Best TOTP Apps for Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

The increasing frequency of cyber attacks has demonstrated that single-layer account protection – namely the username and password combo – is no longer enough. Take the phishing attack targeting Gmail users, for example, where cyber criminals obtained the credentials of one million users, meaning two things:

1. If the user has used the same password with another service, hackers can easily log in and take over that account.
2. Hackers can access the user’s Gmail account and all services tied to it, unless Google’s two-step verification is active.

The most widespread and known software token is Google Authenticator. The app offers a clean, user-friendly interface to deliver the time-based one-time passcode (TOTP) for the linked services.

Features

• Supports both six- and eight-digit passcodes.
• TOTP and HOTP algorithm support.
• No need for an internet connection.
• Available for Android, BlackBerry and iOS platforms.

Alongside the generation of six- and eight-digit OTPs, one standalone feature of Authy is its support for desktops, which is a considerable bonus when compared to Google Authenticator and other TOTP apps that are usually only available for mobile devices.

Features

• Touch ID, PIN or password protection.
• Multi-device synchronization.
• Encrypted backups in the cloud.
• Keeps tokens safe with three different types of passwords: backup passwords, master passwords, and PIN protection.
• Three different types of authentication: Authy OneCode, Authy SoftToken and Authy OneTouch.
• Available for iOS, watchOS, macOS, Android, Windows (desktop), and it even has a Chrome extension.

Although this service reaches beyond Microsoft’s own platform, the most convenient feature of Microsoft Authenticator is single sign-on and it is sadly tied to the Windows ecosystem. This second layer of security is protected by Touch ID, Face ID, or PIN. It’s similar to Google Authenticator, offering the following features:

Features

• Support for notifications preventing unauthorized access.
• Phone sign-in support for web apps and services powered by personal Microsoft accounts.
• Backup and recovery of account credentials and related app settings (iOS only).
• Available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Alongside the same features that other multi-factor authentication apps support, there are a handful of reasons to download Sophos Authenticator.

Features

• Compatible with a wide variety of online services, such as Google, Dropbox, Facebook, and more.
• Uses different hash algorithms: SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512.
• Customizable lifespan of one-time passcodes.
• Generated codes can be six to eight digits long.
• Available for Android and iOS.

Developed by the corresponding password management service, LastPass Authenticator is used to log into various online accounts supporting 2FA. Alongside the regular features of such software tokens, there are a handful of reasons that make this service a good pick.

Features

• One-tap authentication for users to log into their LastPass, Dropbox, Google, Amazon, Facebook or Evernote accounts via push notification displayed in the LastPass Authenticator app.
• Android Wear compatible.
• Encrypted backups to restore tokens on a new or reinstalled device.
• Available for Android, Windows Phone and iOS.