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Gaming platforms · Independent guide

Steam vs Epic, Battle.net and Riot: Account Security Compared

Concept illustration of four different gaming platforms and their security tools.

Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net and Riot Games all offer two-step sign-in and a support route, but the details differ. Some let you use any authenticator app, some keep backup codes, and only Steam has item trade holds. The table below shows what each one documents today.

Compare the features

We never ask for passwords, sign-in codes, recovery codes or restore codes. Enter them only on each launcher's official site.

Concept illustration, not a screenshot of the recovery process.

On this page

Official help pages

Built from Steam, Epic, Blizzard and Riot help pages; unconfirmed cells are marked as such.

Dated review

Reviewed in September 2026; settings change, so check your own account too.

Independent guide

Respawnr is not affiliated with Valve, Epic Games, Blizzard Entertainment or Riot Games.

Security features by launcher, side by side

Each row is one protection; each column is what that launcher's own help pages describe.

Scroll the table sideways on a small screen.

Platform SteamEpic GamesBattle.netRiot Games
Authenticator app Documented option

Steam Guard codes come only from the Steam Mobile app; one authenticator per account.

 Documented option

Epic lists authenticator apps as its recommended two-factor method.

 Documented option

The Battle.net Authenticator lives inside the Battle.net Mobile App.

 Documented option

Riot Mobile, or Google or Microsoft Authenticator, per Riot's MFA help page.
Email sign-in codes Documented option

Email Steam Guard is on by default once your email is verified.

 Documented option

Epic lists email as one of its two-factor methods.

 Not confirmed

Not confirmed on the Blizzard pages we read; check your account's security settings.

 Documented option

A six-digit code to the account email; email MFA must be on before Riot Mobile.
SMS or phone verification Conditions apply

The phone number receives SMS codes for setup, backup codes and recovery, not for everyday sign-in.

 Documented option

Epic lists SMS as a two-factor method.

 Conditions apply

SMS Protect verifies account actions, such as removing an old authenticator; it is not a sign-in code.

 Not confirmed

SMS is not listed among the MFA methods on Riot's help page.
Backup or recovery codes Documented option

A recovery code shown at authenticator setup, plus printable single-use backup codes.

 Conditions apply

Epic describes backup codes for accounts using an authenticator app; confirm in your settings.

 Documented option

Keep the authenticator's serial number and Restore Code to restore it on a new phone.

 Not confirmed

None documented on Riot's MFA page; a Player Support ticket is the fallback.
Sign out everywhere Documented option

Authorized Devices page, then Sign out everywhere.

 Documented option

Account settings, then Password and security, then Sign out everywhere, confirmed by an email code.

 Not confirmed

Not confirmed on the Blizzard pages we read; change your password and check account.battle.net/security.

 Documented option

Login Management card, then Log Out Everywhere, which also removes trusted-device status.
Sign-in history Conditions apply

Steam's account data pages include a sign-in history view; wording may differ in your client.

 Not confirmed

Not confirmed on the Epic pages we read.

 Not confirmed

Not confirmed on the Blizzard pages we read.

 Not confirmed

Not shown on the Riot pages we read.
Item trade and market protections Documented option

Steam says items can be held up to 15 days without a 7-day-old authenticator, at the time of writing; CS2 adds Trade Protection.

 Not confirmed

No player-to-player item market comparable to Steam's is documented.

 Not confirmed

No player-to-player item market comparable to Steam's is documented.

 Not confirmed

No player-to-player item market comparable to Steam's is documented.
Recovery through support Through support

The Help, I can't sign in wizard, then Steam Support verifies ownership.

 Through support

Epic's account recovery request, where Epic verifies you own the account.

 Through support

Account Recovery on the Can't Log In page, then a hacked-account ticket.

 Through support

The Account Recovery tool first, then a Player Support ticket if it doesn't work.

Built from Steam Support, Epic Games, Blizzard and Riot Games help pages. Options change over time and differ by region, so check your current account settings. This table compares features, not overall safety; no launcher here is ranked above another.

Checked September 2026

Open the guide for your launcher

Each guide covers that platform's own settings and recovery routes in detail.

Steam

Set up the Steam Mobile Authenticator, store your recovery code and review devices.

Open the guide

Epic Games

Recover a compromised Epic account and turn on authenticator-app 2FA.

Open the guide

Battle.net

Tell a lock, a takeover and a penalty apart, then add the Authenticator.

Open the guide

Riot Games

Use Riot's recovery tool, then MFA and Log Out Everywhere for VALORANT and League of Legends.

Open the guide

The same idea, four different names

Each launcher names its safeguards differently; here is what each term means.

Authenticator apps (Steam, Battle.net, Riot)
Each launcher's own code app: the Steam Mobile app, the Battle.net Authenticator and Riot Mobile. Epic's 2FA works with an authenticator app too.
Backup codes (Epic)
Single-use codes Epic offers when an authenticator app is your 2FA method; options change, so check your account's Two-Factor Authentication tab.
Phone Notifications (Battle.net)
A phone number on your Battle.net account; Blizzard texts a code to unlock it after a security check, and it helps if the authenticator fails.
Restore Code (Battle.net)
Paired with the authenticator's serial number, it restores the Battle.net Authenticator on a new phone.
SMS Protect
Blizzard's phone verification, set up with the Battle.net Authenticator; it can remove an old authenticator.
MFA (Riot)
Riot's Multi-Factor Authentication, by email code, Riot Mobile, or a third-party authenticator app.
Sign out everywhere
Ends every active session on the account; Riot calls its version Log Out Everywhere.
Account Recovery tool (Riot)
Riot's self-service questions on its Can't sign in? page; if it doesn't work, Riot says to submit a ticket. It can't restore deleted accounts.
Explore the glossary

A few details worth knowing

Is Steam or Epic Games more secure?

Neither is simply safer; they offer different tools. Epic's help pages list a choice of authenticator app, SMS or email, while Steam ties its strongest protection to the Steam Mobile app and adds item trade holds; options change over time. Your own setup, such as a unique password, a secured email and an authenticator, matters more than the launcher.

Can I use Google Authenticator for Steam?

No. Steam Guard codes come only from the Steam Mobile app, one authenticator per account. Riot does accept Google or Microsoft Authenticator, and Epic's help pages list authenticator apps as the recommended two-factor method.

Does Riot have backup codes like Steam?

Riot's MFA help page does not describe backup codes. If your MFA emails go to an address you can no longer reach, Riot says a Player Support ticket is the only option, so keep that email secure.

Why does only Steam have trade holds?

Steam has a player-to-player item market, and Steam Support says it does not restore items once they leave an account. Holds give you time to notice a hijacker. Epic, Battle.net and Riot document no comparable item market.

What do all four launchers have in common?

All four have a support-ticket route when you can't get back in on your own, and all four send resets and recovery messages to the account's email, so each account depends on that inbox. Our Steam security checklist covers the setup order step by step.

Official guidance

Check the platform’s current instructions and the options shown for your own account.