Tom Merritt shares the best alternatives to Google’s two-factor authentication app.
Google Authenticator was one of the first apps you could install on a phone for two-factor authentication to keep accounts safe. It works on more than just Google accounts, but it also suffers from Google management, which is often slow to update features.
Top 5 Alternatives to Google Authenticator
Duo mobile
This app from Cisco offers a feature called Duo Push. If a site works with it, the app may ask you to tap to verify a login instead of entering a code. And to prevent unauthorized access to your account, you can deny requests and even mark the denied attempt as fraud.
Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator is essentially the same as Google Authenticator, but managed by Microsoft with a slightly more pleasing layout. It also allows you to sign in to Microsoft accounts such as OneDrive and Outlook with just one tap.
LastPass Authenticator
This one works well even if you don’t use LastPass to manage your passwords. It offers push notification authentication with several big names like Amazon, Dropbox, Facebook and more, and it supports SMS and QR codes.
Authy
It has a decent layout and its main advantage is that it can store your codes in the cloud, encrypted with a password or biometrics. That way you don’t lose your second factor if you lose your phone. Authy makes it easy to install on multiple devices and it can generate codes that you can use offline.
If you’re going to use Authy anyway, check out Mary Manzi .’s article Back up your Authy app†
Yubico
It does not generate any codes; it is a real physical key. You used to need a USB port on the device you logged in to, but now it also supports NFC and Bluetooth.
Whatever method you use, even if you stick with Google Authenticator, it’s good to have those multi-factors in a good place — at least until that passwordless future finally arrives.
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