The Best Free Password Managers of 2024
We tested 10 free password managers. NordPass stood out as the best because of its unlimited password storage and state-of-the-art encryption.
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Last Updated on Nov 08, 2024
- Unlimited password and passkey storage
- Zero-knowledge architecture
- 24/7 customer support
- Password health checker
- Unlimited secure sharing of passwords and 2FA tokens
- 1 GB of secure document storage
- 14-day free trial of all premium features for individuals and families
- There is no limit on the number of devices you can be logged in on
- Includes data breach scanner and password health report
Whether you’re an Android or iOS user, your device already has a free password manager. And here’s the thing: If you’re using just one device, the password manager that comes with it is a perfectly good one. However, what these built-in tools lack is cross-platform compatibility, so if you have multiple devices like most people do, you need a third-party password manager. And if you prefer something free, some of the best password managers have free plans.
Not only can you use these free password managers across all the devices you own, but they add security features, like document storage and password health management. After testing 10 password managers, we found that NordPass, Dashlane, and 1Password were the best options. Here’s how we arrived at this conclusion.
Methodology
So, how did we pick the best free password managers? Like most consumers, we start by researching companies. We scroll through their websites and take note of the features they claim to offer in their free plans. The next stop is customer forums and websites. While the company website is full of glowing testimonials, we like to read reviews from customers who share what they love and what feels broken.
Next, we sign up for a subscription. Thankfully, for this guide, we didn’t need to hand over our credit cards to enjoy the free plans. We install all the password managers on multiple devices and incorporate them into our work and personal lives. We also thoroughly assess the individual features and grade the password manager’s overall performance. As our experts have been testing digital security products for almost a decade, we turned to them for their expertise in testing and ranking the best free password managers.
Best Free Password Managers Side by Side
| System |
NordPass
|
Dashlane
|
1Password
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Ratings | 9.5/10 | 8.9/10 | 9.2/10 |
| Number of passwords | Unlimited | 25 | Unlimited |
| Requires credit card | No | No | No |
| Number of devices | Unlimited, can only be logged into one at a time | Unlimited, can only be logged into one at a time | Unlimited |
| Free for life | Yes | Yes | No |
| Free premium trial | Yes, 30 days | Yes, 30 days | Yes, 14 days |
| Read Review | NordPass Review | Dashlane Review | 1Password Review |
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1. NordPass - Best Lifetime Free Plan
Product Specs
App Store rating 4.7 Stars Supported platforms iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, Linux Encryption standard XChaCha20 Cross-device login Yes Data breach scans Yes Passwordless login Yes Lifetime free plan Yes, for one user Pricing Premium plans start at $1.29 per month
What We Like
- Unlimited password and passkey storage
- 30-day free trial of premium features
- You can install it on all your devices, but you can only be logged into one at a time
- State-of-the-art encryption and zero-knowledge architecture
What We Don’t Like
- No password health reports
- You can’t securely share passwords or passkeys with other NordPass users
- There is no option to save file attachments to the vault
- It’s not possible to add emergency access for friends or family members
NordPass Overview
NordPass comes from the company behind one of the best VPNs on the market, NordVPN. It’s one of our favorite VPNs because of its military-grade security encryption. NordPass is no different. It uses XChaCha20 to protect your passwords, passkeys, and everything else you keep in the vault. This security protocol is considered faster and more secure than 256-bit AES, which most other password managers like Dashlane and 1Password use.
>> Check Out: NordPass Vs. 1Password
There are no limits on how many passwords you can store with NordPass. What’s In NordPass’s Free Plan
The most impressive feature of NordPass’s free plan is the ability to store an unlimited number of passwords and passkeys. Our next pick, Dashlane, only lets you store 25. Instead of picking and choosing which ones to import, NordPass will store all your credentials and use them to fill in online forms and login fields automatically.
Pro Tip: We imported our passwords into NordPass by exporting them into a .csv file from Chrome. But NordPass will also accept files from other password managers and browsers in formats such as .zip, .json, and .xml.
The free plan also includes a password generator, folders to organize your data, and 24/7 customer support. Unfortunately, it doesn’t assess the strength of your passwords like Dashlane or 1Password. However, when you first sign up, you can try the premium features for 30 days. You can try out the data breach scanner, email masking tool, and password health page. We recommend making every day count and fixing any issue NordPass highlights before your trial runs out.
