U2 Secured Authenticator vs Google Authenticator
Both give you free two-factor codes for any site that offers an authenticator app. U2 Secured adds a backup only you can open, keeps your codes on one phone instead of every device you sign in on, and approves sign-ins with a tap on services built on U2 Secured.
Moving across takes one scan of Google Authenticator’s own export. Google’s side of the comparison below is read from Google’s help pages and dated.
Where U2 Secured is different
Switch in one scan
Export your accounts in Google Authenticator and scan the code with U2 Secured. Every account comes across in one tap, and any you already have are skipped.
A backup only you can open
With Premium, your codes are encrypted on your phone before they are uploaded. We store only ciphertext and never hold the key.
Your codes on one phone
There is one copy in use, on one phone. Moving to a new phone retires the old one and erases its copy, and if someone else restores your account, your phone tells you.
Tap to approve
On services built on U2 Secured, signing in sends a prompt to your phone: pick the matching number and confirm with Face ID or your fingerprint.
Codes in your browser
With Premium, the web portal shows your live codes on any computer, read-only and decrypted in your browser.
Side by side
Every Google entry is read from Google’s own help page; the link on each row goes to it, dated the day it was read.
Moving from Google Authenticator
Keep Google Authenticator until the last step, so you always have working codes.
- 1
Install U2 Secured Authenticator
Free on the App Store and Google Play.
- 2
Export from Google Authenticator
Open the Menu, then Transfer accounts on iPhone or Transfer codes on Android, then Export, and choose the accounts to move. A long list is shown as several QR codes.
- 3
Scan it with U2 Secured
In U2 Secured, tap +, then Bulk import, then Import from Google Authenticator. Scan each code and tap Add.
- 4
Check, then tidy up
Sign in to one or two important accounts with a code from U2 Secured. When they work, remove the accounts from Google Authenticator.
What U2 Secured costs
Two-factor codes are free and unlimited. Premium adds the encrypted backup.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Unlimited two-factor codes, tap-to-approve sign-ins, Face ID or fingerprint lock, and codes that work with no signal. |
| Premium | $14.99/year | End-to-end encrypted backup, moving to a new phone, and live codes in your browser through the web portal. |
Codes are free and unlimited on both plans. Premium is an annual subscription bought through the App Store or Google Play.
Questions people ask when switching
- Can I move my Google Authenticator codes to U2 Secured?
- Yes. Export them in Google Authenticator (Menu, then Transfer accounts or Transfer codes, then Export) and scan the code in U2 Secured under +, Bulk import. Every account in the code comes across in one tap.
- Is U2 Secured Authenticator free?
- Yes. Codes are free and unlimited. Premium, at $14.99/year, adds the end-to-end encrypted backup, moving to a new phone and codes in your browser.
- Do my sites need to change anything?
- No. Six-digit codes follow the same standard (RFC 6238) everywhere, so every account you move keeps working with the codes U2 Secured shows.
- What happens to my codes if I lose my phone?
- With Premium, restore your encrypted backup on the new phone and the lost one is retired. On the free plan the codes exist only on your phone, so keep each site’s backup codes somewhere safe.
Sources for the Google side
Every Google entry above was read from Google’s own help pages on the date shown. Google updates its apps from time to time; its pages are the authority if anything here has changed.
- Google — Get verification codes with Google Authenticator (Android) · read 2026-10-29
- Google — Get verification codes with Google Authenticator (iPhone & iPad) · read 2026-10-29