A password manager is a program or application that helps you to properly manage your passwords and other login credentials by storing them securely in an encrypted vault. Typically, password managers are accessed via a master password, but in some cases may require additional authentication, like a code sent to your phone or biometric data such as a face or fingerprint scan.
Much of our daily life takes place online today, so unsurprisingly we are juggling more login credentials than ever before. Despite this, 59% of people are still relying on just their memory to manage their passwords, which is a risky game considering how disruptive and stressful it can be to find ourselves locked out of vital accounts.
So, whether you find yourself drowning in a hundred variations of the same password for each of your accounts (all of them including your first pet’s name!) or you have seen the rise in cybercrime and are concerned about the security of your most important accounts, password management is the way to go. A password manager is the ideal tool to circumvent risk and keep your online accounts safe from hackers and their many tricks—such as password-cracking brute force attacks.
To help you find the right solution for you, we’ve put together a list of the top free password management solutions on the market. These solutions are ideal for those looking to take control of their password security, but who do not require the more advanced functionality offered by paid password managers. To evaluate these free password managers, we’ll be looking at the providers, the feature set offered, and what sets them apart from other free solutions.
Bitwarden is a leading open-source password management provider for both individuals and businesses. They offer plans designed for both business and personal use, which include a free version that has all of Bitwarden’s core features, including zero-knowledge encryption, unlimited devices and syncing, unlimited vault items, safe storage of notes and credit cards, free sharing for two users, 24/7 support, a username and password generator, and basic two-step login.
Compared to competitors’ free password managers, Bitwarden’s feature set is extensive. The free version does not include certain security and functionality offered by the paid versions—like file attachments, health reports and priority support—but it does allow users to use an unlimited number of devices, which sets it apart from other password managers’ free plans.
Bitwarden’s free plan is not overly restrictive, although its two-factor authentication is restricted to just email or an authentication app, so, as an additional layer of protection, Bitwarden users could combine the solution with an authentication tool.
Bitwarden also offers free trials on most of their paid plans. Users praise Bitwarden’s easy setup, smooth syncing across various devices, and the fact that it is an open-source solution. We would recommend Bitwarden’s free password manager to anyone looking to protect their online accounts and information with a password manager that takes a transparent, open-source approach to password management.
Founded in 2009, Dashlane is a web and mobile app designed to simplify the process of managing passwords for people and businesses. Dashlane secures users’ passwords within an AES 256-bit encrypted password vault and boasts compatibility with a wide range of desktop and mobile apps, including Android, Windows, macOS, iOS and Linux, and lets you download browser extensions for Internet Explorer, Safari, Edge, Firefox and Chrome.
Dashlane offers several plans at different price points and capabilities, including a free plan that promises simple password management. This plan provides the safe storage of up to 50 passwords, personalized security alerts, two-factor authentications, a password generator, and a breakdown of weak, reused, and compromised passwords. Dashlane’s free plan is for one device and allows users to share up to five passwords securely.
A limitation of Dashlane is that you can only associate it with one device at a time, so, if you want to join with another, you will have to unlink from the previous one. This won’t be an issue for users planning to use just one device or switch between devices infrequently, but may be disruptive to others. Dashlane’s 50 password limit is another limitation to consider, as this may be too restrictive for some users.
Dashlane’s security alerts – which alert users if any of their passwords appear in a data breach – redeems the service. We would recommend Dashlane’s free password manager to anyone interested in an easy to use, secure, non-disruptive password management tool.
From the cybersecurity experts behind NordVPN comes NordPass, a password manager designed using theXChaCha20 encryption, with a zero-knowledge policy. NordPass is available via a range of plans to suit various needs, which includes an entirely free plan. This free plan provides users with many of the key features listed in the more advanced paid plans, including unlimited passwords, autosave and autofill, storage of notes and credit cards, a password generator, MFA, and automatic sync across devices.
NordPass Free offers users more functionality than most free password managers. Unlike other free services, this solution does not limit the number of passwords or personal information users can safely store and will sync that information across multiple devices. It also offers an autofill feature to make logging into your favorite online account quick and seamless.
With its strong feature set and secure encryption, NordPass’s free version is a highly functional and effective password manager. However, you can only use this solution on one device at a time, meaning that, even though your data will be synced between devices, you will be logged out on your laptop if you log on with your phone.
