I have seen many people struggling to keep up with their passwords. Either they forget their passwords and have to reset their accounts again and again, or, they use the same generic password for all of their accounts. I am certain that every one of you know at least one such person. And may be, just may be, that person is you. If you are, now is the time to take matters in your hand, and safeguard your online presence as much as possible. There are a lot of password managers which can help you do that. Not only they make the task of managing your passwords easier, they also auto generate random and strong passwords to make your account more secure. We have tested and ranked the best of them, and updated the list for 2020. So, here are the 12 best password managers you can get in 2020.
Before we get into the actual list itself, let us spend a little bit of time understanding, what actually you should look for while choosing a password manager. The first thing to consider is the inbuilt security features. Today, almost all the password managers come with a standard AES-256 encryption, so you should avoid those who don’t. If you want extra security, look for the ones which also provide 2-factor authentication. Ease of use is as important as the security itself. The best ones provide auto-filling and auto-capture of passwords, cross-platform apps, plugins for all the major browsers, syncing across devices, and the ability to import and export your data.
1. LastPass
LastPass suffered a security breach in the June of 2015, and although no master passwords could be decrypted (even the LastPass employees cannot do that), the hackers were able to extract the password hints. The incident severely damaged LastPass’s image, but, I would argue that it is still one of the best password managers available out there. What I loved about the LastPass incident, was the way the company handled the whole situation. They immediately took the full responsibility and notified all their users, and although nothing important was stolen, they upgraded their service.
The newer version of the LastPass is better than ever before. The encryption has been upgraded and now uses AES-256 bit encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256 and salted hashes, which basically means that hackers cannot get into your account without knowing your password. The UI is slick and looks modern. It has all the features that we discussed above. The service is cross-platform with support for all the major operating systems. The browser plugins allow you to automatically record your password and then subsequently fill them when needed. You can use the service to auto-generate strong password for your accounts and can replace your existing ones easily. The service also supports 2-factor authentication.
Cons
- Inconsistencies with shared passwords
Install: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (Free, $3/month)
I started using Dashlane since last year or so, and I completely fell in love with the service. It has everything I need, and it packages all its features inside the nicest UI I have seen on any password manager. The main features include AES-256 bit encryption, 2-factor authentication, automatic password capture, one-click login and password change, support for all the major platforms and browsers, and auto filling of the forms. Not only it packs all these features, but it also executes them properly. For example, the sync is fast and reliable and the one click login is extremely quick. However, the reason I love Dashlane the most is because of the extra feature sets. The built-in Security Dashboard shows you the overall security of all your accounts. It also shows the accounts with weak passwords and enables you to change them. .
In an age where the additional layer of protection against hacking has become paramount, it’s always advisable to stay guarded against the prying eyes. Keeping the security of your personal information in mind, Dashlane offers VPN for Wi-Fi protection. By fully encrypting your online activity on insecure Wi-Fi networks, it ensures your sensitive information remains shielded and away from data trackers. Add to that the dark web monitoring and real-time alerts and you have a password manager that can check off most essential needs.
Cons
Install: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (Free, $3.33/month billed annually)
1Password is one of my favorite password managers. It has all the features, looks really beautiful, and works without fail almost all the time. It has the best UI and I love its minimalist design. The feature set is there and it’s vault still is the best in my opinion as it lets me store a ton of information and not just my password. I adore its WatchTower feature which keeps an eye on your online accounts, and informs you if any account is hacked and appears on data breaches. On Mac, it has a menu bar icon, allowing me to quickly access my passwords. The service also supports Touch ID and Face ID authentication on iPhones and Mac.
- Fairly expensive subscription
Install: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (Free, $3.99/month to $7.99/month)
Sticky Password is one of the lesser known password managers out there, but it is a good one. It hits all the right check boxes and is also reasonably priced. You get the military grade AES-256 bit encryption along with support for biometric (fingerprint) authentication. The master password is encrypted in such a way that not even the employees at the company can decrypt it. So much so that, when you first sign up for the service, they explicitly tell you that if you lose your master password, there’s no way to recover your account.
But, not everything is good here. I am not a fan of the UI or the colour choices of the app. It just feels old. Also, it lacks some of the extra features that I love, like the ability to add your credit/debit cards. Apart from that, it is a strong service which focuses heavily on security. The local WiFi sync feature is one of the best assets of this service, and I would totally buy its premium version just for that. You can choose a subscription model or can buy the service with a one-time lifetime payment.
