Twilio Authy

Twilio Authy

Editor Rating: Excellent (4.0)


Twilio Authy - Twilio Authy
  • Pros

    Turns any smartphone into a two-factor authentication token. Does everything Google Authenticator does and more. Supports iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Sync across devices. Easily to swap in a new smartphone.
  • Cons

    Desktop edition does not force use of a master password.
  • Bottom Line

    Twilio's free Authy service makes securing your website and applications with two-factor authentication just about as easy as it can be. It does everything Google Authenticator can do, and more.

A password is a terrible way to protect an online account, because anybody who learns your password owns the account, even if they're half a world away. A password manager lets you use tough-to-remember passwords, but in a data breach it doesn't matter if your password was "*txE6xVy$rjMO@0t" or "password." You can vastly enhance your security by using a two-factor authentication scheme, and Twilio's Authy makes two-factor authentication easier than ever.

Experts divide authentication factors into three types: something you know (a password, for example), something you have (a physical object), and something you are (a fingerprint or other biometric trait). Authy turns your smartphone into a physical token that's needed for login, along with the password. A hacker who steals or guesses your password will be foiled by the authentication step that requires that token.