Hey!

I basically want to replace the Google Authenticator app in style and functionality:

  1. List all TOTP tokens and their validity time (with a name and order I decide).
  2. Allow me to periodically or on change back up the whole thing to some off-site storage, keeping the last N backups.
  3. Have a native app for Android or an actually good PWA.
  4. Don’t do magic bullshit like fetching icons, hide tokens, etc.
  5. Be actually secure (i.e. don’t roll your own auth)
  6. Just be a TOTP manager, and nothing more! No, I’m not interested in a password manager, thank you. I also don’t want any other OTP methods I don’t use.
  7. Don’t be a one-man projects where the availability is not clear in >1 year.

Any experience is welcomed. Thank you!

Edit: Thanks for all the great ideas, I just set up 2FAuth which seems to be the most minimalist and single-feature thing to self-host. I’ll evaluate how it performs but keep a backup in Google Authenticator. It does not match #7 but it seems to be actively used by the author and gets constant updates and fixes, so it’s most likely fine, I guess.

There is a 3rd-party app for it, but this app seems to be pretty much dead (last release in July 2025 and not in any app store) – or at least not released anymore but still worked on but only in the repository.

  • airikr@lemmy.mlEnglish
    15·
    5 months ago

    If you want to have them locally stored with export and import capability: Aegis.

    If you want them in the cloud: Bitwarden. Just make sure to backup the 2FA tokens every now and then.

    • 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘬@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      1·
      5 months ago

      Aegis seems to be just an app. The thing is, that I see an app as second option for accessing the data. I’d like to have a selfhosted service that is accessible independent from a device and – for convenience – has an app, too.

      • airikr@lemmy.mlEnglish
        2·
        5 months ago

        Ah, ok. Sounds like it’s 2FAuth you’re after. There’s an app for it, too: auff. Or Bitwarden (Vaultwarden if you want everything that Bitwarden have with no paywalls.

        • 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘬@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
          2·
          5 months ago

          Thank you! 2FAuth looks very promising. Especially with the Android app! I need to check out the repo and history when I’m back home, though. It seems to be a one-man show.

          • airikr@lemmy.mlEnglish
            1·
            5 months ago

            Yes, I agree and I have been thinking about install it and use it, too. But I do have Vaultwarden installed already :)

  • vegetaaaaaaa@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    5 months ago

    No, I’m not interested in a password manager, thank you

    Ok. But since you already use a password manager (right?), why not use its built-in TOTP management. Why do you need yet-another-separate app?

    If I really had to, I’d recommend Aegis.

    But I’ll still recommend using a password manager (I use KeepassXC on desktop and KeepassDX on Android).

    • Coleslaw4145@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      5 months ago

      Why do you need yet-another-separate app?

      To keep your two factor codes and passwords separate in the event that your password manager is breached.

      Also if you need a 2FA code to log into your password manager, how are you going to get it if its in the password manager that you can’t log into without the 2FA code inside it?

      • vegetaaaaaaa@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        5 months ago

        Fair enough.

        I decided against web/network-based password managers for my personal needs since the additional attack surface is a concern. A Keepass database file synced across machines strikes a good balance for me (requires password + keyfile to open). It’s also simple to backup and protect.

        So yeah, for you use case, I’d recommend Aegis Authenticator.

  • markstos@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    5 months ago

    Store the secrets on a Yubikey. They are unstealable then.

    Yubico has their own GUI app or you can wrappers for their CLI tool to use something like dmenu, rofi or Fuzzel to pick one.

  • solrize@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    5 months ago

    I’m using FreeOTP from F-droid and imho it suffices if you’re going to use a phone app at all. The ability to back up OTP keys in principle defeats the concept of 2FA but it’s hard to live without, once you have enough keys. The thing about retain last N backups is hard to enforce without special arrangements in your backup scheme.