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PCMag has been evaluating online privacy tools for more than 30 years. We test and analyze dozens of password managers, rating them primarily based on ease of adoption, security features, and overall value. NordPass and Dashlane are among the top paid password managers we've reviewed thanks to their wealth of premium features, while Bitwarden is our Editors' Choice for free password managers. Read on for more of the best password managers we've tested and our reasons for recommending them, followed by what to consider when choosing the right one for you.

Which Password Managers Do Security Experts Recommend?

Every cybersecurity expert we've consulted says that the best password manager is one that you will actually use. When reviewing password managers, we reward products that have advanced features, but the apps must remain easy to use and avoid needless complexity.

If you get annoyed or are baffled by a password manager, you may abandon it and go back to using sticky notes to store and share passwords or, worse, use the same password for everything. If you get fed up with your current tool, we have a guide for switching to a new password manager.

What Is the Best Password Manager For You?

Check out our recommendations for password managers that may be best for specific use cases:

The Best Password Manager for Business

We like Dashlane's extensive reporting tools for administrators. Knowing about employee password hygiene is one of the first steps toward securing a workplace against outside threats. For more recommendations for password managers with excellent features for small business owners or teams, check out our list of the best business password managers.

The Best Password Manager for Android

NordPass' clean and simple mobile apps are easy to use and include the functions found in the browser extension and desktop version of the app. An Android-specific feature we've seen many companies adopt is screenshot blocking and detection while using the app.

The Best Password Manager for iPhone

1Password is a well-organized app for iOS users that makes it easy to access and fill in credentials. We're particularly keen on the Watchtower function, which checks for compromised websites, vulnerable passwords, and alerts you about opportunities to enable multi-factor authentication or create passkeys for accounts.

The Best Password Manager for macOS and Windows

Enpass is totally free for desktop users, making it an easy choice for people who primarily log into their accounts using a Mac or a Windows PC. You can sync up to 25 passwords to a mobile device for free, too. With ongoing data breach threats, it's wise to keep a close eye on who is holding onto your data and how they're securing it. We like that Enpass makes users store their data locally on their devices, or via a personal third-party cloud storage account.

Is There a 100% Free Password Manager?

We love free stuff, but as with many things in life, you usually get what you pay for when it comes to totally free password management. Free security software is difficult to maintain without other products or features to generate revenue. That's probably why we've seen many companies quietly adopting new restrictive policies for their free password management tiers.

All the password managers on this list cost money, though you can use some of them for free if you accept their limitations. For example, some limit the number of passwords you can keep in your password manager vault. Bitwarden, LogMeOnce, NordPass, and Proton Pass allow unlimited credential storage for free users. We have a list of the best free password managers in a separate article.

Well-known security companies such as McAfee and Norton have simple free password management apps, too. Keep in mind that a password manager is usually included with a security suite subscription, so it's worth checking to see if you're already paying for a password manager that you should set up and use.

How We Test Password Managers

Each password management app undergoes functionality tests on multiple platforms. We ensure it can capture and replay credentials, store sensitive data in an encrypted vault, fill in web forms, and create new and unique passwords, among other things. Read our in-depth article about PCMag's password manager testing process for more details.

To summarize, we prefer products that include the following:

• A diverse selection of multi-factor authentication options
• A password generation policy that creates strong, unique passwords
• User-friendly features such as password inheritance, secure credential sharing, dark web monitoring, and password hygiene monitoring

We spend time comparing the app's price to similar products in the category, and we tend to favor products that are free or reasonably priced. To hold companies accountable for the trust their subscribers have in their products, we interview company representatives about the product annually. We also review the company's data security policies and public responses to past security incidents.

How Does a Password Manager Work?

Most people use a password manager primarily to manage website credentials. In practice, when you log in to a secure site, the password manager asks if you want it to save your username and password. When you return to that site, the password manager asks if you'd like it to fill in those credentials. If you have multiple logins for the same site, the password manager lists all the options so you can select the right one and log in. Most password managers also have a browser toolbar menu of saved logins, so you can go straight to a saved site and log in automatically.

Some products detect when you change one of your passwords and ask if it should update the existing password it has on file to the new one. Some record your credentials when you create a new account for a secure website.

