Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

bitwarden VS Google Authenticator

Compare bitwarden VS Google Authenticator and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

bitwarden logo bitwarden

Bitwarden is a free and open source password management solution for individuals, teams, and business organizations.

Google Authenticator logo Google Authenticator

Google Authenticator is a multifactor app for mobile devices.
  • bitwarden Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05
  • Google Authenticator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-25

bitwarden features and specs

  • Open Source
    Bitwarden is open source, meaning the code is publicly accessible. This increases transparency and allows third-party audits to enhance security.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Bitwarden is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and as browser extensions, ensuring a consistent experience across devices.
  • End-to-End Encryption
    Bitwarden uses end-to-end encryption to secure all user data. Data is encrypted on the user’s device before being sent to Bitwarden’s servers, ensuring high security.
  • Affordable Pricing
    Bitwarden offers competitive pricing, including a robust free tier with essential features, and premium tiers that are cost-effective compared to other password managers.
  • Feature-Rich
    Bitwarden offers a variety of features including password generator, secure notes, and multi-factor authentication. The premium version also includes advanced features like secure file storage.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Bitwarden provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users of all technical backgrounds to manage their passwords effectively.

Possible disadvantages of bitwarden

  • Sync Speed
    Some users report that synchronizing vault entries between devices can occasionally be slow or delayed, affecting real-time access to updated credentials.
  • Initial Learning Curve
    Despite its intuitive interface, new users may encounter a learning curve when setting up and configuring various security features and settings.
  • Limited Free-Tier Features
    The free tier, while functional, lacks some advanced features like secure file storage and emergency access, which are only available in premium versions.
  • Self-Hosting Complexity
    While Bitwarden offers the option for self-hosting, setting up and maintaining a self-hosted instance can be technically complex and time-consuming.
  • Feature Overload for Basic Users
    For users who need simple password management, Bitwarden's comprehensive feature set might seem overwhelming or unnecessary.

Google Authenticator features and specs

  • Enhanced Security
    Google Authenticator adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second factor of authentication, reducing the risk of unauthorized access even if your password is compromised.
  • Offline Access
    The app does not require an internet connection to generate codes, making it reliable in situations where connectivity is a concern.
  • Compatibility
    Google Authenticator is compatible with a wide range of services and accounts, providing a versatile solution for multi-factor authentication (MFA).
  • Free of Charge
    The application is free to use, offering robust security features without any financial investment.
  • Ease of Use
    Setup and usage are straightforward, making it accessible to users without technical expertise.

Possible disadvantages of Google Authenticator

  • Device Dependence
    If you lose your device, gaining access to your accounts can become challenging, particularly if you haven't backed up or used alternative methods.
  • No Cloud Sync
    Google Authenticator does not offer a built-in feature for cloud backups, making it difficult to transfer codes to a new device.
  • Single Device Limitation
    The app only works on a single device at a time, which can be inconvenient if you manage multiple devices.
  • No Biometric Lock
    The app lacks advanced security features such as biometric locks, which are present in some other authenticator apps.
  • Limited Recovery Options
    In case of losing access to the app, recovery options rely heavily on the user having access to backup codes, which might not always be accessible.

bitwarden videos

Bitwarden Review - Most Honest Review? Which tier is It?

More videos:

  • Review - Bitwarden Open Source Password Manager Review and Why We Moved From LastPass
  • Review - BitWarden: Why You Should Ditch LastPass, 1Password, etc (with TuxDigital) [Part 1 of 2]

Google Authenticator videos

How to Use Google Authenticator

More videos:

  • Review - GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR vs. AUTHY - (AUTHY WON)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to bitwarden and Google Authenticator)
Password Managers
100 100%
0% 0
Identity And Access Management
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Two Factor Authentication

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare bitwarden and Google Authenticator

bitwarden Reviews

  1. Stan
    · Founder at SaaSHub ·
    A great password management tool

    I moved from 1Password to Bitwarden about half a year ago. I never looked back, and I've never missed anything. The UI might be a touch clunkier than 1Password, but it's still good and perfectly usable on the whole. What is more, it is open-source and people can inspect its code.

    🏁 Competitors: 1Password, Dashlane
    👍 Pros:    Open-source|Free

5 Best Password Managers for Teams (2024)
Affordability is a key feature of Bitwarden, catering to various budgets with pricing plans tailored for individuals, families, and businesses including a limited free plan. Pricing for Bitwarden ranges from $0 to $5 per user per month, depending on the chosen plan.
Top 10 Best Password Managers [NEW 2023 Rankings]
Bitwarden provides an easy and safe solution to store, share, and sync sensitive data. It has powerful sharing features that will be useful to families, teams, and businesses. It provides insightful reports to help you audit the vault.
9 Best KeePass Alternatives
For those who prefer to use open-source software, Bitwarden is the way to go. The free version is also distributed under the GPL, but some features require that you obtain a paid license. Unlike KeePass, Bitwarden places an emphasis on ease of use and covers the same range of features as other leading password managers.
The Best Password Managers To Keep Your Data Safe In 2022
BitWarden is a best-of-all worlds password manager that combines a fully-functional, cross-platform free tier, as well as paid personal, family and business tiers on BitWarden's service. BitWarden has desktop clients for Windows, macOS and Linux, mobile apps for Android and iOS, and browser extensions for most popular browsers and their derivatives.
Source: www.wired.co.uk
Top 5 Bitwarden Password Manager Alternatives
Do you have more passwords than you can keep track? Most of us have a hard time remembering all of our passwords. The good news is there are applications that do that for you. One of them is Bitwarden. This open-source application is one of the best free password managers. There is a paid subscription plan as well. Today, we will talk about how to use Bitwarden, what are...