Install: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (Free, $29.99/year, $159.99 for a lifetime)
Many people do not prefer using proprietary software and only use open-source apps when it comes to using a secure service like a password manager. Open-source software offer a couple of benefits over propriety software. Firstly, open-source software are mostly free. Secondly, the code is open for anyone to inspect, so you know what kind of service you are opting for. Lastly, since a large number of people are looking at the code, finding and patching a bug is immediate. However, open-source software also have their own drawbacks. Firstly, most of them look ugly and are very hard to navigate. Secondly, normal users (for example, me) don’t know a thing about coding, hence the open nature of the software has no use for us.
- The UI could have been better
Install: KeePass 2 for Windows; KeePass X for Linux; KeePass XC for Windows Mac and Linux (Free)
RoboForm in its current version has become a very good password manager. It has the AES-256 bit encryption with PBKDF2 SHA256, basically meaning it is pretty secure. The service supports all the major platforms including macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, and Chrome OS. It is really good at capturing your login information. All the passwords are synced across your devices using its own secure cloud services. One of the features which RoboForm executes better than any other service on the list is the filling up of the online forms. I don’t know how the service does this but it can populate pretty much every field doesn’t matter how long the form is. Moreover, it also supports fingerprint authentication which is always a plus in my books. If you are looking for a cheaper password manager which does most of the things quite efficiently, you should try this one out.
Install: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS (Free, $23.88/year)
7. Kaspersky
If simplified password management is what you are after, “Kaspersky” would be worth checking out. The company may be known for its antivirus solutions, but it also makes a good password manager. The password manager has a lightweight interface and comes with easy-to-use tools to let you take control of all of your secret codes right from one spot. With the reliable autofill feature, it allows you to fill in your login details quickly without compromising the security factor. One of my favorite features of this password manager is the seamless syncing that makes the process of handling passwords a painless exercise.
Cons:
- The lightweight user-interface may not impress everyone
Install: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, and web (Free, $14.99/user)
“Keeper” has been in the game for quite some time as one of the best password managers. So, it deserves to have a slot in this extensive roundup. The highlight of this password manager is the security system that promises to keep your personal information behind a trusted shield built around a zero-knowledge mechanism. Beyond security and privacy, the software has got a highly intuitive design language that should easily appeal to those looking for a smooth and snappier UI.
Pros:
- Zero-knowledge security architecture
- Intuitive user-interface
- Share passwords securely
Cons:
Install: Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and browser extension (14-day free trial, $29.99/billed annually)
If you love the security and freedom that comes with the open-source softwares, but, at the same time wish for the convenience and the slick UI of the proprietary ones, your dream might come true sooner than expected. Padlock is an open-source software, which is easy to use and also looks good. It has app for all the platforms including macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS with the Linux version releasing soon. You get various methods to add your login information here. You can either import it, add it manually, or let it capture from your browser using its plugin.
Pros
Install: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS (Free, $2.99/month)
True Key is a password manager which is launched and managed by the Intel security team. It has all the usual features like AES-256 bit encryption, auto-capture and auto-fill of passwords, and a virtual wallet to secure your credit cards among others. True Key gives you multiple ways to login into your vault. You can use your master password, fingerprint-authentication, trusted devices, and your face to get into your vault. True key also works pretty much all the time without any hiccup.
Install: Web, Android, iOS (Free, $19.99/year)
Bitwarden is one of the newest players on the list and it’s one of the good ones to keep an eye on for the future. Just like Padlock, Bitwarden is trying to bring the best of both the worlds by combining the security of open-source software platform and the UI of the proprietary one. The service has an open code base which anyone can go and check out. It is also available cross-platform with native apps for iOS and Android together with browser plugins for all the major browsers for desktops. This means that there are no native apps for desktops and you will have to use the browser plugins to get all your data.
Install: Web, Android, iOS (Free, $1/month, includes 5 users)
12. LogmeOnce
Just like LastPass Premium allows you to go truly password-less by allowing you to use biometric authentication, LogmeOnce also does that, albeit in a slightly different way. For utilising LastPass’s password-less logging feature, you will have to have a device which supports biometric authentication, however, with LogmeOnce, you can do that on any device. How cool is that? Basically, the service utilises 2-factor authentication in a very innovative way. When you try to log in on your desktop, LogmeOnce will randomly click a photo using your webcam and show you on the screen as well as send it to your mobile device. Once you authenticate on your mobile device, that it is indeed the same picture, you will be automatically logged in. Apart from that, the service also lets you log in with fingerprint authentication.
- Different pricing tiers makes the product confusing
Install: Web, Android, iOS (Free, $0.85/month to $2.76/month)