Our NordPass Experience
We made the most of our 30-day free trial of NordPass’s premium service before it returned to the free plan. Fortunately, when it expired, we didn’t notice a big difference. Sure, we couldn’t access the data breach scanner or check the health of our passwords, but NordPass would still autofill fields and log us into websites.
FYI: NordPass’s Password Health checker is a great tool for determining what passwords we should update. But when our 30-day premium trial was over, we substituted it with our Password Strength Tool to make sure we were always using the strongest passwords possible.
NordPass’s free plan only lets you stay logged into one device at a time. The one feature we missed the most was staying logged in on multiple devices. We switch from our work laptops to our smartphones regularly throughout the day. If we opened NordPass on our phones, it would immediately log us out of the browser. We got signed out of the app when we logged back into Chrome. During the premium trial, we’d only need to log in at the start of a browsing session. At least we’ll never forget our master password.
>> See More: NordPass Review
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2. Dashlane - Best Free Plan Features
Product Specs
App Store rating 4.6 stars Supported platforms iOS, macOS, Windows, Android Encryption standard AES-256 Cross-device login No Data breach scans Yes Passwordless login Yes Lifetime free plan Yes Pricing Premium plans start at $4.99 per month
What We Like
- Securely share unlimited passwords, 2FA tokens, and secure notes with other Dashlane users
- Passwordless login into Dashlane using biometrics or PIN
- Assesses password strength
- 30-day trial of premium features
What We Don’t Like
- You can only save 25 passwords
- No live chat support
- Upgrading to a premium plan is expensive
- Some apps are missing features
Dashlane Overview
Dashlane launched in 2012, with the only feature being password storage. But over the years, they’ve gradually added extra security tools to keep users safe online. Some include dark web monitoring and security breach alerts. The most prominent is its VPN, which is powered by Hotspot Shield. It’s a great addition if you don’t already pay for a VPN. But if you do, Dashlane’s subscription plans might look overpriced.
Dashlane’s Password Health feature is available in its free plan. What’s In Dashlane’s Free Plan
In some ways, Dashlane’s free plan is better than NordPass. It has a Password Health feature to let you know what passwords you’ve reused or are easy to hack. There’s also a section dedicated to compromised passwords. These have been tagged by Dashlane’s Dark Web Monitoring tool, which you can try for 30 days when you first sign up.
FYI: You can scan up to five email addresses with the Dark Web Monitoring tool. But it doesn’t look for credit card details like NordPass does. If you want to use this feature with NordPass, you’ll need to pay for a NordPass plan.
But the reason you’re not reading about Dashlane first is that the free plan only stores 25 passwords. Once our 30 days had expired, we had to choose what credentials to delete. We couldn’t use any other features until we had cut our passwords down from 440 to 25.
Our Dashlane Experience
Just like we did with NordPass, we maximized every minute with Dashlane’s premium plan trial. However, it wasn’t easy as some features aren’t available in every app. For example, the password generator is in the Chrome browser extension but not the web dashboard. There was also no way to upload our notes to Dashlane’s Android app.
We had to upload our documents and notes via the MacOS app. Did You Know: Our recent Password Manager Industry Report revealed 25 percent of Americans save passwords in unencrypted files or notes on their devices. As we keep notes on our smartphones, we were disappointed we couldn’t upload these files to Dashlane’s mobile apps.
Another similarity Dashlane shares with NordPass is you can only stay logged into one device at a time. We enjoyed having the option to stay signed in for 14 days at a time during the premium trial. With NordPass, we had to log in at the start of every browsing session. However, once the 30-day trial ended and we reverted to the free version — which only allows one device login at a time and requires frequent logins — we started looking into Dashlane’s premium plans.
>> Learn More: Dashlane Review
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3. 1Password - Best Free Trial
Product Specs
App store rating 3.5 stars Supported platforms iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, Linux Encryption standard AES-256 Cross-device login No Data breach scans Yes Passwordless login Yes Lifetime free plan No, only a 14-day free trial Pricing Premium plans start at $2.99 per month
What We Like
- 14-day premium trial with no restrictions
- The free trial is also available for the family plan
- User-friendly tutorial for beginners
- Customizable auto-locks
What We Don’t Like
- There’s no lifetime free plan
- The apps are unusable after the free trial ends
- The family plan only covers five people
- It works excellent on browsers, but the apps feel outdated
1Password Overview
1Password was one of the first password managers to exist. In some areas, it’s evolved with the times. For example, it uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is considered the gold standard and is what some of the top VPNs use to hide online activities. But in other areas, 1Password has fallen behind. When we reviewed 1Password, we found it ran better on browsers over native apps. However, what is missing most is a lifetime free plan.
