Google Authenticator: 2FA codes with a cloud backup
The default answer for two-factor codes — 1.17 million ratings at 4.9. Since 2023 it syncs and exports, which removes the one risk that mattered.
Google Authenticator has been the answer to "which 2FA app" since 2010, and 1,166,117 ratings at 4.9 say most people never looked further.
What changed in 2023
For thirteen years it stored codes on the device and nowhere else. A lost phone meant losing access to every account at once, recoverable only by contacting each service separately.
Now codes sync to your Google account and transfer to a new phone by QR code. That removes the single largest risk in this category.
The trade is obvious: a copy of your second factors lives in an account whose first factor is a password. If that bothers you, skip the sync and print your backup codes instead.
What it does not have
No in-app lock, no folders, no notes on entries. Just a list of codes.
At 39 MB against Microsoft Authenticator's 223, that restraint is a feature for something you open for five seconds at a time.
Common questions
- Is Google Authenticator available on Android?
- Yes, the app ships for both iPhone and Android. We last checked both stores on September 1, 2026.
- What languages does Google Authenticator support?
- Of the languages this site covers, the App Store lists: English, German, Russian, Spanish. The store page shows the full list for your region.
- Is Google Authenticator free?
- Google Authenticator is free outright: no subscription and no in-app purchases are listed in the App Store.