With so much of our lives taking place online these days, it’s easy to forget a few passwords. I always find myself resetting my passwords because I can’t keep track of all of them. So I checked out a few of the best free online password managers.
In this article, I’ll take a close look at a few of the best free password managers available this year.
This article was updated in July 2024 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.
10 of the Best Free Password Managers
If you’re thinking about downloading a free password manager, it’s important to do your research first. When it comes to storing personal information and sensitive data, you want to make sure that you’re using a trusted resource. Even then, there’s always a fear of hackers. Still, creating complex passwords and changing them frequently is safer than repeating passwords just so you can remember them.
“The way most of us, as humans, create passwords … we’re creating so much danger for ourselves,” says money expert Clark Howard. “Using a password manager, even though there’s a possibility they’ll be hacked, is vastly superior to the terrible passwords we use over and over again.”
Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to pay for a password manager in order to store your information safely. I looked into a few of the most popular free password managers to see which ones are worth checking out.
First, I looked into the safety of each company to see how each keeps your data secure. Then I checked out their ratings and reviews on Trustpilot, The App Store and Google Play. Finally, I downloaded each program to see what’s available for free and how easy it is to use.
If you’re thinking about paying for a full password manager, these resources also offer some of the most affordable plans and the best premium features.
Below are my top 10 picks, listed alphabetically.
| Resource | Best For... | App Ratings | Trustpilot Raing | Paid Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avira | Adding a browser extension to autofill passwords | Google Play: 3.7 App Store: 4.5 | 4.0 | $2.99/month or $31.99/year |
| Bitwarden | Open-source password storage | Google Play: 4.2 App Store: 4.5 | 4.5 | Starting at $10/year |
| Dashlane | Limited password storage | Google Play: 4.6 App Store: 4.6 | 4.4 | Starting at $4.99/month (billed annually) |
| KeePass | Offline Windows users | Google Play: 4.4 App Store: 4.7 | 4.3 | No paid option |
| LastPass | Free dark web monitoring | Google Play: 3.7 App Store: 4.4 | 1.4 | Starting at $3/month (billed annually) |
| LogMeOnce | Storing passwords on multiple devices | Google Play: 4.3 App Store: 4.7 | 3.0 | Starting at $2.50/month |
| NordPass | Importing passwords from browsers and other password managers | Google Play: 4.4 App Store: 4.7 | 4.5 | Starting at $1.49/month (billed every 24 months) |
| Proton Pass | Hide-my-email aliases (10 included for free) | Google Play: 4.8 App Store: 4.7 | 3.0 | Starting at $4.99 monthly or $1.99/month billed annually |
| RoboForm | Free compromised password scan | Google Play: 4.5 App Store: 4.7 | 4.3 | Starting at $2.49/month (billed annually) |
| Sticky Password | Offline password storage | Google Play: 4.6 App Store: 4.6 | 3.2 | $19.99/year or $49.99/lifetime |
Below, you’ll find more detailed information on each free password manager including how to sign up and how to begin storing your passwords.
Avira
|
Best For: Adding a browser extension to autofill passwords
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: Unlimited
App Ratings: App Store: 4.5 Google Play: 3.7
Trustpilot Rating: 4.0
|
|
Avira is a free password manager that’s also available as an app and a browser extension. I found the interface to be easy to use.
According to Avira’s website, the free version of the software includes all basic features. This includes generating passwords, automatically filling in your password on web pages, adding credit cards, securing notes and syncing across multiple devices. The paid pro version costs $2.99 monthly or $31.99 per year. It includes a security status feature to alert you if your accounts have been hacked, if the websites you register with are unsafe or if your passwords are weak.
Avira says it encrypts all of your sensitive data and passwords, and it’s protected with your master password. Your data is regularly backed up to prevent any loss, and you can enable two-step verification for your account.
To get started, you can visit Avira’s website and create an account or download the app on your mobile device.
Bitwarden
|
Best For: Open-source password storage
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: Unlimited
App Rating: App Store: 4.5 Google Play: 4.2
Trustpilot Rating: 4.5
|
|
According to the company’s website, Bitwarden guards against password theft by creating and managing strong, unique passwords across all your devices. Bitwarden says its app was developed with end-to-end encryption. The company also says it prides itself on open-source transparency and global access.
Bitwarden is highly rated among competitors on the App Store and Google Play. It’s available on Windows, MacOS or Linux desktop and more. You can see a full list of devices online.
In addition to the basic free account, Bitwarden offers a premium account personal plan for less than $1 per month ($10 annually). Still, the free version may be all you need. The top free features include one-to-one text sharing, unlimited vault items, password syncing across all devices, secure password generation and a self-host option. For a detailed breakdown of pricing and features, visit BItwarden’s website.
