When it comes to online security, good password hygiene is the first step to staying protected and keeping hackers at bay. However, memorizing unique and complex passwords for all your digital accounts is utterly impossible – that’s where password managers come in. With intuitive platforms and strong protective features, password managers combine security with convenience so that you don’t need to worry about your online safety ever again.
Established in 2000, RoboForm stands as a trustworthy and reliable password manager, securely storing a variety of data types. Boasting a sleek interface, robust security features, and compatibility with all kinds of different needs, the company’s long-term experience shines through.
While providing a free version that covers all the basics a password manager should have, RoboForm pulls out all the stops with advanced features in its paid plans. The company’s competitive edge is evident in the inclusion of handy extras, such as a security center that alerts users of weak credentials and a highly customizable platform.
Committed to customer satisfaction, RoboForm offers budget-friendly prices starting at just $0.99 per month for Best Reviews readers, which translates to 60% off the regular price. With a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 14-day free trial for Business subscriptions, users can explore the software in full before making any commitment. It’s important to note that the shortest billing option is yearly, and users are rewarded for subscribing to longer plans with discounts of up to 25% off.
Let’s face it – a data breach is the ultimate nightmare scenario for anyone, and the consequences are the worst for companies. Unfortunately, back in 2022, hackers were able to breach LastPass and steal segments of customer data like usernames and salted and hashed passwords.
Although the incident caused the loss of customer trust and brand reputation, the company has been taking all the measures possible to restore confidence and retain customers. A few examples include splitting from its parent company, enhancing its security infrastructure with strengthened password security and advanced logging, and investing in cybersecurity leadership.
LastPass’s core features were never in doubt, since it offers all elements necessary for excellent password management, such as a password generator, password sharing, dark web monitoring, and autofill. Additionally, there’s a free version with unlimited password storage, free trials, and discounts of up to 20% on all plans.
In this era of ever-evolving cyberthreats, a reliable password manager is not just a convenience but a necessity. Developed by the Canadian company AgileBits in 2006, 1Password has grown from its initial release as a simple password manager for Mac into a polished and highly comprehensive service that’s available on the most popular platforms and browsers.
Offering data breach warnings alongside secure sharing and seamless synchronization across devices, 1Password consolidates its reputable position in the password manager industry.
Even though the software doesn’t have a free version, prices are cost-effective and start at just $2.99 per month. Plus, users can take advantage of s 14-day free trial and see for themselves what the software offers before committing financially.
Password managers have become an essential part of the security arsenal of many users and businesses due to the peace of mind they provide. Chicago-based veteran Keeper Security is one such service, specializing in highly secure digital vaults and password management since 2011.
Threats such as hacking and ransomware are out of the question with Keeper’s 256-bit advanced encryption and (up to) 100-character password generator. It also offers a wide range of add-ons for additional protection, such as the platform’s dark web monitor, BreachWatch.
The cheapest plan for personal use starts at $1.67 per month with annual billing, which includes the impressive 50% discount served up to Best Reviews readers. While Keeper doesn’t provide a monthly plan and its free mobile app is limited, it does offer a 30-day free trial. This way, users are able to get a taster of the software without requiring to hand over their credit card information.
NordPass Personal stands out as an accessible and user-friendly password manager, providing a convenient solution for storing, organizing, and securing sensitive information in a single location.
With a strong emphasis on privacy with the implementation of end-to-end xChaCha20 encryption, NordPass emerges as a trustworthy and secure option for those seeking to enhance their online security.
Due to its experience in the VPN industry with NordVPN, Nord Security knows well the dangers lurking in all corners of the internet. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the company opted for zero-knowledge architecture, making it impossible for anyone to access information saved in a vault that’s not their own. What’s more, NordPass comes with a password generator that goes up to 60 characters, autofill, and dark web monitoring.
