Bitwarden

For most people, getting started means installing a password manager's desktop and mobile apps, as well as an extension for your preferred browser. When you log in to a secure site, the password manager captures the username and password and saves them to your vault. The best password managers capture your credentials during account creation and, when you change your password online, offer to update the stored password for that site.

When you revisit a site, most password managers can automatically fill in the saved data. If you have more than one set of credentials, you can choose which to use. Another handy (and common) feature of most of these browser extensions is that clicking an entry sends you directly to the site and logs you in.

Many of us are just as likely to log into a secure site from a mobile device as from a desktop computer, so finding a password manager that syncs your credentials between all your devices is vital. Most password managers utilize encrypted cloud storage to synchronize data across devices. Some keep your data local, syncing between databases on different devices without keeping anything in the cloud. The real benefit of having your password manager on your phone is that you can autofill credentials for any mobile apps you use.

One great thing about free password managers is that you can try several and find out which one you like best. If you're considering doing such a survey, look for products that can import from other password managers. Otherwise, you have to go through the password capture process again for each candidate.

If you come across a paid password manager with features you like, you may be able to try it out during a free trial or download a free, feature-limited version of the premium app. All of the free password managers on this list are feature-limited versions of a company's premium password manager.

For example, some companies allow you to create and store passwords but not sync them across your devices, share credentials, or set up emergency contacts without subscribing to their premium service. Some of our favorites—Bitwarden and Proton Pass are good examples—are less stingy with their free versions.

This list excludes free password managers that impose limitations on the number of credentials you can store in your vault or have other significant restrictions, such as device or platform limitations. For example, LastPass offers a free version of the app for both desktops and mobile devices, but you can only access it on one device type at a time. That means free accounts on the desktop are inaccessible on mobile devices, and vice versa. The desktop version of Enpass is free, but a subscription is required to use the password manager on your phone. Customers who use the free version of NordPass can only use the app on one device.

We've noticed that many password management companies have moved away from free options in recent years. We always recommend trying subscription services before committing to them. Luckily, 1Password, Dashlane, and Keeper all offer free trials of their premium services, which grant you two weeks to one month of service before requiring payment.

When you put all your passwords into one repository, you must be extremely careful to protect that repository. That's where your master password comes in. This is the password used to encrypt the contents of your password vault, so it needs to be as strong as possible. On the other hand, it is unlikely that you can recover it if you forget it. Store your master password in a secure location to prevent permanent loss of access to your password manager.

Setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another way to mitigate the risk of possible attacks. MFA could be biometric, requiring a fingerprint, facial recognition, or even voice recognition. Some password managers rely on mobile authenticator apps; others use SMS-based methods or hardware security keys to authenticate. Allowing access only from registered, trusted devices is yet another form of MFA.