Microsoft Authenticator vs BLK2GO Live
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.
BLK2GO Live
Visualize 2D and 3D scans in real-time with high-resolution images. Monitor device status like battery and storage. Manage and view existing scans directly from your mobile device.
- Live 2D and 3D scanning visualization
- High-resolution image capture
- Device status monitoring (battery, storage)
- Image visualization of existing scans
- Scan management
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Use the BLK2GO Live app to connect to your Leica BLK2GO. The app can be used to provide: Live 2D and 3D visualization while scanning as well as high-resolution images. Device status, such as battery or storage. Image visualization and management of existing scans.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: BLK2GO Live at 100% against Microsoft Authenticator's 12%. BLK2GO Live also leads on iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.0). Microsoft Authenticator's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft Authenticator has 703K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 12% of Microsoft Authenticator's written reviews are positive against 100% of BLK2GO Live'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, BLK2GO Live every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Microsoft Authenticator | BLK2GO Live |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (703K ratings) — better | 4.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 11.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 703K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #8 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 12.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 226 MB | 225 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Microsoft Corporation | Leica Geosystems AG |
Customer experience
Microsoft Authenticator
BLK2GO Live
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
BLK2GO Live
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Microsoft Authenticator
No in-app purchases
BLK2GO Live
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Microsoft Authenticator free?
Is BLK2GO Live free?
Which has better reviews, Microsoft Authenticator or BLK2GO Live?
Do Microsoft Authenticator or BLK2GO Live have ads?
Which is updated more often, Microsoft Authenticator or BLK2GO Live?
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