Stratum

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Stratum is an open-source multi-factor authentication (MFA) app backed by a GitHub community, and there's a lot to like about it. For one, the app makes importing and exporting your account tokens easy, so you can still log into all your accounts if you lose your phone or someone steals it. Support is limited to Android, which is its only major drawback, though it at least includes Wear OS, which helps it stand out from the competition. That said, Aegis Authenticator remains our Editors' Choice for Android devices because it offers a wealth of customization options. 2FAS is another Editors' Choice because it's easy to use, works on Android and iOS devices, and offers browser extensions for desktop authentication.

Getting Started With Stratum

Stratum only works on Android devices, but that includes Wear OS devices. The only other authenticator app I've reviewed with wearable support is Authy, which is compatible with Apple's watchOS.

I downloaded the Stratum app to my testing device, a Samsung Galaxy A71 5G. Upon opening the app, I could scroll through Stratum's guides for getting started, which served as a helpful introduction to its features.

After getting familiar with the app's interface, I scrolled through the Settings menu. Authenticator apps usually don't include many extra features, so there's little to explore in the settings menus.

Stratum's settings menu highlights include the Skip to Next function, which automatically skips to a new token code if one is close to expiration. Enabling the Tap to Reveal Codes setting allows you to hide the codes for your accounts and choose how long you want them to remain visible. Aegis Authenticator has a setting that immediately minimizes the app after you copy a code.

Signup Requirements and Data Collection Policies

Authenticator apps are simple OTP code generators that should not require much, if any, data from you or your device. That's why I think it's a note in Stratum's favor that there are no options to create or sign up for an account in the app.

According to the Google Play listing for Stratum, the app does not collect any data. Microsoft Authenticator collects diagnostic and location data, and Google's authenticator app requests data from 8 different app categories, including your Contacts list, photos, and videos.

As mentioned above, Stratum is a free, open-source project on Github, and an online community maintains the code. That means there's no big company or support team behind the app. Similarly, there's no privacy policy to peruse here, and there's also little recourse if something happens to your account tokens (though that's a risk with any authenticator app).

Hands On With Stratum

The app's default interface is teal, white, and gray, with a familiar layout similar to Google Authenticator. Screenshots are disabled by default, a setting I've praised in 2FAS and Aegis Authenticator. You can customize the interface with different color schemes in the Appearance section of the Settings menu. Choosing the Dynamic Color setting changes the app's accent colors based on your device's wallpaper. I turned this off and chose a different accent color: Pink. I also like that you can separate your tokens into labeled categories by tapping on the Categories section of the main menu.

Creating a new token for my test Google account was relatively painless. The app's QR code reader failed to scan Google's code, but I could input the encryption code manually. I then used the app to enable MFA on my test social media accounts, which worked as expected. The app recently underwent a name change, so that may be why Google labeled it as a generic "authenticator" without a custom icon.

Importing and Backing Up Account Info With Stratum

When you're ready to import your old account tokens from a different authenticator app, Stratum makes that process easy. Like Aegis Authenticator, Stratum can import tokens from 15 other apps, including 2FAS, Aegis, Authy, Blizzard Authenticator, Google Authenticator, Steam, and plain text files.

You can also create backup copies of your token lists for competing apps. The app asks you to create a password to protect your backup files and set a local location for your backups. There's an option in the Settings menu to set up an automatic backup schedule so you'll always have a local copy of your tokens. I could back up my test account tokens and access them using Google's Authenticator app without trouble. 2FAS and Aegis allow easy exports and imports, but most other authenticator apps are import-only.

Verdict: Stratum Offers Capable Authentication for Android

Stratum is an easy-to-use app without many frills, but what more do you want from an authenticator code generator? It doesn't collect or share your data, screenshots are disabled by default, and you can export tokens to and from other authentication apps, all ideal traits for an authenticator app. That said, Aegis is still our Editors' Choice for account authentication on Android because it has so many customization options, while 2FAS is our other Editors' Choice in the category for its diverse platform support.