Let’s be honest, most people aren’t capable of coming up with unique long-winded passwords for every single online account. And yet when it comes to online security, that’s always touted as the best solution to avoid your data being stolen. This is when the best password manager options come in.
A password manager increases the security of all of your online accounts by generating complex passcodes, and then safely storing them in an encrypted online vault.
According to our testing, though, not every password manager is created equal. Some have better security measures, while others have added features to make the process as seamless as possible.
We’ve tested all of the most popular password managers that you can buy, evaluating the likes of security, ease of use and added features to determine which represent the best value. Those that score the highest are considered for this list, making it easier for you to find the cream of the crop.
Scroll down to find our list of the best password managers you can subscribe to. And if you’re on the lookout for more computer software, check out our Best VPN and Best AntiVirus lists.
How we test
We test each password manager ourselves on a variety of computer and mobile operating systems.
We carry out comparative feature analysis against industry standards and rival products, and test security and convenience settings such as default logout behaviour and offline access.
- Unlimited free tier
- Inexpensive paid tiers
- Easy to use
- TOTP password generation
- None to speak of
- Entirely free and open source
- Highly customisable
- Wide range of third-party apps and extensions
- In-app TOTP password generation
- No integrated sharing
- More hands-on configuration than most rivals
- Polished interface
- Excellent free tier
- Early adopter of Passkey authentication
- Not as many features as some rivals
- Requires two sets of login credentials to access
- Higher renewal fees, list prices don’t include VAT
- Excellent interface
- Can share passwords with anyone
- In-app TOTP password generation
- None to speak of
- Can share passwords with anyone
- In-app TOTP password generation
- Extremely limited free account
- Tries to up-sell you on storage and breach protection
Bitwarden
Best overall password manager
Pros
- Unlimited free tier
- Inexpensive paid tiers
- Easy to use
- TOTP password generation
Cons
- None to speak of
Bitwarden is our top recommended free and paid-for password manager right now. Its free tier is fully functional with excellent security, allowing you to store an unlimited number of passwords on all kinds of devices.
We also think the paid-for tier represents great value, offering high-end features such as emergency access contact, secure file storage and additional two-factor authentication options.
During testing, we were also impressed with how easy it is to use, and shouldn’t prove intimidating to non-technical users. The downside to this is that it doesn’t offer as many customisable security features as the likes of KeePass.
Nevertheless, we think Bitwarden hits a great middle ground between being both accessible and fully featured, and so is our top recommended password manager for the vast majority of people. And since it has a free tier, you can try before you buy.
Reviewer: K.G. Orphanides
Full Review: Bitwarden Review
1Password
Best password manager for non-technical users
Pros
- Excellent interface
- Can share passwords with anyone
- In-app TOTP password generation
Cons
- None to speak of
1Password is, in our opinion, the best password manager for non-technical users. Bitwarden is still great in this area too, but we reckon 1Password just about pips it thanks to its friendlier interface.
Our testing shows that 1Password doesn’t offer as many granular controls as Bitwarden and KeePass, but that shouldn’t be a problem for those who don’t like to tinker.
1Password is only available via a paid-for subscription but offers plenty of features to justify the cost. There’s a Travel Mode vault that can store important documents for an upcoming trip, oodles of two-factor authentication options and the capability to share passwords with anyone, even if they aren’t fellow 1Password subscribers.
We were impressed with the level of security here too, operating as a zero-knowledge service so your data can’t be snooped even if 1Password is hacked. So if you’re looking for the most friendly interface possible, while benefiting from plenty of paid-for features, 1Password is the one to go for.
Reviewer: K.G. Orphanides
Full Review: 1Password Review
Keeper Password Manager
Best Password Manager for business
Pros
- Can share passwords with anyone
- In-app TOTP password generation
Cons
- Extremely limited free account
- Tries to up-sell you on storage and breach protection
Keeper is a business-first password manager, allowing multiple users to securely store a wide range of information, from passwords and payment cards to identity documents and software licences.
Support for the likes of Windows Hello also enables you to use biometrics to authenticate logins, which is a lot easier and quicker than repeatedly entering passwords. Importantly, Keeper is easy to use too, so those who aren’t fluent in technology lingo shouldn’t be intimidated like with more complex offerings.
A consumer version of Keeper is available too, but it feels like an afterthought compared to the business plan. It also lacks the same breadth of features available from rivals such as 1Password.
But if you’re looking for a password manager for a small/medium business, which multiple people will need to access, then there are few better than Keeper.
Reviewer: K.G. Orphanides
Full Review: Keeper review
KeePass
Best password manager for customisable security
Pros
- Entirely free and open source
- Highly customisable
- Wide range of third-party apps and extensions
- In-app TOTP password generation
Cons
- No integrated sharing
- More hands-on configuration than most rivals
KeePass is the best password manager option for those who crave sophisticated and customisable security, with almost every single feature offering granular-level tweaking. This may be a little intimidating for the average person, but is the perfect option for those experienced with technology.
Bizarrely, KeePass is completely free to use and yet still offers a fantastic range of features, including biometric logins and ‘autotype’ to bypass anti-pasting password entry.
Our testing showed there to be a couple of major features missing though, with group folders and password sharing notably absent. If those features are important to you, then we suggest checking out Bitwarden instead.
But if you’re happy to look past those omissions and want ultimate configurability from your password manager then KeePass is your best bet.
Reviewer: K.G. Orphanides
Full Review: KeePass Review
NordPass
Best password manager bundle with a VPN
Pros
- Polished interface
- Excellent free tier
- Early adopter of Passkey authentication
Cons
- Not as many features as some rivals
- Requires two sets of login credentials to access
- Higher renewal fees, list prices don’t include VAT
NordPass is a great password manager that’s accessible for non-technical users, but it’s simply not as good as rivals such as Bitwarden and 1Password. We still think it’s worth subscribing if you use other Nord services though, especially if you’re able to get a bundle deal with the excellent NordVPN.
NordPass offers support for two-factor authentication, while enabling you to store contact information, credit cards and notes. Paying customers can also grant full or limited password access to anyone else who subscribes to the service.
It doesn’t have quite as many features as its main rivals, yet still provides excellent security since this is a zero-knowledge account – even hackers shouldn’t be able to access your data. One issue that may prove problematic is the fact you can’t log into the desktop app without an internet connection, which is unlike other password manager options.
There are a number of niggling issues that prevent NordPass from offering a better experience than other password managers. But we still think it’s a great option, especially if you want to bundle it up with other Nord services such as its fantastic VPN.
Reviewer: K.G. Orphanides
Full Review: NordPass Review
We also considered…
We’ve reviewed
See all reviewsFAQs
We think LastPass is a great option, but we reckon Bitwarden is currently the overall best password manager, whether you’re using the free version or paying for a subscription.
All of the password managers on this list are really safe, generally acting as a zero-knowledge service so your data can’t be snooped on. But KeePass offers the best configurability so you can have your security features set up exactly to your liking.
Having one master password to all of your online accounts can be a little risky if your master password is easily hackable. Make sure that your master password is strong (with capitals, lowercase, numbers etc.) as otherwise all of your accounts could be compromised.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