Bitwarden participates in official security assessments from third parties. You can check out the company’s 2023 Security Audit here.
Dashlane
|
Best For: Limited password storage
Free Passwords: 25
Number of Devices: 1
App Ratings: App Store: 4.6 Google Play: 4.6
Trustpilot Rating: 4.4
|
|
Dashlane is an app and browser extension that allows you to store up to 25 passwords for free. Previously, Dashlane offered unlimited passwords for free. For this reason, I only recommend Dashlane if you’re storing 25 passwords or less.
When you visit Dashlane’s website, you can click “Get Dashlane” to begin. The link will direct you to the appropriate browser extension installation page. You can also visit the App Store or Google Play to download Dashlane to your phone.
In addition to being able to store up to 25 passwords, the free version of Dashlane also lets you securely share passwords with unlimited users using Dashlane. Paid individual versions of DashLane begin at $4.99/month. You can see a full breakdown of plan pricing and features here.
When it comes to security, Dashlane’s website states that the company has never had a security breach in the 10+ years it’s been in business. Dashlane says it uses “zero-knowledge, U.S.-patented security architecture.” To learn more about Dashlane’s security, you can read the Security White Paper online.
KeePass
|
Best For: Offline Windows users
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: Unlimited
App Ratings: App Store: 4.7 Google Play: 4.4
Trustpilot Rating: 4.3
|
|
KeePass is a free open-source password manager. The software was originally designed for Microsoft Windows users. Now, you can also download KeePass on multiple devices including your iPhone or Android device, iPads, Linux, MacOS and more.
Because KeePass is completely open source, it may be a little overwhelming to download, manage your own data and share your passwords to multiple devices. However, regular KeePass users rave about these features. Plus, the apps are highly rated on Google Play and the App Store. KeePass also maintains an excellent rating on Trustpilot.
KeePass is a completely free password management tool with no premium plans available. That means you’ll have access to all of KeePass’ features with the free version. Additionally, KeePass stores your passwords on your local device, which means they aren’t available online anywhere. If you’re looking for completely secure offline password management, KeePass is a great option.
LastPass
|
Best For: Free dark web monitoring
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: 1
App Ratings: App Store: 4.4 Google Play: 3.7
Trustpilot Rating: 1.4
|
|
LastPass is an app and browser extension that offers both free and paid plans for single users, families and businesses.
The free version of LastPass allows users to store an unlimited number of passwords and access them on one device type. You’ll have to pay for the premium software to access LastPass across multiple devices. The free version does include one-to-one sharing, save and fill password features, a password generator, secure notes, basic support and multifactor authentication. Premium access to LastPass begins at $3 monthly. You can check out a full list of features and pricing online.
While LastPass has had problems with security in the past, the company’s website says it has added additional layers of protection since then.
“The password manager thing has always been hard for me to talk about because there’s always the chance that they’ll get hacked into,” warns Clark. “Years ago, LastPass was hacked.”
According to the website, LastPass experienced two security incidents over the past 10 years, which took place in 2015 and 2022. While the company says that encrypted vault data was secure, LastPass says it strengthened the password manager in response and says it hasn’t experienced any breaches since. You can learn more about the company’s security history online.
LastPass has the lowest Trustpilot score among competitors at 1.4/5. I read through the one-star reviews to see where the low rating came from, and it seems that many users are unhappy about the changes made to LastPass in 2021. If you’re new to the password manager, these changes won’t affect you. The free password manager still offers great features.
LogMeOnce
|
Best For: Storing passwords on multiple devices
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: Unlimited
App Ratings: App Store: 4.7 Google Play: 4.3
Trustpilot Rating: 3.0
|
|
LogMeOnce is a free password manager that lets you access your saved data across multiple devices. The free version of LogMeOnce lets you store unlimited passwords and auto-fills and sync the information on as many devices as you want. Whether you’re looking for a browser extension, password storage on the cloud or an app for your phone, this resource is worth checking out.
In addition to storing unlimited passwords, LogMeOnce can also save information on as many as three credit cards. It offers five secure passwords you can share and a place to secure up to three secure notes. It also includes a password generator, password calculator, 1MB of encrypted storage and email technical support. Unfortunately, the free version will include ads.
The paid version of LogMeOnce begins at $2.50 monthly. It includes 1GB of encrypted storage, emergency access, unlimited credit cards, 50 password shares, 50 secure notes, a productivity dock and more. You can see a complete breakdown of features and pricing on the company’s website. Still, the free version of the software should be all you need from a password manager.
