Password managers strengthen your online security, providing a safe place to store all of your login credentials. The best password managers bring extra features, including the ability to recommend and generate strong passwords, two-factor authentication, auto-fill features, and more.
If you aren’t using a password manager already, we recommend you follow our advice below and find one that works for you. After testing tens of providers, we’ve collated this list of the top five password managers:
- NordPass: The best paid and free password manager you can get
- 1Password: A great choice for business teams
- Abine Blur: A top password manager with unique features
- Keeper: A password manager that gives you flexibility
- Dashlane: A bundled VPN service and password manager
NordPass takes the crown for offering an enviable service with powerful security. It comes from the same team that runs our top-ranking VPN service, NordVPN. Nord delivers password management that ensures nobody’s getting into your accounts but you.
Want more information about each of the password managers that we tested? Check out the full article below.
It’s important to use unique passwords for all your online accounts. But if you’re like us, keeping track of them all can be tricky – especially when you’re using long, secure passwords. Thankfully, we have a solution to this problem: using a password manager!
Password managers help you create, store, and manage passwords. Having a secure password vault removes the need to write down or memorize all your passwords. It also reduces the possibility that you’ll settle for a weak password or re-use the same password, ultimately boosting your security online.
In other words, we recommend getting one of the top password managers to keep yourself secure online. That’s why we’ve researched and shared our cybersecurity experts’ top choices so that you can enhance your online safety. Looking to save a few minutes? Our best password manager right now is NordPass!
The Best Password Managers of 2024: Features and Quick Comparison
Here’s a quick comparison of our best password managers, highlighting key features. If you want a little more information on each service, read on. We explain what makes each app great and why we chose it.
| Password manager |  NordPass |  1Password |  Abine Blur |  Keeper |  Dashlane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium version price | Starting at $1.29 per month | Starting at $2.99 per month | Starting at $3.25 per month | Starting at $1.46 per month | Starting at $2.75 per month |
| Free version available | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Two-factor authentication | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Zero-knowledge architecture | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Password generator | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Autofill | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Data breach notification | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Password sharing | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ (with certain plans) | ✔ |
| Secure file storage | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Subscriptions for businesses available | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Website |
The Best Password Managers Right Now
Based on our rankings, the best password manager right now is NordPass. After that, we suggest considering Keeper, 1Password, Abine Blur, and Dashlane, respectively. All these password managers are pretty solid, but some excel in key areas compared to others.
So, let’s take a deep dive into the top password managers we recommend to enhance your online security.
1. NordPass: The best paid and free password manager you can get
What We Like:
- Uses XChaCha20, 256-bit encryption
- Syncs your passwords across all of your connected devices for convenience
- Priced competitively if you decide to upgrade and subscribe for a longer period
- Works with macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux devices
- Browser extensions available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Vivaldi, Edge, and Brave
What We Don't Like:
- Saving passwords is tricky with the browser extension
- Doesn't support extensive file storage
Created by the folks behind the popular virtual private network (VPN) service, NordVPN, NordPass is available free. But choose a premium subscription, and you’ll get access to more features, including dark web monitoring and secure password recommendations. We think it’s the perfect choice for anyone who just wants a strong, all-round password manager.
While you can use it free on only one device, the paid version supports multiple devices simultaneously. When we tested the premium version it synced our passwords between devices and let us import them from our browsers – trust us, this makes life much easier!
We found the app easy to use on any device, but it can be tricky to save or update a password on the browser extension. This makes the extension less suitable for families or teams, in our opinion.
For security, NordPass uses zero-knowledge architecture – only you know what’s stored in your password vault. It also protects passwords using XChaCha20 encryption with 256-bit keys, and you can even secure your password vault with biometric data.
There’s also NordPass Authenticator, a multi-factor authentication feature that generates a temporary code when logging in to further secure your account.
Mark of Approval:
NordPass is audited annually by independent firms. In 2021, German firm Cure53 audited NordPass, and in 2022 and December 2023, Nord again passed a Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) audit by an independent firm.
NordPass lets you store Wi-Fi passwords, bank details, and other important data with its Secure Notes feature. You can also scan and store your credit/debit cards with its built-in OCR scanner. But while you can store some files, this only goes up to 3 GB.
Why we chose NordPass
NordPass is relatively inexpensive, saving you money – that’s a major win in our book. A two-year subscription costs $1.29 monthly, or $1.69 per month for a one-year plan. NordPass also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, plus a NordPass Business subscription starting at $1.79 per user monthly.
We’re also huge fans of Nord’s VPN service, which never fails to impress. With that kind of stellar reputation backing up this password manager, we’re absolutely reassured of the security of our credentials and data in general.
