Best password managers in 2024

Summary

• Memorizing passwords is safest, but using a password manager with unique and complex passwords is the best move for online security.
• Bitwarden is a highly recommended password manager that works well across different platforms and is easy to use, with additional features like credit card storage.
• Other good options for password managers include 1Password for its extensive features and security measures, Dashlane for shared family access, and Enpass for self-hosted secure storage. NordPass is a good free option with useful features.

The safest — if not the best — way to store your passwords is by memorizing them. But that becomes a bit of an issue with the growing number of online accounts and the associated passwords, so we then resort to birthdays and pet's names to keep the passwords simple and easy to remember, or use one randomly generated password everywhere. Your accounts are likely to end up in trouble either way, so a better move is to use a password manager to create more unique and complex passwords.

I first signed up for a password manager at the start of 2023, and I've been toying with various options since then. Choosing the right password manager can be a bit tricky due to the sheer number of options out there. Not only is it important to check the platform availability, but it's also crucial to see how support differs across browsers and OS. You should also look for extra features like the ability to store your credit card information, lock files and photos in a secure vault, and even data-breach monitoring, before you can trust a program with all your sensitive information.

1 Bitwarden

Best password manager for most users

Bitwarden is a free, open-source password manager that works seamlessly across a bunch of different platforms. The Bitwarden app that you can download for a variety of platforms and operating systems, including Windows 11 is quite polished and very easy to use, making it a good choice for even those who are new to the world of password managers. It wasn't until recently that I started using Bitwarden, and I wish I had considered this before exploring other options.

As far as availability is concerned, Bitwarden has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can even get extensions for almost all the major web browsers out there, and it works very well to serve a pop-up every time you need to log in. Some highlights of Bitwarden include support for Windows Hello and Touch ID on macOS, making it easier for you enter the master password and authenticate yourself. In addition to passwords, Bitwarden also lets you store other types of sensitive information like credit card details and important notes, among other things. It also gives you an option to easily export and import passwords to/from different password managers out there.

Also, the fact that it's open-source means it is freely available for anyone to inspect, identify, and fix the flaws. Bitwarden has been auditioned by third parties in the past to ensure it's secure, and it hasn't posed any threats so far. Bitwarden is completely free to use, but it also offers an optional paid upgrade starting at $10 per year that gets you things like two-factor authentication and 1 GB of encrypted file storage.

2 1Password

Best for features

1Password is a great password manager that comes with a laundry list of features to help you secure and manage all your passwords. I see this as a good option for those who are already using a basic password manager and want to upgrade to something better with access to more features. It's available across all major platforms, and all its applications have a neat and user-friendly interface. 1Password comes with all the standard features that we've come to expect from various password managers, but it also has other extras like a bug bounty program, frequent audits, a zero-knowledge policy, and more.

1Password has industry-standard encryption to protect your password, and you can also set a "secret key" that's separate from your master password. This password manager is just as secure and reliable as other options out there, and it offers plenty of security features and lets you tweak them too. It is true that 1Password fell victim to a cybersecurity incident not too long ago, but no user data was reported to be leaked, which is good.

1Password comes with a 14-day free trial, following which you'll have to pick one of the paid tiers that starts at $3 per month. The basic "Individual" tier will get you unlimited passwords, items, and 1GB of document storage for your vault. Alternatively, you can also upgrade to a family plan for $5 per month, and invite up to five people to be a part of your vault.

3 Dashlane

Best for shared family access

If you are the type of user who wants a shared password manager account to include all your family members, then Dashlane may be worth checking out. It offers a total of four subscription options, including a free tier that gets access to a single device with unlimited passwords. You can also pay $3 per month to get unlimited device access or splurge $5 per month for VPN access. The one that's worth considering the most is Dashlane's family plan that costs $7.50 per month and includes access for up to 10 members.

Dashlane comes with all the standard password managing features like import, export, and a secure vault for card details and notes. It's also known for its Site Breach Alert feature, which is particularly useful to find out when the sites you frequently browse suffer a security breach. Dashlane can actively monitor the dark web and look for leaked or stolen personal data, and then alert you if your information is compromised.

It is, however, important to note that Dashlane doesn't have desktop apps for Windows and Mac. It promotes a web-first experience, meaning you log into the browser extension and control everything from there, including website credentials. You do get apps for Android and iOS, though, so you should be able to use it without any issues on mobile devices. Those who are not comfortable shelling out the subscription cost upfront can also take advantage of its 30-day free trial.

4 Enpass

Best self-hosted password manager

If you're worried about security breaches and losing all your sensitive data to a third party, then you might want to try something like Enpass. This is one of those password managers that doesn't store any of your data on their servers. It instead creates a local vault to store your data, which you can then sync across devices using a file-sharing cloud storage service like Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. Enpass essentially offers an app for all the major platforms, which you can use to store and sync passwords using a third-party service. While it doesn't mean that you have an additional layer or a program to monitor, you'll at least be safe from security breaches as the attackers will essentially have nothing to target for your data.

Enpass delivers in spades when it comes to the features, though. You get all the essentials, including auto-generating and auto-filling passwords, biometric login, breach alerts on the websites you use, and more. It also lets you save credit cards and other important identification data. The highlights of Enpass password manager include the ability to tag passwords for easier searching and a password audit feature to highlight any weak passwords that you may have been using.

Enpass is completely free to use on Windows, Mac, and Linux, but its mobile version only lets you sync up to 25 items in one vault for free. You can then choose to pick up either an individual or a family subscription plan, or you can also just make a one-time purchase for a lifetime license. You can hit the link below to check the regional pricing for Enpass.

5 NordPass

Best free option

Bitwarden is also a great option overall that can be used for free for the most part, but I also wanted to give a nod to NordPass. The free option in NordPass is good for unlimited passwords and syncs across devices and platforms. It's plenty for most users out there who are just starting out with password managers. The $2 premium tier (paid annually) isn't too bad either, as it's more affordable than other password managers highlighted above.

NordPass is also packed with a lot of useful features, so it's not like you're missing out on anything with a free tier. All the usual must-haves like biometric sign-in, secure vault for file storage, import-export passwords, etc. are available on NordPass. You even get support for Passkeys that sync on all devices and operating systems. Some added features like password audits and email masking are locked behind a paywall, but you can get a free trial to see if they're even worth splurging on for your usage.

Closing thoughts

There is no shortage of password managers out there, but the ones highlighted above offer a good mix of features. My top pick goes to Bitwarden as I actively use it every day to manage the passwords of my online accounts. Bitwarden lets you access all the essential features without demanding a subscription fee. I like the fact that it's open-source, and also that it works very well across all the devices I use on a daily basis. NordPass is also a good pick for those who want to use a free password manager, but there are plenty of other options out there that bring their own highlight features.