NordPass
|
Best For: Importing passwords from browsers and other password managers
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: Unlimited
App Rating: App Store: 4.7 Google Play: 4.4
Trustpilot Rating: 4.5
|
|
If you’re just looking to store passwords on one device, the free version of NordPass is a great option. You can save unlimited passwords, keep notes and store credit card information. Your information also automatically syncs across devices when you sign in elsewhere; you just won’t stay logged in when switching devices with the free version.
In addition to staying logged in, the features included in the paid version are secure item sharing, Trusted Contacts, password health ratings and data breach scanning. The full version starts at $1.49 per month when you pay for two years in advance. NordPass Family is available from $2.75 per month, and NordPass Business begins at $3.59 per user (also two-year plans.)
According to the NordPass website, its apps are built around zero-knowledge architecture and are subjected to independent security audits to ensure optimal safety.
Proton Pass
|
Best For: Hide-my-email aliases (10 included for free)
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: Unlimited
App Ratings: App Store: 4.7 Google Play: 4.8
Trustpilot Rating: 3.0
|
|
Proton Pass is another open-source password manager. The free version of the program is available as an extension on a variety of browsers, for download on Windows and Apple computers and as an app for iPhones and Android devices.
The free version of Proton Pass allows you to store unlimited passwords, logins and notes on an unlimited number of devices. One feature that makes Proton Pass stand out is its “hide-my-email aliases.” The free version of Proton Pass includes 10 free aliases to protect your email address. You can learn more about hide-my-email aliases here.
Premium versions of Proton Pass are available from $4.99 monthly or $1.99/month billed annually. The Pass Plus plan includes unlimited credit card storage, unlimited aliases, 10 vaults for secure sharing (compared to two with the free version) and Dark Web monitoring.
RoboForm
|
Best For: Free compromised password scan
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: 1
App Ratings: App Store: 4.7 Google Play: 4.5
Trustpilot Rating: 4.3
|
|
RoboForm offers free unlimited password storage on a single device. For access on multiple devices, you’ll have to sign up for the premium plan ($2.49/month billed annually).
The free version of RoboForm includes compromised password monitoring which will inform you if one of your passwords has been found in a data breach. It also includes cloud backup storage and customer support.
You can download RoboForm on a Windows or Mac computer, install a browser extension or download the app for iOS or Android. You can check out all of RoboForm’s supported platforms here. RoboForm users rate the app highly on the App Store (4.7) and on Google Play (4.5). Additionally, RoboForm maintains an excellent rating on Trustpilot.
Sticky Password
|
Best For: Offline password storage
Free Passwords: Unlimited
Number of Devices: 1
App Ratings: App Store: 4.6 Google Play: 4.6
Trustpilot Rating: 3.2
|
|
Sticky Password is an app and browser extension that creates and remembers strong passwords, stores logins, stores credentials and stores payment information.
The free version includes unlimited encrypted password and data storage, automatic form filling, a strong password generator, a secure digital wallet, secure notes and two-factor authentication. It also includes a USB portable version for Windows for offline use.
The features that aren’t included with the free version are the ability to sync across multiple devices, secure cloud backup for passwords and data, secure password sharing and “priority” support. If you do decide to try out the free version of Sticky Password, you’ll get 30 days of the premium version for free without having to enter any payment information. You may also be able to grab a deal on this one: In July 2024, Sticky Password was offering a lifetime membership for $49.99.
When it comes to security, Sticky Password describes itself as being “a bulletproof vest” for your private data. The company says its program works with advanced encryption to provide the strongest protection, two-factor authentication and a master password that isn’t saved anywhere. You can learn more about Sticky Password’s security features online.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still skeptical about using a free password manager, that’s understandable. However, the safety of keeping your passwords current, complex and secure is better than the alternative.
If you’re looking for a safe free password manager, consider checking out one of the resources listed here. If you only have a few passwords to store (25 or less) check out Dashlane. When it comes to mobile apps, NordPass, Proton Pass, RoboForm and Sticky Password all have excellent ratings. Bitwarden and KeePass are excellent open-source password managers. If you’re looking to sync your passwords across multiple devices, check out Avira or LogMeOnce.
If you’re using a password manager to securely share data with your family or company, it may be worth it to pay for the full version of one of these four programs.
Which free password manager do you use? Let us know in our Clark.com Community!
Article Updates
- July 24, 2024: Added Proton Pass, RoboForm and KeePass
- July 24, 2024: Dashlane no longer offers unlimited password storage; free users are limited to 25
- July 24, 2024: Updated plan pricing and features across all free password managers
- July 24, 2024: Updated ratings from the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot across all free password managers