In short, NordPass is the best password manager at the moment. This versatile password manager offers a lot of extra security features, is easy to use, and is fairly affordable. NordPass also just happens to be the best free password manager at the moment, too.
2. 1Password: A great choice for business teams
What We Like:
- User-friendly
- Suitable for individuals, families, and businesses
- High level of security and add-on security options
- Allows you to store files securely
- Free trial is available without having to submit your payment details
- Works with macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, and Chrome OS
- Browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Brave
What We Don't Like:
- There are cheaper password managers available
- Other managers have a better import process
- No free tier available
1Password is one of the most popular password managers in the world, so it’s no surprise that it’s in our top two. It boasts a high level of security with features like multi-factor authentication and biometric logins, plus powerful 256-bit encryption to secure your data. All of this makes it an ideal password manager for business teams.
While testing 1Password, we also found that it offers data breach monitoring. The Watchtower feature tracks whether any of the websites you use have suffered a security breach. If so, the service will advise you to change the password associated with that website. Essentially, it’s a little like the website “Have I Been Pwned,” which we’ve recommended using in the past.
No Free Tier:
Unfortunately, you can’t use 1Password for free indefinitely. You can get a 14-day 1Password free trial, and you don’t have to provide any payment details. But after that, it’s a case of upgrade or move onto another service.
We could talk for hours about all of the security features offered by 1Password, but instead, here’s a quick rundown of other bonuses:
- Two-factor authentication is supported for more secure accounts.
- The software’s password generator proposed highly secure passwords for us.
- Apple Mac users can unlock 1Password with their Apple Watch.
- In iOS and Android apps, we could unlock 1Password with a passkey – widely regarded as the future of credential security.
- New devices can only be added with your Secret Key – we advise you to download and print your emergency kit so you don’t lose it!
Overall, 1Password is one of the most secure password managers we’ve seen. In our 1Password review, our cybersecurity expert scored it highly across the board. It’s just a shame that it’s lacking a free-use option.
Why we chose 1Password
Despite a lack of free tiers, we chose 1Password due to its incredible security. More than that, we think it’s perfect for teams. You can store unlimited passwords, manage multiple password vaults, and share a password vault with members of your team.
In short, we think it makes password management simple for enterprise use, where weak passwords and phishing attacks can have catastrophic consequences.
1Password’s pricing is pretty affordable to us too, with plans ranging from $2.99 to $7.99 per month, depending on individual, family, or team usage. There are cheaper password managers out there, but for its level of security and the features it provides, 1Password’s price is unmatched.
3. Abine Blur: Offers unique features not seen in other password managers
What We Like:
- Easy to install and set up
- Particularly impressive browser extension support
- Even supports secure messaging and online payments
- Blocks marketing trackers
- Powerful encryption and multi-factor authentication with biometrics
What We Don't Like:
- Mobile app design feels a little dated
- Hard to get hold of outside of US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia
- No credential sharing or business support features
- We feel that it's fairly pricey
Abine Blur comes in at number three despite a particularly expensive subscription plan and a premium version that’s hard to get hold of in most countries. Why? Because Blur offers such a comprehensive set of privacy tools. This includes features not seen in 1Password or NordPass that make it ideal for people who want a little extra online security.
Have you ever wanted to buy something online, only to find that it’s mostly out of stock – save for a website you’ve not used before? We have, and though we do our due diligence on every site we use, we’re still cautious about using websites we don’t know. Well, Blur can mask your payment information, as well as secure email addresses, phone numbers, and messaging.
Security Tip:
Card masking is a powerful and unique feature, but it doesn’t mean you should throw your payment details around without care. Try to stick to the beaten path and only shop on websites you trust.
Pricing is probably our main dislike with Blur. The basic subscription set us back a massive $14.99 per month, though if you commit for a year, you can pay an annual fee of $39. For the unlimited subscription, it’s $8.25 per month or $99 per year. To us, the pricing doesn’t make too much sense – and it’s much higher than our other best password managers.
Why we chose Blur
We chose Blur due to the super-impressive, unique features we discovered during our Abine Blur review. Blur generated a unique phone number for us, routing our calls through the software.
The payment masking function is even better – Blur can generate a limited-time, virtual Mastercard for you. It’ll have different details to your real card. If a website logs the card number, you can only ever lose what’s been loaded onto the card.
But despite these innovative uses, Blur doesn’t skim on the essentials. You still get 256-bit encryption, a master password for account access, two-factor authentication enabled by default, and a backup passphrase that should keep your data safe if there were ever a data breach. Overall, while expensive, this service offers great value for money.
