Best Password Managers

LastPass was created in 2008 by four developers tired of having to encrypt and decrypt their password document every time they updated it. By the time it was bought by SaaS company LogMeIn in 2015, it had grown to seven million users, supported by just 30 employees.

LastPass is a browser-based password manager with extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Edge, as well as Android, iOS, and Windows phone apps. It uses the industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption and offers multi-factor authentication (MFA), which lets users access their accounts using a smartphone or fingerprint. 

LastPass’s free plan offers unlimited passwords, multiple device syncing, one-to-one encrypted password and information sharing, and a digital wallet that stores and automatically fills in credit card information. All of this makes it a robust option and our choice as the best overall password manager. The free version is available on one device type. 

Users can choose a Personal plan for $3 per month, which includes password sharing on multiple devices and 1GB of encrypted file storage, or a Family plan for $4 per month, which adds six additional sharing licenses. Both offer a 30-day free trial.

French-based company Dashlane launched its password manager in 2009, quickly becoming a major player in the marketplace. It offers both a robust free plan and paid plans with additional security support for its customers.

In addition to offering apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and IOS, Dashlane can be accessed through Linux-based platforms and Chromebooks via browser extensions.

A personal Premium Dashlane account costs $59.99 for one year and offers unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, dark web monitoring that scans the web and alerts customers of leaked personal data, and a built-in VPN, giving this product the edge over other password managers when it comes to extra features.

Customers can also choose a Premium Family account for $89.99 per year, which includes all of the features of the personal Premium account for five people with private accounts for each member and the ability to share an unlimited number of logins.

One fancy feature we liked about Dashlane that few other services offer is a password changer that replaces hundreds of passwords with a single click.

LogMeOnce has launched multiple security, network management, CRM, and security management companies and products since 1986. Its password manager offers cross-platform support, making it easy for users to access their passwords and logins on any desktop or mobile device.

LogMeOnce offers a free ad-supported plan that includes unlimited passwords and devices, two-factor authentication, and 1MB of encrypted file storage. Users are limited in the number of secure notes, credit cards, and shared passwords and can expand each limit with add-on costs. Three paid plans ranging from $2.50 to $4.99 per month add additional storage and sharing as well as the ability to add up to six family members.

LogMeOnce boasts an impressive list of over 50 features, many of which are unique to their platform and allow for deep customization. Users can get a customizable dashboard, a snapshot of anyone who tries to hack their account or device, scheduled logins, photo logins, and more.

Founded in 2015, Bitwarden was originally launched as a password manager. It released its iOS and Android app a year later. It is the only open-source password manager we reviewed and offers an impressive range of features in its free plan, giving it the edge over comparable password programs.

Bitwarden’s free plan includes syncing across devices, secure note and credit card storage, two-factor authentication, and the option to store passwords offline rather than in the cloud. 

Bitwarden’s Premium plan costs only $10 for one year and includes 1GB of encrypted file storage, additional authentication options, a password generator, and advanced support. Upgrading to the Family Sharing plan costs $40 and adds up to six users with unlimited collections and sharing as well as an extra 1GB of personal storage.  

As an open-source platform, Bitwarden’s code is freely available for anyone to inspect, test, and fix, making it potentially more resilient than many other password managers that have to wait for developer updates. Bitwarden also regularly uses third parties to audit its platform for security.     

Bitwarden is available as an app for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, and offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, Safari, and more. However, some users have reported problems with the Edge extension.

Originally developed as a password manager for Mac computers in 2005, 1Password currently offers apps for Windows, Android and iOS, as well as extensions for all major browsers, and boasts over 15 million users worldwide.

Although 1Password doesn’t offer a free plan, users do get a 14-day free trial with any paid plan. 

The 1Password plan costs $2.99 per month billed annually and includes unlimited passwords and device syncing, 1GB of secure document storage, a digital wallet, and 24/7 email support. 

The 1Password Family plan costs $4.99 per month billed annually and adds the ability to share passwords and data with five family members and easy account recovery. Users can also set different permissions for each family member and add more users for $1 each, making it the most cost-effective solution for big family needs.  

Additional features for both plans include 1Password Watchtower, which scans the web for potential security breaches, and a travel mode that lets users delete sensitive data from their devices before they travel and restore it later with just a click.

Keeper, founded in 2011, was created by two developers who were frustrated by the lack of password managers for mobile devices at the time. Today, the company offers advanced password management and security for individuals, families, and businesses.

Although Keeper doesn't offer free plans, a 14-day free trial is available for its Business level service. Keeper Business costs $45 per user per year and includes an encrypted vault for every user, shared team folders, unlimited device access, security auditing, activity reporting, and team management. Its big business solutions are more robust compared to other password managers, helping it win the enterprise-level category.

Keeper Enterprise has a single sign-on (SAML 2.0) authentication, automated team management, and advanced two-factor authentication. Both plans also include an admin console, role-based access, version control and record history, and secure file storage. 

Keeper offers plugins for every major browser, plus apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Users can also pay for add-ons, including an encrypted chat messenger, advanced reporting and alerts, dedicated onboarding and training, and dark web and security breach monitoring.