Microsoft Authenticator vs ID.me Authenticator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Microsoft Authenticator
Securely sign into online accounts with multi-factor authentication, passwordless login, or password autofill. Manage multiple accounts, including non-Microsoft services, and access Microsoft products and services seamlessly.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Passwordless sign-in
- Password autofill
- Support for non-Microsoft accounts
- Account management for work/school
- Cert-based authentication
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Use Microsoft Authenticator for easy, secure sign-ins for all your online accounts using multi-factor authentication, passwordless, or password autofill. You also have additional account management options for your Microsoft personal, work or school accounts. Getting started with multi-factor authentication Multi factor authentication (MFA)provides a second layer of security. When enabled, during login after entering your password, you’ll be asked for an additional way to prove it’s really you. Either approve the notification sent to the Microsoft Authenticator, or enter the one-time password (OTP) generated by the app. The OTP codes have a 30 second timer counting down. This timer is so you never have to use the same time-based one-time password (TOTP) twice and you don’t have to remember the number. The OTP doesn’t require you to be connected to a network, and it won’t drain your battery. You can add multiple accounts to your app, including non-Microsoft accounts like Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn, GitHub, and more. Getting started with passwordless Use your phone, not your password, to log into your Microsoft account. Just enter your username, then approve the notification sent to your phone. Your fingerprint, face ID, or PIN will provide a second layer of security in this two-step verification process. After you’ve signed in with two factor authentication (2FA), you’ll have access to all your Microsoft products and services, such as Outlook, OneDrive, Office, and more. Microsoft personal, work or school accounts Sometimes your work or school might ask you to install the Microsoft Authenticator when accessing certain organization resources. You will need to register your device to your organization through the app and add your work or school account. Microsoft Authenticator supports cert-based authentication by issuing a certificate on your device. This will let your organization know that the sign-in request is coming from a trusted device and help you seamlessly and securely access additional Microsoft apps and services without needing to log into each. Microsoft Authenticator may request the following optional permissions, which require your consent. You can continue to use Microsoft Authenticator without granting these permissions. However, some features may be limited or unavailable. For more information, please see below: - Face ID: To enable app lock and help protect your accounts - Camera: To scan QR codes when adding accounts to Microsoft Authenticator.
ID.me Authenticator
This app provides a free multi-factor authentication solution for your account, adding an extra security layer to prevent unauthorized access. It generates secure verification tokens, including time-based codes and push notifications, to confirm your identity during login.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Time-based one-time passwords (TOTP)
- Push notification verification
- Mobile security keys
- Account protection from hackers
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ID.me Authenticator is a simple and free multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution for your ID.me account, protecting your account from hackers by adding an additional layer of security. ID.me Authenticator generates secure 2-step verification tokens on your device, including time-based one-time passwords, (TOTP), push notifications, or mobile security keys, to verify your identity. When logging in, after entering in your password, you will be asked for an additional way to prove it is really you. Either approve the notification sent to the ID.me Authenticator by tapping ‘Yes’ to approve if it’s you (push notification), or enter the verification code generated by the app (TOTP).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Microsoft Authenticator at 4.7 against ID.me Authenticator's 4.3. Microsoft Authenticator also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (703K vs 100K). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Microsoft Authenticator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Authenticator has 703K ratings behind it against 100K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 12% of Microsoft Authenticator's written reviews are positive against 13% of ID.me Authenticator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Microsoft Authenticator ships an update every 3 weeks, ID.me Authenticator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Microsoft Authenticator | ID.me Authenticator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (703K ratings) — better | 4.3 (100K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 11.6% of reviews | 12.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 703K — better | 100K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #5 — better | #37 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 226 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Microsoft Corporation | ID.me |
Customer experience
Microsoft Authenticator
ID.me Authenticator
User reviews
Microsoft Authenticator
From 703K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Seamless authentication
- 🔒 Secure login process
- 👍 Convenient passwordless sign-in
- 🚀 Smooth app performance
Room to improve
- 🐛 Broken Apple Watch functionality
- 🐛 Backup and restore issues
- 🐛 Confusing login flow
- 🐛 Accounts disappearing after phone change
ID.me Authenticator
From 100K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Comprehensive identity verification
- 👍 Clean and straightforward interface
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent technical issues
- 🕰️ Slow and unresponsive support
- 🤯 Confusing and frustrating workflow
- 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
- 🙍♀️ Poor user experience for non-tech-savvy individuals
Bugs and requests
Microsoft Authenticator
Reported bugs
3 issues- Authenticator app getting locked and requiring Touch ID
- Notification failures and authentication issues
- Accounts not syncing properly between devices
Requested features
4 requests- Add search and sorting for accounts
- Improve Apple Watch integration
- Provide better backup and restore options
- Streamline login process
ID.me Authenticator
Reported bugs
4 issues- Repeated login failures
- Inability to upload documents successfully
- Inconsistent error messages
- Compatibility issues with certain phone models
Requested features
4 requests- Improved customer support with live agents
- Simplified identity verification process
- Compatibility with more device types
- Ability to reset passwords and accounts easily
In-app purchases
Microsoft Authenticator
No in-app purchases
ID.me Authenticator
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Microsoft Authenticator free?
Is ID.me Authenticator free?
Which has better reviews, Microsoft Authenticator or ID.me Authenticator?
Do Microsoft Authenticator or ID.me Authenticator have ads?
Which is updated more often, Microsoft Authenticator or ID.me Authenticator?
Which is more popular, Microsoft Authenticator or ID.me Authenticator?
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