Authy for Teams: Why It's Not Built for Business (and What to Use Instead)
Authy is one of the most popular two-factor authentication apps, and for good reason. It's free, reliable, and used by millions of people worldwide. But when you Google "Authy for teams" or "how to share Authy with my team," you'll quickly discover a problem: Authy wasn't designed for team use.
Many teams try to make Authy work for sharing 2FA codes across their organization. The workarounds seem clever at first - share the backup password, have everyone sync to the same account, coordinate access somehow. But these approaches create serious security, compliance, and management problems.
In this guide, we'll explore why Authy falls short for team use, what teams actually need in a 2FA solution, and four better alternatives - including purpose-built tools like Authn8 that are designed specifically for teams from the ground up.
What is Authy? (Brief Overview)
Authy is a two-factor authentication app developed by Twilio, one of the world's leading communications platforms. Here's what makes it popular for individual users:
Key Features
- Multi-device sync: Unlike Google Authenticator, Authy syncs across devices
- Cloud backup: Your 2FA tokens are backed up and encrypted
- Desktop apps: Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Recovery options: If you lose your phone, you can recover access
- Free: No cost for personal use
- Trusted: Owned by Twilio, a publicly-traded company
Why Individuals Love It
For personal use, Authy is excellent. The multi-device sync means you can access your 2FA codes from your phone, tablet, and computer. The cloud backup means you won't lose access if your phone breaks. It's a significant improvement over basic authenticator apps.
Used by millions: Authy has been downloaded millions of times and is recommended by many security experts for personal use.
But being great for individuals doesn't make it great for teams. Let's explore why.
Can Authy Be Used for Teams?
Technically, yes. Practically, it's problematic. Here's how teams typically try to use Authy for shared 2FA access:
The Common Workaround
- Set up Authy on one device with a specific email/phone number
- Share the backup password with team members
- Each person installs Authy and logs in with the shared credentials
- Everyone syncs to the same Authy account
- Now everyone has access to the same 2FA codes
Why This Seems to Work at First
Initially, this approach appears to solve the problem:
- Everyone can generate the same 2FA codes
- New codes sync automatically across all devices
- No more screenshot sharing
- Seems secure because Authy uses encryption
The Reality: It Creates More Problems Than It Solves
What seems like a clever solution actually introduces significant security and operational risks.
5 Problems with Using Authy for Teams
Problem 1: No Team Management Features
Authy has zero team management capabilities:
- Can't see who has access: No roster of team members
- Can't see who's logged in: No visibility into active sessions
- Can't assign roles: Everyone who has access has full access
- No permission levels: Can't make some users read-only or limit what they can see
- Everyone has admin rights: Anyone can add or delete accounts
Real-world impact: You have no idea how many people actually have access to your shared Authy account. Former employees, contractors, and interns might still be logged in months after leaving.
Problem 2: No Audit Logs
This is a critical limitation for any business:
- Can't track who accessed which codes: Zero visibility into usage
- No timestamps: Can't see when codes were accessed
- Impossible to audit: Can't prove who did what for compliance
- No accountability: If someone misuses access, you'll never know who
Compliance nightmare: SOC2, HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS all require audit trails for authentication access. Authy provides none of this for shared accounts.
Example scenario: An important account is accessed at 3 AM and critical settings are changed. With Authy, you have no way to know which team member (or former team member) did it. With proper team tools, you'd have complete logs.
Problem 3: Difficult to Revoke Access
When someone leaves your team or a contractor's engagement ends:
With Authy:
- Change the backup password
- Force everyone to re-authenticate
- Share the new backup password with remaining team (securely, somehow)
- Hope the former employee doesn't screenshot the codes before being locked out
- Or just... do nothing and hope they don't misuse access
The reality: Most teams choose option 5 because options 1-4 are too disruptive. This means former employees often retain access indefinitely.