Another way password managers help you with security is they identify weak and duplicate passwords that you have and replace them with strong, unique ones. Some password managers even check whether you have set up multi-factor authentication for those services that support it and whether your personal information appears in any data breaches.

(Credit: Bitwarden/PCMag)

When you create a new account or update a weak password, don't strain your brain trying to develop a different password that is strong and unique. Let your password manager take care of it. Ensure your generated passwords are at least 20 characters long and include all the major character types: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.

Password Managers vs. Passkeys

Passkeys are a new way to log in to websites, eliminating the need for an email address and password combination. We say new and not better because it's still too soon to tell whether passkeys are making a difference across the cybercrime landscape.

In theory, widespread passkey adoption should make it harder for criminals to steal your credentials and get into your accounts since passkeys can't be stolen by hacking into a company's system. Many of the password managers we test, including Bitwarden, let you store passkeys in their password manager vault.

But, as one expert told PCMag, passkeys are no substitute for healthy cybersecurity habits. "You have passkeys? That's fantastic. But if I can access your device, I can likely find a way around those passkeys," warned Trevor Hilligoss, vice president of SpyCloud Labs at SpyCloud, a cybersecurity company.

Hilligoss said that criminals have already found ways to get around passkeys by exploiting flaws inherent to the online authenticating process. Cookie hijacking and using specialized malware-as-service tools make it easy for a determined criminal to get into your accounts.

Still, some protection is better than none at all.1Password offers an updated list of websites that support passkeys.

What Makes a Password Manager Good?

Password managers keep you safe, and they're convenient. With a password manager, you don't have to remember a complex and unique password for each account. The password manager helps you generate new, random ones, stores them for you, and can even help you pass on your passwords to your loved ones after you die.

When you sign up for a password manager, one of the first things to do is create a master password for your account. Your master password is used to encrypt the contents of your password vault, so you should make it difficult for anyone else to guess it. However, it can't be so random you can't remember it. Your master password is likely unrecoverable if you do. Read our tips on creating secure, complicated passwords for guidance. One technique you might want to consider is to forgo simple passwords in favor of more complex passphrases.

Some password managers eliminate the need for a master password by offering a passwordless entry to your desktop or mobile vault. With passwordless technology, you can log in using a QR code with a third-party authenticator app, biometrics, a magic link, or a one-time password.

As an additional precaution, you should set up multi-factor authentication to secure your password manager account, be it via biometrics, SMS, or time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) stored in an authenticator app. The best password managers support authentication via U2F or OTP-based hardware security keys, most of which are about the size of an actual key and made to go on your key ring.

Before you commit to any password manager, you need to ensure it works on each device you use and doesn't prevent you from syncing your passwords across all your devices. Although support for Windows and macOS platforms is given, several password managers now offer native Linux apps, too. The best password managers have browser extensions for every popular browser that can operate independently of a desktop app.

Important Password Manager Features to Consider

Most password managers can fill in personal data on web forms, such as first and last name, email address, phone number, bank cards, passport numbers, and more. Many password managers also can capture and fill in credentials for desktop applications.

Most password managers include a built-in mechanism for securely sharing passwords with other users, but some go further with advanced permissions. For instance, a few password managers allow you to share a login without making the password visible, revoke sharing, or make the recipient an owner of the item.

Some password management companies also offer versions of their products for businesses and teams. These products usually emphasize multi-factor authentication and offer single sign-on and advanced credential-sharing capabilities between team members. The best password managers let administrators see which employees use weak, reused, or compromised passwords for their work accounts.

Common Password Manager Security Options

Logging in with your secure username and password to a website that doesn't use a secure HTTPS connection is a big no-no. Some password managers warn you about insecure login pages.

Running your secure connections through a virtual private network, or VPN, adds a layer of protection. Dashlane includes a simple built-in VPN. NordPass comes from the same company behind NordVPN.

Secure storage is an increasingly common feature among password managers, too. The storage allocation won’t replace the need for dedicated cloud storage and syncing service, but in many cases, it’s enough for storing important documents in an encrypted state.

What Is the Best Password Manager for 2024?

As mentioned, Bitwarden is our Editors' Choice winner for best password manager. Products on this list that do not earn an Editors' Choice award have their merits, however, and we reevaluate password managers (and update this article) throughout the year.