4. Keeper: A password manager that gives you flexibility
What We Like:
- Excellent security features
- 30-day free premium features (simplified free tier afterward)
- Packages available for families and businesses
- Secure chat feature that could be useful for businesses
- Additional security features (charged separately)
- Works with macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android devices
- Browser extensions available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Internet Explorer, and Opera
What We Don't Like:
- Free version felt pretty limited to us
- Charges for almost every extra add-on
- Encrypted storage limits are quite small
We liked Keeper’s free service during our Keeper review, as we could enjoy all the features premium users get for 30 days without charge. But we quickly realized that the free tier becomes quite limited after that – and you have to pay extra for almost everything.
This even applies to common features such as synchronization. But it does make for a highly flexible plan that suits people who want to choose specific features while leaving others behind.
Fortunately, you do get a broad choice of functionality. Keeper comes with an array of add-ons, including secure file storage, secure messaging, compliance reporting, dark web monitoring, and more. In that respect, we think it follows closely behind NordPass in terms of features, which is why it carved its way into our second spot.
Good for Businesses:
One of Keeper’s strengths is their support for businesses. Employee management controls include an admin console, security reporting, enforcement policies, and training plans. We think these are great tools for families, too!
Keeper also provides excellent security. Our password vault was protected with multi-factor authentication. We could also use our fingerprint or Face ID to unlock accounts.
We also saw a mechanism that allows you to securely share your password, and we even received password strength reports. These allowed us to choose a more secure password when needed.
So, how do the costs stack up? The Personal Keeper plan starts at $35 per year for unlimited passwords and sync options. Upgrade to Family for $75 per year, and you can access five more password vaults and additional storage (10 GB).
Why we chose Keeper
Although Keeper charges so much for the same features that other password managers offer for free, it is still one of the top password managers. That bolt-on functionality could also come in useful in our opinion. If you don’t need extra storage, for example, you won’t pay for it. But depending on your needs, you can add 10, 50, or 100 GB for between $9.99 – $79.99.
We don’t often see such flexibility in subscriptions, so Keeper is a great choice if you like having control over the features you use and pay for – especially for companies.
5. Dashlane: Get a bundled VPN service that we’ve rated highly
What We Like:
- Powerful 256-bit encryption
- Easy to use, even for beginners
- Unlimited devices for premium users
- Built-in VPN on some plans, which we've tested and rate highly
- Available as a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Opera, Edge, and Brave
What We Don't Like:
- Only available as a web app – internet always required
- Free tier offers support for just one device
- Doesn't support updates to its desktop apps anymore
Dashlane is quite similar to NordPass and 1Password in terms of features. It’s a very user-friendly password app with robust security, but it’s more expensive than most of its competitors.
There’s a free version, but we were disappointed to see that it covers just one device. In our opinion, it’s not worth it. Pricing then starts at $33 per year for the Advanced subscription, which extends dark web monitoring.
We think that the value for money truly kicks in at the Premium tier. Here, you get a bundled VPN service from Hotspot Shield. We have reviewed Hotspot Shield extensively and have rated it quite highly. Combining a password manager and VPN is one of the best first steps you can take in supercharging your online safety.
Web-only Support:
Dashlane is only available as a desktop app. This lets the companypush automatic updates, ensuring you’re not running an outdated, potentially vulnerable version. The downside? You cannot use Dashlane without the internet.
So, we think that Dashlane is a good choice for people who are getting started in cybersecurity.
Worried about the strength of your passwords and how it affects your online security? We recommend Dashlane’s Premium bundle. Aside from getting protection and encryption for your credentials, you’ll get full 256-bit encryption for all your browsing data and activity.
Why we chose Dashlane
Dashlane is a highly-rated password manager, and rightfully so. Like 1Password and NordPass, we found it very user-friendly, liked the fact that it offers 256-bit encryption, and were impressed that it can store up to 50 passwords on the free version. Unfortunately, that free version only supports one device.
So, why did we rank Dashlane as our fifth-best password manager?
Upgrade to premium, and you can store unlimited passwords from unlimited devices. This, coupled with the included VPN, means that Dashlane offers a pretty unique service. Just be sure that you get along with the web app – if you want to access your passwords offline at any point, you won’t be able to do it with this software.
ExpressVPN Keys: Get One of the Best VPNs and Password Manager Combined
While the five providers above are our best password managers, we had to give a notable mention to ExpressVPN Keys. ExpressVPN is one of our top-ranking VPN services, and Keys is their proprietary password manager that’s now bundled into every subscription.
For just $ 6.67 per month with our limited-time discount, you get:
- Storage for unlimited passwords
- A strong password generator
- Autofill
- Data breach monitoring
- Zero-knowledge architecture
- Two-factor authentication
- Compatibility with mobile apps
In short, it offers the most common and, in our opinion, important features seen in the best password managers. It also just happens to be bundled with one of the fastest VPN services around.