The software is available on desktop and mobile, with synchronization across devices through a secure connection. Having a free version with standard features and more advanced paid plans, NordPass Personal caters to many kinds of users. It’s certainly a cost-effective option with prices starting at just $1.69 per month. Plus, users get to enjoy a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Responsible internet users know that using multiple strong passwords is the best way to protect yourself online. However, remembering all those passwords or even writing them down isn’t exactly convenient. Thankfully, password managers come to the rescue, and Dashlane is one of the best solutions you can find. Although it can be used for free, Dashlane bundles in a number of helpful extras for a monthly fee. It’s a multi-device program where you can securely store all your passwords in a bank-level encrypted cloud storage vault. Additionally, Dashlane sports some unique features like the password changer, password strength evaluation tool, secure data sharing, and a built-in VPN – all of which help achieve complete protection when surfing the web. And we haven’t even mentioned the stellar mobile app, various authentication methods, continuous security monitoring, and unlimited data and password storage…
Everything needs a password nowadays, and unless you’re a genius it’s impossible to remember all of them. Enpass is a popular offline password manager where users can store a wide variety of items locally and organize everything through configurable categories, templates, and tags. There’s a synchronization feature for having all passwords on all devices, though it needs a third-party cloud account to work. Nevertheless, with the end-to-end encryption that Enpass provides, there’s nothing to worry about. People looking for a password manager to use only on their desktop will be thrilled to know that the software is free of charge and comes with all Enpass’ features. Mobile is where Enpass targets its business, so the free app is more limited: it’s possible to store only up to 25 items, and users can’t create multi-layered vaults. However, a premium account is pretty competitive, with prices starting at $1 per month.
Password managers can be accessed via a browser, desktop program, or mobile app. They allow you to store your passwords in secure vaults that are protected by a master password. So, instead of remembering dozens (or even hundreds) of passwords, you just need to remember one.
But that’s just scratching the surface. Nowadays, password managers can also store other types of sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers, credit card information, or important documents. They also generate random passwords and make the process of logging into an account faster with autofill.
Moreover, password managers come with data breach scanners that continuously monitor the dark web for stolen information, alerting you when your data has been breached right away.
Yes, password managers are secure. Although most password managers store your information in the cloud, they normally provide end-to-end encryption and have zero-knowledge architecture to guarantee that your information is safe.
All data is protected by your master password, which only you know about. Some companies provide extra layers of security to make it even harder for someone to access your information. Two-factor authentication is a common feature found in password managers, but a few providers go the extra mile by including emergency kits that contain a randomized password that only you have access to.
With so many authentication steps necessary to access your vault when logging into your account from a new device, it’s virtually impossible for someone else to gain access to your data.
Yes, password managers can be hacked. In fact, we have compiled a list of all the password managers that have been hacked in the past years, so you’re able to assess the risk before signing up for a solution.
It’s essential to understand how password managers handle your data in order to protect it from hackers. Since most have end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge architecture, they don’t have access to the information stored in the vaults. In other words, even if a hacker is able to breach the company’s servers, they can’t get their hands on your data.
Basically, although the password manager keeps proof that you have the master key to enter your vault, it doesn’t know the actual key.
There are plenty of benefits of using a password manager:
Password managers might all look alike, but they’re quite different when you go into the details. Depending on your needs and how security-conscious you are, some providers will be a better fit than others. Still, here are the main aspects you should consider when shopping for a password manager:
One of the first things you should think about is whether you prefer an offline or online password manager. The former is more secure, as all information is stored on your device, but it’s less convenient. Meanwhile, online password managers pose a bigger risk since they save your data to the cloud, but they’re more useful as they allow for information syncing and sharing.
Since a password manager is where you save all your information, you need to consider how secure the software is. The most popular solutions provide high levels of security, but if you’re thinking of getting a less-known password manager, keep the following in mind:
As a rule of thumb, greater convenience means lower security in the digital world. So, you need to weigh up how risk-averse you are when opting for a higher level of convenience. Fortunately, companies don’t make you use tools built for convenience unless you want to – it doesn’t make sense to pay for features you can live without.
