Best Password Managers of 2021

We break down the pros and cons for seven of the best password managers on the market.

If you’re like many online users, you might use the same password across personal and work  websites to help you avoid forgetting one. If that password is compromised, however, you have to go to each site using that password to update your login credentials. The best password managers put a stop to that so you can stay safe across the internet.

Password managers serve as an encrypted digital vault for your online information and important documents. You create a master password upon signing up for a password manager service, and that password then gives you access to your entire data vault of login credentials.

As our lives become more digital-focused, password managers pose several benefits. You can keep your login credentials for every website you use, as well as credit card information, driver’s license, passport, Social Security card and tax documents within the data vault of your password manager. Not all password managers, however, are equal. We’ll help you select the best service for your needs.

We rated password managers based on the offered privacy and security. Your online data is sensitive, so our top priority is that information remains secure and private with state-of-the-art encryption.

After that, we reviewed and tested the features provided by each password manager. We also tested the functionality of the apps, browser extensions and web vaults for each company. We considered the overall customer experience and the general reputation of each password manager company.

Finally, we evaluated the cost of each company’s password manager plans against the features included to determine the overall value of the service. 

Dashlane offers apps and browsers that are a breeze to use, accessible customer service and airtight security. We recommend Dashlane’s Premium plan, which costs $6.49/month or $59.99/year. This plan includes unlimited devices, dark web monitoring, an automatic password changer, encrypted file storage and best of all, access to a virtual private network (VPN). Dashlane partners with Hotspot Shield to provide VPN access — something many password managers can’t provide.

Dashlane patented its security architecture to protect your data, which is one reason the company has never been breached. Its “zero-knowledge” security model means your master password, data and encryption key are never sent to Dashlane’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud servers. Like most other password managers on our list, your master password will always be stored via encryption on your local device.

Supported devices and browsers: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Linux

What we don’t like: Dashlane only supports mainline browsers and operating systems, so if you’re using a niche browser, this password manager may not be the best password manager choice. The Windows and Mac desktop apps are also reportedly getting nixed this year, which may be a dealbreaker for some. Dashlane is also one of the more expensive password managers on the market, which means it may not fit into everyone’s budget.

For a more in-depth look at Dashlane, read our full Dashlane review.

For $10 a year, Bitwarden Premium provides unlimited passwords and devices, a strong password generator and the option to use cloud hosting or self-host your data. You’ll also get emergency access, one gigabyte of encrypted file storage and filesharing, Bitwarden Authenticator, vault health reports for your passwords, advanced two-factor authentication and customer support through Bitwarden forums.

Bitwarden is an open-source program, so anyone can see and help make sure its code is secure. Due to this, Bitwarden’s security is well above average, and its software flexibility as an open-source program is virtually unparalleled.

Supported devices and browsers: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Brave, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Tor Browser, Vivaldi

What we don’t like: These prices and customization, however, include a few downsides. Bitwarden doesn’t have the same number of features as other pricier password managers, and its customer service isn’t as strong. If you run into a problem using Bitwarden, you’ll have to turn to Bitwarden’s forums to figure out how to fix the problem or try to consult the developers. For many customers, Bitwarden’s customer support won’t be enough for their needs.

The cost-to-features value Bitwarden delivers, however, is unparalleled among password managers. At such a low yearly price for Premium, we recommend Bitwarden over any other password manager if you’re on a tight budget. Read more in our full Bitwarden review.

If you want to use a free password manager, Norton Password Manager is our top recommendation. Intended to be used as an add-on for Norton 360 plans, you can download Norton Password Manager free of charge.

Norton delivers on security with its password manager, and you can easily identify duplicated and compromised passwords you need to update within the safety dashboard. The password auto-change feature is a perk, but it doesn’t work for every website.

We appreciate that Norton provides 10 gigabytes (GB) of encrypted data storage, which is more storage than most password managers offer and should be enough space for any user.

Supported devices and browsers: Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Internet Explorer

What we don’t like: With Norton, however, you won’t have access to a few key features other password managers include, such as the ability to securely share passwords with other people. The web vault worked well when we tested it as a Chrome extension, but we found the iOS app to be lacking when compared to services like Dashlane or LastPass. Customer service can be a little clunky, too — it’s difficult to find information on the Norton Password Manager website and we had to fill out an online form on the main NortonLifeLock site in order to chat with a representative.

For those who don’t need to share a password with anyone and want to keep the price of their password manager low, Kaspersky’s one-year plan is our top recommendation. At $14.99 per year for new customers, the Premium version offers state-of-the-art encryption for all your devices.

One of Kaspersky’s best items of note is the unlimited storage for encrypted documents. You can securely store your sensitive files — driver’s license, passport, credit card information, medical records, photos and more — without a data limit. We haven’t seen this with any other password managers.

Supported devices and browsers: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge

Kaspersky’s Premium version is the only plan we recommend. The free plan only stores 15 passwords and documents in total. We also wish Kaspersky provided some sort of dark web monitoring but you may need to tack on an additional product such as antivirus protection. Kaspersky also offers a stand-alone VPN. 

LastPass is a great option for family sharing because you get access to six accounts for $48 per year. We like LastPass’ family manager dashboard and how easy it is to group and share items. Families also receive priority customer support, so you’ll be able to access help should you need it at any point. 

The online web vaults for Chrome, Safari, Firefox and more, along with the Windows, Mac, iOS and Android apps, are easy to navigate. From password sharing to emergency access to dark web monitoring to advanced multifactor authentication, there’s not much more you need from a password manager for your family.

Supported devices and browsers: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge, Microsoft Edge Legacy

What we don’t like: LastPass, however, is clouded with a negative security history due to a breach in 2017. LastPass says it has tightened its security since then, and no encrypted data was compromised. There have also been reports of bugs with the apps, and we encountered one bug using the web vault that froze Safari and forced us to restart our browser.

Learn more in our full LastPass review.

Keeper offers business owners a powerful and flexible business plan packed with features. You can manage your team with ease, build security reports and share folders and passwords throughout the company. You can also implement and enforce security policies across the company for heightened privacy.

One of Keeper’s best features is the amount of two-factor authentication support it offers. On Keeper’s Business plan, you can authenticate through text message, Time-Based One Time Passwords (TOTP), FIDO U2F (Universal 2-Factor) and even a smartwatch. Keeper’s Enterprise plan includes advanced two-factor authentication for even greater data security.

Supported devices and browsers: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, Internet Explorer

What we don’t like: You will need to pay more for additional secure file sharing up to 10 terabytes (TB).  Keeper also offers other features like dark web monitoring, KeeperChat and advanced reporting and alerts for extra money per user every year. For more info on business pricing, check out our full Keeper review.

More than any other password manager today, 1Password has figured out how to serve its customers with excellence. That customer care has paid off because 1Password has a loyal fanbase.

As a user, you get first-class security with 1Password, and managing your password vaults via the dashboard is easy. A few features 1Password offers include:

• Unlimited passwords and devices with all plans
• 1Password Watchtower, which monitors the web for leaks
• Travel Mode (which lets you hide specific password vaults while traveling)
• Two-factor authentication

Supported devices and browsers: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Brave, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge

There is no free plan, but we think 1Password’s customer service is worth the investment. Just one look review of 1Password’s community forums clarifies that the dedicated support team stands above the rest. Read our full 1Password review for an in-depth look at plans and features.