Third party authenticator apps are a more secure way to do multifactor authentication than receiving a confirmation text or email code. (For more on MFA, check out our recent post here.) When you need access to a connected account, you sign is as normal. Then you land on another screen, where you verify your identity with a time-sensitive code available in the app.

Considerations when selecting a third-party authenticator app:

• • • • Does it back up your account info in case you change phones?
      • Can you further secure the app itself by biometric such as fingerprint or facial recognition?
      • Is it important to you to use separate sources for password management and authentication?
      • Are you interested in push-authentication? (Where the app loads your request for authorization, and you simply click “Accept” if the request is valid.)
      • Do you want it to be compatible with a certain kind of phone (Android/iPhone) or other device (such as a smart watch)?

Want to know more?

Find a straightforward rundown of PCMag’s picks for best authenticator apps at their original post.