Comparison
Tokn vs Aegis
Aegis is the app most people mean when they say open source authenticator, and it has earned that reputation. Tokn stands on the same foundation: free, GPL licensed, fully offline, with an encrypted vault behind biometrics or a password. The differences are in how your codes move around.
Feature by feature
| Tokn | Aegis | |
|---|---|---|
Open source | Yes | Yes |
No secrets in the cloud No account sync of your tokens | Yes | Yes |
Encrypted vault at rest Encrypted on disk with a key only you can unlock | Yes | Yes |
Biometric / app lock Gate access with a fingerprint or PIN | Yes | Yes |
No Google Play Services Runs on de-Googled phones, on F-Droid | Yes | Yes |
Local network sync Move accounts over Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct or an animated QR code | Yes | No |
Self-controlled backups Export an encrypted copy you own | Yes | Yes |
Import from other apps Bring tokens over from other authenticators | Yes | Yes |
Custom icons & icon packs Pick your own images, or import Aegis-style packs | Yes | Yes |
Organize with groups Sort into custom groups, more than one per account | Yes | Yes |
Material You theming Dynamic color, light / dark / system | Yes | Yes |
Where Tokn pulls ahead
The big one is moving to a new phone. Tokn syncs accounts device to device over local Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, or an animated QR code, end-to-end encrypted, with no backup files to shuffle. With Aegis you export a backup and carry it across yourself. Tokn also reads Aegis backups directly, including encrypted ones, so trying it takes a couple of minutes, and Aegis-style icon packs come along.
Where Aegis has the edge
Aegis has been around longer, has a larger community, and its codebase has received an independent security audit. It also offers automatic scheduled backups to a folder you pick, which Tokn does not do yet. If maximum maturity is your first priority, Aegis remains an excellent place to stay.
Bottom line
You cannot really go wrong with either. If you want device-to-device sync without a server and a Material You interface, give Tokn a try: your Aegis backup imports directly, so the experiment costs you a few minutes.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I import my Aegis backup into Tokn?
Yes. Tokn reads Aegis backup files directly, including encrypted ones. Export a backup in Aegis, open the import screen in Tokn, and pick the file.
Is Tokn open source like Aegis?
Yes. Tokn is free software under the GPL-3.0. The source code is on GitHub and the app is published on F-Droid and Google Play.
Do both apps work without internet?
Yes. Both generate TOTP and HOTP codes entirely on the device. Tokn's optional internet permission is only used if you opt in to fetching service icons, and it is off by default.
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Get Tokn
Install the app, add your first account in a few seconds, and keep your second factor where it belongs: with you.