Ente Auth review: encrypted 2FA on every platform

Ente Auth is a free, open-source authenticator app that keeps your two-factor codes in an end-to-end encrypted vault and syncs it across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux and the web. That coverage makes it the most flexible of the open-source authenticators we compare. This review is an editorial assessment based on Ente’s documentation and published information as of October 2026, not a laboratory test. For the basics, see our explanation of TOTP codes.

What Ente Auth offers

Feature	Ente Auth
Platforms	iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, web
Sync and backup	End-to-end encrypted cloud backup and sync
Account	Optional: works offline without one, needed for sync
Import and export	Import from other 2FA apps, QR scanning, manual entry; export of your data
Organisation	Icons, tags, pinned codes, search, notes
Open source	Yes, AGPL-3.0
Audits	Stated by Ente: Cure53, Symbolic Software, Fallible
Origin	Open-source project
Cost	Free

Ente is a company that builds end-to-end encrypted apps on a shared platform. Its other well-known product is Ente Photos, an alternative to the big photo clouds. Ente Auth is built on the same platform. According to the project, the server software is also open source and can be self-hosted by people who want to run their own instance.

Security and audits

Two things matter here: how your codes are encrypted and whether anyone independent has looked. Ente states that secrets are encrypted end-to-end, so neither Ente nor a third party can read the codes in the cloud copy. It also says its source code and cryptography were audited externally by Cure53 (a German security firm), Symbolic Software (cryptography specialists) and Fallible (a penetration testing firm). Ente publishes audit reports on its site, including a Cure53 report dated October 2025. As with any vendor claim, treat these statements as claims and read the reports if you need the detail.

An audit shows that experts looked at a version of the code at a point in time. It does not guarantee that later versions have no bugs. Open source adds a second layer: the code is public, so outside developers can keep checking.

Sync, offline use and portability

The key difference to many alternatives is real multi-device sync. Add a code on your phone and it appears on your laptop. This is the main reason to pick Ente Auth over a phone-only app. At the same time you are not forced to create an account: the app works offline, and you can use it purely locally if you prefer.

Portability looks good. Ente lets you add codes by scanning a QR code, typing the secret or importing in bulk from competing apps, and it supports exporting your data. A regular export, stored encrypted in a safe place, is a sensible habit with any authenticator. If you ever want to leave, you can.

Day-to-day use

The app is organised for people with many accounts: you can pin frequent codes, add tags, search and attach notes, and service icons make entries recognisable. The experience is similar across platforms, which helps if you use a phone, a laptop and a desktop.

Limits

• An account is needed for sync. You trade the account-free simplicity of a local app for the convenience of sync. If you never want an account, consider Aegis on Android or 2FAS.
• Recovery is your job. End-to-end encryption means Ente cannot help if you lose your credentials. Store the recovery key safely. Our guide to account recovery explains the principle for accounts in general.
• Part of a larger service. The authenticator is only one of Ente’s products. Read the terms and privacy policy, and keep an export in case the company changes direction.
• Codes remain phishable. Like every authenticator, it cannot stop you from typing a code into a fake site. Use passkeys or a security key where available; see our overview of hardware security keys.
• No standalone proof. The audit statements are the vendor’s, so we do not rate the app as “verified”.

Who should use it

Ente Auth is the best choice here if you use more than one device or more than one operating system and want your codes everywhere without handing them to a big-tech account. It also suits people who like the combination of open source, external audits and export options. If you want a phone-only app with no account, or maximum control over the backup location, the alternatives in our list of the best authenticator apps may fit better.

How we assessed it

This review is based on Ente’s website, its published documentation, the open-source repository information and the audit reports the company publishes. We did not run lab tests, audit the code ourselves or time anything, and we do not give star ratings. Statements about encryption, audits and pricing are the vendor’s own and may change, so check Ente’s current pages before you rely on them.

Getting started in five steps

1. Install Ente Auth on your phone from the official store and, if you want sync, create an account with a strong password stored in your password manager.
2. Write down or safely store the recovery key the app shows you. Without it and your password, nobody can restore your data.
3. Add accounts by scanning the QR code each service shows when you enable two-factor authentication, or import from your old app.
4. Install Ente Auth on a second device and confirm that your codes appear there.
5. Save each service’s backup codes separately and make a dated export now and then.

Verdict

Ente Auth is a strong open-source authenticator: end-to-end encrypted sync, wide platform coverage, import and export and externally audited code according to the vendor, at no cost. The price is a vendor account for sync and the need to manage your own recovery. Set up the sync, store the recovery key offline, export a backup and keep your accounts’ backup codes separately.