With proper team tools:
- Click "Deactivate user"
- Done (10 seconds, no impact on other team members)
Problem 4: Security Concerns with Shared Accounts
Authy's security model assumes one person controls one account. Sharing breaks this model:
- One backup password for everyone: If it leaks anywhere, everyone is compromised
- No individual accountability: Can't tie actions to specific people
- Password sharing challenges: How do you securely share the backup password with 10 people?
- No session control: Can't force logout on specific devices
- Violates security best practices: Shared credentials are explicitly flagged by security frameworks
Example vulnerability: If one team member's email is compromised and they used that same password for Authy backup, the attacker gains access to all your 2FA codes.
Problem 5: No Compliance Features
For regulated industries or companies pursuing compliance certifications:
What auditors look for:
- Individual user accounts (not shared)
- Complete audit trails
- Role-based access control
- Regular access reviews
- Documented procedures
What Authy for teams provides:
- None of the above
Real-world consequence: A software company pursuing SOC2 certification failed their first audit specifically because of shared Authy account usage. They had to implement a proper team 2FA solution and restart the audit process, costing them three months and thousands of dollars.
4 Authy Alternatives for Teams
Now let's explore four alternatives that actually provide the team features you need.
Alternative 1: Authn8 (Purpose-Built for Teams) Recommended
What it is: Authn8 is a dedicated 2FA management platform designed specifically for teams from the ground up.
Key features:
- Complete team management: Add/remove users, assign roles, view active sessions
- Full audit logs: Track who accessed which code when, export for compliance
- Granular access control: Assign specific 2FA codes to specific team members
- Multi-platform support: Web app, iOS app, Android app - all synced
- Instant revocation: Remove access in seconds without affecting other team members
- Security-first design: Individual accounts, encrypted storage, 2FA on Authn8 itself
- Compliance ready: SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA support built-in
Pros:
- Purpose-built for exactly this use case
- No workarounds or hacks needed
- Professional audit logs and reporting
- Excellent customer support
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Free plan for up to 3 users
Cons:
- Additional tool to manage (though this is a feature, not a bug)
Best for: Teams of 5+ people, organizations with compliance requirements, businesses that need accountability and security
Learn more: Visit Authn8 Pricing (Free plan for up to 3 users)
Alternative 2: 1Password (with TOTP Support)
What it is: 1Password is a password manager that also supports TOTP (time-based one-time password) generation for 2FA.
How it works: Store your TOTP secrets in 1Password's shared vaults alongside passwords. Team members can access both passwords and 2FA codes from the same place.
Pros:
- Integrated password and 2FA management
- Good team management features
- Decent audit logging (on business plans)
- Many teams already use 1Password
- Established company with good security track record
Cons:
- 2FA is a secondary feature, not the primary focus
- Can be expensive ($19.95/month for 10 users minimum)
- Mixing passwords and 2FA in one tool creates single point of failure
- Interface can be cluttered with both passwords and 2FA
- Not as smooth for pure 2FA use cases
Best for: Teams already using 1Password for password management
Pricing: Starts at $19.95/month for 10 users (Business plan)
Alternative 3: Bitwarden (with Premium/Business Plans)
What it is: Bitwarden is an open-source password manager with TOTP support on paid plans.
How it works: Similar to 1Password - store TOTP secrets in shared vaults alongside passwords.
Pros:
- Affordable (starts at $3/user/month for Business)
- Open-source (transparency and community auditing)
- Includes team management and sharing
- Self-hosting option available for extra control
- Growing community and regular updates
Cons:
- Less polished interface than competitors
- 2FA is add-on feature, not core focus
- Fewer integrations than established alternatives
- Self-hosting requires technical expertise
- Smaller team means slower feature development
Best for: Budget-conscious teams, technically sophisticated teams who want open-source solutions
Pricing: Business plan starts at $3/user/month
Alternative 4: Microsoft Authenticator (for Microsoft 365 Teams)
What it is: Microsoft's authenticator app with enterprise features for Microsoft 365 organizations.
