Comparison
Tokn vs Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator is built first for the Microsoft world: push approvals for Entra ID and Microsoft accounts, passwordless sign-in, and cloud backup tied to your Microsoft account. It also generates standard TOTP codes, which is where it overlaps with Tokn. The difference is who holds your data: Microsoft Authenticator is closed source with no way to export your tokens, while Tokn keeps them in an encrypted vault on your device, in a format you can always take with you.
Feature by feature
| Tokn | Microsoft Authenticator | |
|---|---|---|
Open source | Yes | No |
No secrets in the cloud No account sync of your tokens | Yes | Partial |
Encrypted vault at rest Encrypted on disk with a key only you can unlock | Yes | Partial |
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 | No |
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 | No |
Import from other apps Bring tokens over from other authenticators | Yes | No |
Custom icons & icon packs Pick your own images, or import Aegis-style packs | Yes | No |
Organize with groups Sort into custom groups, more than one per account | Yes | No |
Material You theming Dynamic color, light / dark / system | Yes | No |
Where Tokn pulls ahead
Tokn is open source, works without a Microsoft account or Google Play Services, and never uploads your secrets. Backups are encrypted files you control, accounts can be sorted into groups with custom icons, and moving to a new phone happens over the local network instead of through a cloud recovery flow. Microsoft Authenticator has no export at all, so with it your tokens are effectively locked in; Tokn never does that to you.
Where Microsoft Authenticator has the edge
If your employer uses Entra ID, Microsoft Authenticator does things Tokn cannot: push approvals with number matching, passwordless sign-in for Microsoft accounts, and compliance with workplace policies that often require it outright. For Microsoft work accounts it is the intended tool, and sometimes the mandatory one.
Bottom line
This is rarely an either-or choice. Keep Microsoft Authenticator for the work accounts that require it, and put your personal TOTP codes in Tokn, where they are encrypted on your device and never locked into an account. The earlier you start, the fewer accounts you have to re-enroll later.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I export my accounts from Microsoft Authenticator to Tokn?
Microsoft Authenticator has no export. For each service, open its security settings, disable and re-enable two-factor authentication, and scan the new QR code with Tokn. Microsoft work accounts that use push approvals have to stay in Microsoft Authenticator.
Can I use Tokn and Microsoft Authenticator side by side?
Yes, that is the usual setup. Microsoft Authenticator handles the work account your employer manages, Tokn holds your personal codes. The two apps do not interfere with each other.
Does Tokn support push approvals like Microsoft Authenticator?
No. Push approvals are a proprietary Microsoft feature tied to their cloud. Tokn generates standard TOTP and HOTP codes, which work with any service that supports authenticator apps, including Microsoft accounts.
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