring
  • AML transaction monitoring
  • Dispute and chargeback handling
  • Rules editor

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

Sardine

  • A neobank losing money to authorised push payment scams where the customer genuinely approved the transfernot Google Authenticator
  • A crypto exchange trying to detect accounts being operated by remote access rather than by their ownernot Google Authenticator
  • A fintech seeing synthetic identity signups that pass document verification but share device characteristicsnot Google Authenticator
  • A lender wanting first party fraud signals at application time that a credit bureau file does not containnot 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.

Sardine

  • Signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
  • Behavioural and device telemetry collection needs a documented lawful basis under GDPR, and EU privacy reviews frequently delay rollouts that were scoped as engineering work.
  • Pricing is per session or per active user, so a consumer product with many low value sessions pays in proportion to traffic rather than to fraud exposure.
  • As a younger private company it lacks the enforcement-tested audit history that a bank examiner expects, which makes it a harder sell inside a regulated bank than inside a fintech.
  • It is strongest on session-time signals and weaker as a system of record for long horizon AML typologies, so larger institutions end up running it alongside a traditional monitoring platform rather than instead of one.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Authenticator

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

Sardine

On request
  • Sardine$undefined/year
    • Priced per user session or per monthly active user
    • Annual contract with volume commitment
    • SDK for web, iOS and Android

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 Sardine if

  • You need device intelligence.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want behaviour biometrics.
Sardine review

Questions people ask

Is Google Authenticator or Sardine better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Authenticator starts at Free and Sardine at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Authenticator or Sardine?
Google Authenticator has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Authenticator and On request for Sardine.
Does Google Authenticator or Sardine run on more platforms?
Google Authenticator runs on iOS, Android. Sardine 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. Sardine 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 Sardine is typically brought in for.
What can Google Authenticator do that Sardine cannot?
Google Authenticator covers TOTP code generation, QR code setup, Optional Google account sync, Offline generation. Sardine covers Device intelligence, Behaviour biometrics, Scam detection, Onboarding risk scoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Authenticator: Does Google Authenticator cost anything?

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

Sardine: Does Sardine do document verification?

It focuses on device, behavioural and transaction signals, and integrates identity verification providers rather than being one. Treat it as complementary to a KYC vendor.

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.

Sardine: What does it need from us to work?

An SDK in your web and mobile applications plus transaction feeds. Without the client side collector you lose the signals that differentiate it.

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.

Sardine: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted, typically per session or per monthly active user with an annual volume commitment.

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