How it works: When integrated with Azure Active Directory, provides some team management capabilities for Microsoft services.
Pros:
- Deep integration with Microsoft 365 ecosystem
- Often included with existing Microsoft licenses
- Familiar to Microsoft-centric organizations
- Good security features
- Managed through Azure AD
Cons:
- Limited support for non-Microsoft 2FA
- Requires Microsoft 365 / Azure AD
- Not designed for managing non-Microsoft services
- Less flexible than dedicated solutions
- Still lacks comprehensive audit logging for third-party services
Best for: Organizations fully invested in Microsoft ecosystem, primarily managing Microsoft services
Pricing: Often included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium (~$22/user/month for full suite)
Comparison Table: Authy vs. Team Alternatives
| Feature | Authy | Authn8 | 1Password | Bitwarden | MS Authenticator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Management | Full | Full | Good | Partial | |
| Audit Logs | Complete | Good | Basic | MS services only | |
| Access Control | Granular | Good | Good | Limited | |
| Revoke Individual Access | Hard | Instant | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Compliance Features | SOC2/HIPAA/GDPR | Yes | Basic | Enterprise | |
| Multi-Platform | Web+iOS+Android | All platforms | All platforms | Mobile+Windows | |
| Purpose-Built for 2FA | Individual | Teams | Password mgr | Password mgr | MS-focused |
| Cost | Free | $$ | $$$ | $ | Often included |
| Best For | Individuals | Teams 5+ | Password mgr users | Budget teams | Microsoft shops |
Ready to Move Beyond Authy for Your Team?
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Get Started Free (Up to 3 Users)Common Questions About Authy for Teams (FAQ)
Is Authy safe for teams?
Authy itself is secure - it uses encryption and is owned by Twilio, a reputable company. However, the practice of sharing an Authy account across a team creates security and compliance problems: no audit trail, difficult access revocation, and shared credentials. So while Authy is technically safe, using it for teams is not a security best practice.
Can Authy see my 2FA codes?
Authy uses end-to-end encryption for your TOTP secrets. Twilio (Authy's owner) cannot see your actual 2FA codes. However, when you share an Authy account across your team, everyone with the backup password can access all codes, which is the real security concern.
What happens if Authy shuts down?
If Authy discontinued their service, you'd need to reset 2FA on all your accounts and move to a new authenticator app. This is true for any 2FA app. Best practice: maintain backup codes for critical accounts in a secure location (encrypted password manager or secure vault) separate from your authenticator app.
How much does a team 2FA tool cost?
Team 2FA solutions range from free to $20+ per user per month. Authn8 offers a free plan for up to 3 users. Check current pricing for paid plans. 1Password costs ~$7-9/user/month, Bitwarden ~$3/user/month, and enterprise solutions $15-20+/user/month. The cost is usually justified by time saved, security improvements, and compliance benefits.
Can I use Authy and a team tool together?
Yes! Many people use Authy for personal 2FA and a team tool (like Authn8) for work-related 2FA. This is actually a good security practice - it separates personal and professional authentication. Use Authy on your personal phone for your personal accounts, and use your team's professional tool for work accounts.
Conclusion
Authy is an excellent two-factor authentication app - for individuals. It's free, reliable, feature-rich, and recommended by security experts for personal use.
But for teams, Authy lacks the critical features you need: team management, audit logs, access control, and compliance support. The workarounds (sharing backup passwords, syncing to same account) create more security problems than they solve.
For teams of three or more people, especially those with compliance requirements or security concerns, purpose-built team 2FA tools make much more sense. The investment - often just a few dollars per user per month - pays for itself through:
- Time saved: No more coordinating screenshot sharing
- Security improved: Audit logs, access control, accountability
- Compliance: Pass audits that would fail with shared consumer tools
- Peace of mind: Know exactly who has access to what
For most teams, Authn8 hits the sweet spot between features, ease of use, and cost. You get enterprise-grade team management without enterprise complexity or price tags.
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