While ExpressVPN has always been on the pricey side, Keys adds huge value for money that makes it well worth a look. Get it today for 49% off with a 30-day money-back guarantee!
How We Chose the Best Password Managers
In our experience, not all password management tools are the same. Depending on how you use your devices day to day, some password managers may be better suited to you.
We tested tens of password managers extensively to determine the top five providers. We assessed their features, security, ease of use, price, and performance. Here’s a quick overview of what we were looking for while conducting our research:
| Feature | Importance |
|---|---|
| Knowledge policy | Your password manager shouldn’t have knowledge of your stored data. Choose a password manager with end-to-end encryption (preferably 256-bit) and a zero-knowledge policy. |
| Password generator | A password generator is a standard feature on most password managers, but it’s good to check if it’s included. This feature makes it easy to create secure passwords and will improve your general online security. |
| Autofill passwords | Have your password manager fill in login credentials with the click of a button. It’s something you may overlook, but it’s incredibly convenient and reduces the risk of keylogging. |
| Synchronization | Synchronizing saved passwords between different devices can be handy. This is available on most premium password managers, but free software usually lacks this feature. |
| Safely storing files and other data | In addition to storing and managing passwords, some password managers offer secure file storage. This allows you to store sensitive files and other data. |
| Multiple password vaults | Some password managers let you create and manage multiple password vaults. These are separate, secure folders containing a collection of passwords that can be useful for organizations, teams, and families. |
| Free version or free trial | Not every password manager offers a free version. Some have a 30-day money-back guarantee. We recommend trying out a password manager first before you pay for a subscription plan. |
| Price | Password managers are generally not very expensive. And, with certain password managers, such as NordPass or 1Password, you can also create a family account. This means you can split the cost with others. |
| Web app vs. offline software | Some password managers are only available online, while others also have offline software. Online password managers receive security updates quickly. Offline password managers are more secure, but you may require additional browser extensions to autofill passwords. |
| Customer service | If you encounter issues with your password manager, it’s important to be able to get help from the provider’s customer service department. That’s why we recommend assessing the quality of the customer service of any password manager you choose. |
Note:
We review new password managers and update our rankings regularly, so our top five list is subject to change.
Free vs. Paid Password Managers
Considering a free password manager? While it may be appealing, free password managers are usually unsafe. There’s a chance that they could share your data with third parties, like marketing agencies, to generate revenue. Free password managers are also more likely to show a lot of ads, which can disrupt the user interface and may expose you to adware.
We recommend using a premium service. Thankfully, most top password managers aren’t very expensive and offer benefits not seen in free software, such as:
- You can easily get in touch with customer service if something isn’t working the way it’s supposed to.
- Many password managers allow you to store unlimited passwords in your password vault.
- You can use the password manager (and its browser extensions) on different devices.
- You can synchronize passwords between these devices.
- Free password managers often show you ads and may share your data with third parties.
- You’re less vulnerable to being scammed if you choose a premium password manager.
- Free password managers may expose you to malware.
Your privacy is priceless. That’s why we recommend choosing security over saving a few dollars.
Get the Best Password Managers to Improve Your Online Safety
So, there you have our roundup of the best password managers you can get right now. We’ve tested each of them extensively, and we’re confident that our five recommendations offer the best functionality and security you’ll get. At the top of our list is NordPass, but 1Password and Abine Blur also carry robust security features.
If you aren’t yet using a password manager, we urge you to get started and migrate your credentials into one of them today! Data breaches and malware are becoming more and more common, and using weak passwords is a risk you can’t afford to take.
Interested in learning more about passwords and internet safety? Here are some insightful articles to help you get started:
- The Best Free Password Managers
- Is Your Browser’s Password Manager Safe?
- The Five Best Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Yourself
Got a question about password managers? Take a look at the FAQ section below. If we haven’t answered your question, let us know in the comment section.
A password manager is a tool that allows you to generate and store secure passwords. It can also autofill your login information, protecting you from keylogger software and speeding up your internet use. Some password managers even notify you if your account has a weak password.
NordPass is the overall best password manager. This password manager is affordable, easy to use, and has some remarkable security features. Our in-depth NordPass review contains more information about what makes this service so powerful.
Most password managers charge under $5 monthly. However, there are others that cost more. There are also free password managers, but they have limited features and may be unsafe.
Alternatively, for around the same price, you can try ExpressVPN Keys. This is a built-in password manager that comes bundled with every subscription to the top-ranking ExpressVPN service!
Free password managers are generally unsafe, as they’re more likely to share your data with third parties to generate revenue. If you must use a free password manager, we recommend trying out one of the options in our article on the best free password managers.
