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Any two-factor authentication is better than none, but SMS text-message codes and authenticator app codes are not equally safe. If an account offers a choice, the authenticator app is the right one, and here’s the specific reason why.
RoboForm can store and autofill authenticator codes alongside your passwords, which removes the biggest reason people skip 2FA in the first place: it being one more app to dig through.
Why SMS Codes Are the Weaker Option
SMS 2FA has two real, well-documented weaknesses. The first is SIM swapping — a scammer convinces or bribes your carrier into moving your phone number to a SIM card they control, and every text message code meant for you goes straight to them instead. The second is that SMS messages aren’t encrypted in transit, which makes them interceptable in a way an authenticator app’s codes simply aren’t.
Neither of these is a theoretical, low-probability risk reserved for high-profile targets. SIM swapping specifically targets exactly the accounts protected by SMS 2FA, because attackers know it’s the weak link.
Why an Authenticator App Is Actually Safer
An authenticator app generates your code locally, on your device, using a shared secret set up once when you enable 2FA. The code refreshes every 30 to 60 seconds and never travels over a cell network or the internet — there’s no text message to intercept and no phone number to hijack. This single design difference closes off both of SMS’s real weaknesses at once.
Setting It Up Without Making It a Hassle
The real reason most people stick with SMS or skip 2FA entirely isn’t that they don’t believe it matters — it’s that switching between a separate authenticator app and your password manager every time you log in gets old fast. A password manager that can store and autofill authenticator codes alongside the password itself removes that friction, which is exactly the gap that made SMS the default for most people in the first place: not because it’s safer, just because it’s easier.
Where This Actually Matters Most
Prioritize the authenticator app switch for your email account first — it’s usually the account that can reset every other account’s password, which makes it the single highest-value target to protect properly. Banking and any account tied to real money come next. For a low-stakes account you rarely use, SMS 2FA (or even no 2FA at all, if it’s genuinely not offered) is a reasonable place to not spend the extra setup time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SMS 2FA still worth using if that’s the only option?
Yes — SMS 2FA is meaningfully better than no 2FA at all. It stops the large majority of basic credential-stuffing attacks, just not a targeted SIM-swap attempt specifically. Use it when it’s the only option; switch to an authenticator app when one is offered.
What happens if I lose my phone with the authenticator app on it?
Most services provide backup codes when you first set up 2FA — save these somewhere safe (not just a screenshot on the same phone) specifically for this scenario. A password manager that syncs across devices also helps, since a new device can regain access without starting from zero.
Is it safe to store 2FA codes in the same app as my passwords?
Yes, for the large majority of people — it’s a real security improvement over SMS, and the convenience is what actually gets people to turn 2FA on in the first place. The theoretical edge case (someone gaining full access to your password manager itself) is already the scenario a strong master password and the manager’s own encryption are built to prevent.