Some examples of features that will make your life easier include secure password sharing, autofill, autosaving, and password syncing. If you do want these types of tools, make sure the provider does its best to keep them as secure as possible.
You should also check whether the company has a mobile app and how useful it is. Having all your passwords in your pocket is essential if you regularly use your phone.
Although password managers are pretty straightforward, it’s still important that they have a good customer support team backing them up. Always check how available customer service is and do a test run to see how fast the agents handle requests.
No one likes to pay more than they need to. With so many competitors on the market, there are multiple different pricing points and structures to choose from. Still, a common practice in the industry is to provide significant discounts for customers who commit to a longer billing cycle. Plus, several password managers come with family subscriptions, which make the monthly price per user even more enticing.
Meanwhile, there are also free versions, free trials, and generous refund policies to take advantage of. These are perfect for you to try the software for yourself before spending your hard-earned money.
Why pay for a password manager when you’re able to get the software for free? Although it’s common practice for providers to offer free versions of their platform, it’s important to understand that there are usually several limitations. Depending on the password manager, you might have a limit on the number of items you can store and a restriction on the number of simultaneous connections, making the password manager not that convenient or useful.
Of course, more advanced features, such as password sharing or data breach monitoring, are also off the table with a free password manager. Even so, if you don’t need all the bells and whistles, a free password manager might be enough, as they come with the same security features.
| Free password manager 🆓 | Paid password manager 💸 |
|---|---|
| Secure | Secure |
| May have a password limit | Unlimited passwords |
| Usually only 1 device can be logged in | Supports multiple connections |
| No password sharing | Password sharing |
| – | Password health monitoring |
| – | Data breach monitoring |
| – | Built-in VPN |
It’s true that password managers are great for keeping personal information secure, but they can also safeguard business information. It only takes one employee password to be breached to have your trade secrets or customers’ information in the wrong hands. A data breach can make a business close down, so online security is vital for businesses of all sizes. However, business password managers require more features than those for personal use.
As already mentioned, there are some extra features you should look for when searching for a business password manager:
It’s important to still keep in mind the standard features that you would consider for a password manager for personal use.
Passkeys are seen as the future of online security. Instead of a password, people can log into their accounts by using their fingerprint, face ID, or pin. They are considered safer than passwords, as the private key used to authenticate you is restricted to your device. This way, passkeys are protected from data leaks, and since each passkey is unique to each website, they defend the user against phishing scams.
However, it’s still the early days of passkeys. Even though some major companies, such as Google and Microsoft, have adopted passkeys, many smaller websites may take a while to integrate this authentication method. So, while we recommend using passkeys whenever possible, passwords are not going away anytime soon.
Moreover, password managers have already evolved to support passkeys. So, even when passwords die out completely, it will still be more convenient and secure to use a password manager to take care of your passkeys.
By now it’s clear to see that there isn’t a solution that works for everyone. The best password manager depends on your needs and preferences. That’s why we recommend doing some research before blindly choosing the software that’s going to keep your sensitive information safe.
It’s essential that you read guides, comparisons, and reviews of the products you’re interested in to make an informed decision. Fortunately, most password manager providers offer free versions or free trials so you can try everything yourself first. Plus, since prices are quite low and there’s usually a money-back guarantee policy in place, you can take the plunge without worries.
What’s essential is that you take your online security into your own hands and do your best to keep your information secure. In addition to password managers, we highly recommend that you also use a VPN service and an internet security suite to ensure utmost safety in these dangerous digital waters.
The Best Reviews team researches and tests all products first-hand. We've been reviewing products and services since 2012 and are proud to only publish human-created content.
Share your thoughts, ask questions, and connect with other users. Your feedback helps our community make better decisions.
©2012-2025 Best Reviews, a clovio brand –
All rights
reserved