Google Authenticator Reviews

7 Best Google Authenticator Alternatives For Android And iOS
Except for one, all the apps mentioned above are available for Android and iPhone. You can add accounts which you want to secure by scanning their barcode or simply entering the secret key or id in all of them. Some of them will let you capture a screenshot and some of them will not. Apart from that, all these are free to use and provide better features making them as the...
The Best Authenticator Apps for 2023
When you use Google Authenticator to log in to your Google account, you enter the six-digit code shown in the authenticator app, just as you would to log in to any other service. The app also lets you import logins from an old phone to a new one if you have the former on hand. As with Microsoft Authenticator, there's no Apple Watch app or even an Android Wear app for Google...
Source: www.pcmag.com
Top 6 Google Authenticator Alternatives in 2023
Although they aren’t as big or widely known as Google or Microsoft, Twilio’s Authy app is one of the most impressive and feature-rich Google Authenticator alternatives. Twilio takes pride in the fact that their app can be used anywhere Google Authenticator can be used, meaning that those making the switch won’t hit any unexpected compatibility issues.
Is Authy better than Google Authenticator?
The difference between Authy and Google Authenticator lies in the number of features offered by each app. If you like minimalism, use Google Authenticator, but if you like multi-device support, full Backup of your 2FA codes, or three authentication types, use Authy.
The Best 2FA Apps 2021: Locking Down Your Online Accounts
Google Authenticator is really the baseline here, because nearly all sites that support 2FA support Google’s app as well. For example, LastPass Authenticator and Authy aren’t explicitly supported by as many sites and services. However, they still use TOTP, making them compatible with all services that support Google Authenticator.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, bitwarden seems to be a lot more popular than Google Authenticator. While we know about 606 links to bitwarden, we've tracked only 7 mentions of Google Authenticator. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

bitwarden mentions (606)

  • OTE one time emails
    Here's another cool free trick for anyone. If you use Bitwarden they sneakily introduced a Generator for their desktop app for "Username" before it was just passwords. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
  • Online Safety: A Guide to Protecting Yourself
    While not every site has adopted passwordless logins, a better way to secure your accounts that still use passwords is by using a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password. They help you create strong, unique passwords and remember them easily. Most password managers come with autofill features that make it easy to use across devices. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • A list of SaaS, PaaS and IaaS offerings that have free tiers of interest to devops and infradev
    Bitwarden — The easiest and safest way for individuals, teams, and business organizations to store, share, and sync sensitive data. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • What program(s) do you use to remember passwords, including crypto?
    For passwords and 2FA I use Bitwarden in combination with a self-hosted Vaultwarden service (for imcreased security and use of pro features for free). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Amazon Account with unauthorised purchases, did my google passwords get leaked
    First it's good to use a password manager, however it's not a good idea to use the one built into your browser. I would suggest switching to BitWarden or similar (not LastPass). Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Google Authenticator mentions (7)

  • Google Authenticator now supports Google Account synchronization
    Here they have support page https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • I'm building a macOS app in a week with Tauri and Supabase.
    Many authenticator apps already exist on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Most of them have synchronization features but are limited to backup only or sync with the same platform (ie: iOS or Android only). I'm using one of them for years and at this moment I'm feeling bothered when switching to a mobile device every time login into a website or online service. So, I created Otentik Authenticator. A Google... - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: How to enable 2FA for Google Account to use Authenticator app?
    Their only docs suggest using an authenticator app (which presumably runs on the 'phone which potentially can be lost' anyway) is possible: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447?hl=en&ref_topic=2954345 If it's not showing up for you, you'd need to contact their support team to find out why. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Bought Centric Swap / CNS? Here’s What To Do Next
    By the way, if you don’t already have 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) set up on your Centric Wallet, now would be a good time to do that. You’ll need to have a 2FA app installed on your smartphone, such as Google Authenticator or Authy. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Storing hex/pulse/pulse swap
    Use 2FA with Google Authenticator for your email, wallets, and pretty much anything else that allows you to do so. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing bitwarden and Google Authenticator, you can also consider the following products

1Password - 1Password can create strong, unique passwords for you, remember them, and restore them, all directly in your web browser.

Authy - Best rated Two-Factor Authentication smartphone app for consumers, simplest 2fa Rest API for developers and a strong authentication platform for the enterprise.

KeePass - KeePass is an open source password manager. Passwords can be stored in highly-encrypted databases, which can be unlocked with one master password or key file.

Duo Security - Duo Security provides cloud-based two-factor authentication. Duo’s technology can be deployed to protect users, data, and applications from breaches, credential theft, and account takeover.

Lastpass - LastPass is an online password manager and form filler that makes web browsing easier and more secure.

Azure Multi-Factor Authentication - Azure Multi-Factor Authentication helps safeguard access to data and applications while meeting user demand for a simple sign-in process.