NordPass also offers users a free 30-day trial of the paid plans with more advanced features. Users of NordPass Free praise the solution for being full-featured and compare it favorably to the free password managers offered by competitors. We would recommend this solution to anyone looking for a well-rounded free password manager.
Founded 2000, RoboForm delivers a secure password management solution designed to support individuals, families, and organizations of all sizes by securing their passwords and other sensitive information in an AES –256-bit encrypted vault. Its desktop version is available for Windows, Chrome OS, macOS and Linux, with its mobile apps available on Android and iOS devices. RoboForm offers a range of plans at different price points for both personal and business use, including a free version.
Their free version comes with a solid set of password manager features, including secure password sharing, a password generator, and automatic web form filling. A particular strength of RoboForm’s free plan is that the number of data sets is unlimited, so it is possible to use this software as a full program without the need to upgrade to a paid version.
RoboForm offers a useful and effective free solution. It is worth noting that absent from their free plan are two-factor authentication and multi device syncing, which the paid plans do offer. While this is a perfectly serviceable solution for secure password management, it would need to be supplemented with an additional authentication tool to reach the level of security offered by some competitors who do provider multi-factor authentication in their free offering.
RoboForm’s password manager offers a free trial of the paid plans and is largely highly praised by users. The solution is described as well-designed, easy to use, and intuitive, offering users core password manager features designed to keep them well protected. RoboForm’s paid plans are also some of the most affordable on the market.
Founded in 2011, Keeper is a market leading password management solution. Keeper has more advanced paid plans on offer, but they also have a free version of their excellent password management software that allows users to store password, bank card details, and more. This password manager is independently audited and is compliant with ISO 27001 standard which outlines practices for information security management systems.
Keeper takes a multilayered approach and encrypts data locally on the device using AES 256-bit combined with PBKDF2, meaning only encrypted passwords are ever sent to Keeper’s servers. Features of Keeper’s free version include mobile device access for one device, unlimited passwords stored locally on one device, identity and payment information storage locally on one device, the ability to export passwords, additional security via two-factor authentication (2FA), and support via email and live chat.
Compared to their paid plans, the features offered by Keeper’s free version are limited, to a similar degree but often in different ways to the free plans offered by competitors. However, even Keeper’s free version offers high levels of security via its support for 2FA and the provider’s vulnerability disclosure program, which allows users to submit any bugs they find, offering better transparency.
Users can experience Keeper’s more advanced features by using their 30-day free trial. Users review the solution highly and praise its robust multi-level security and straightforward setup. We would recommend Keeper’s free plan to those interested in securing their privileged credentials with a reliable password management solution.
FAQs
What Is A Password Manager?
A password manager is an application that acts like a secure, encrypted vault to store all your passwords. Rather than having to remember a seemingly endless number of passwords for each different account, you can store them all securely with a password manager.
Many popular password managers have additional features to improve the user experience and maintain a good level of security hygiene. These additional features include:
- Complex password generation
- Autofill login details with a single click
- Security hygiene score based upon password strength and reuse
- Monitor dark web to identify if your accounts are at risk
- Multi-factor authentication
- High levels of encryption to secure your vault
Why Should You Use A Password Manager?
The simple answer is security. Storing your passwords in a password manager is much more secure than having a document with all your important login details. Password managers also reduce the need for you to remember each password. As a result, you can have longer, more complex passwords, thereby increasing your account security.
The additional features – dark web monitoring and security hygiene scoring – give you greater visibility into your digital accounts and warn you when you need to make a change.
How Do You Access Your Password Manager?
Ok, password managers don’t eliminate the need to remember passwords, but they do reduce the number dramatically. Rather than remembering every single password you have, you only need to remember a single “master password” to gain access to your password manager. It is essential that this password is strong and complex, otherwise all your passwords are vulnerable.
How Should You Make Sure Your Master Password Is Strong?
A strong password should be:
- Mixture of uppercase and lowercase characters
- Mixture of letters and numbers
- Includes special characters
- Not be based on a piece of information that is available on your social media accounts – such as a pet’s name
- The longer the better – it might take a computer a couple hours to try every combination in an 8-digit password, but a 12-digit would take (hundreds of) years