1Password is upfront about where its apps perform best. What’s In 1Password’s Free Plan
Technically, 1Password doesn’t have a free plan like NordPass and Dashlane. However, we think it’s got the best free trial, even though it only lasts 14 days. One of the main reasons is the free trial is extended to the family plan, which NordPass or Dashlane does not offer.
>> Check Out: Dashlane Vs. 1Password
The free trial gives you access to all of 1Password’s features, including password health manager and data breach monitor. We could even add up to five people to our plan, so we tested it out with a few friends. The 1Password feature we used the most was sharing documents or temporary passwords. Unlike NordPass and Dashlane, we could share this with anyone regardless of whether they used 1Password.
Our 1Password Experience
The first time we fired up 1Password, it gave us a tour of all the features and explained how to import our passwords. We spent most of our time in The Watchtower. It told us how safe our passwords are and if our details had been exposed in data breaches.
FYI: 1Password’s Watchtower is connected to Have I Been Pwned, which catalogs data breaches. When you first activate The Watchtower, 1Password will scan the last 12 months to see if your details have been exposed. Dashlane and NordPass will look further back. NordPass even found our data in the Zynga data breach, which happened in 2019, long after we rage quit Farmville.
Reviewing our actions in 1Password’s Watchtower so we can improve our security score. The 14-day trial was over in no time. On the 15th day, 1Password still let us log into the app, but our account was frozen. It wouldn’t autofill login credentials or let us add or edit items inside the apps. The Watchtower still displayed our security score, but we couldn’t take action on any alerts. If you want to enjoy the features for longer, 1Password plans can be paid monthly or annually.
FYI: 1Password doesn’t offer 30-day money-back guarantees like many other password managers. If you’re still on the fence, we recommend signing up for a monthly plan so you’re not locked in for 12 months.
Can I Use My Device/Browser’s Free Password Manager?
As we mentioned in our intro, you might already have a password manager if you use Google Chrome, a Samsung phone, or an Apple product. You don’t even need to install them on devices. They come prepackaged with the app or the device.
However, the functionality is limited compared to third-party password managers. They can autofill fields and generate passwords. But some of them lack the security features as premium alternatives. Here are some pros and cons to consider.
Google Password Manager
If you’re connected to the Google ecosystem via Chrome or an Android device, you’ve likely spotted a pop-up for Google Password Manager. It offers to store your login details and credit card information to save time when you sign in to apps or websites.
Pros
- Built-in to Android devices and Chrome
- It checks the strengths of passwords and alerts you if any are exposed in a data breach
- Supports passkeys on Android devices and Chrome apps
Cons
- It’s unavailable outside of Android devices and Chrome apps
- Google Password Manager doesn’t document type of encryption standard it uses
- Google Password Manager doesn’t use zero-knowledge architecture
FYI: Zero-knowledge architecture means no one from the company can view the data inside your vault. Fortunately, NordPass, Dashlane, and 1Password use this principle to secure your information.
Apple Passwords
Apple’s password manager can save passwords, credit cards, and addresses on iOS devices. We get the offer to save these details to Apple Passwords inside Safari on our iPhones and MacBooks.
>> Read More: Best Password Managers for Macs
Pros
- Syncs across all Apple devices
- Native support for two-factor authentication
- Uses 256-bit AES encryption and zero-knowledge architecture
Cons
- It’s difficult to export saved data and use it with third-party password managers
- Not available on non-Apple devices
- Only allows one account per Apple ID
Microsoft Autofill
Autofill is Microsoft’s answer to Google Password Manager and Apple Passwords. Differing from Google and Apple, it’s not exclusive to Windows devices. You can download extensions for Chrome and use it in the Microsoft Authenticator app on iOS and Android devices.
>> Discover: The Best Password Managers for Android
Pros
- It’s integrated into Edge and Windows devices
- The apps provide strong password suggestions
- It syncs with Microsoft Authenticator to work across non-Microsoft products
Cons
- You need to manage your passwords in Edge profiles or Windows settings on Microsoft devices
- Getting in touch with customer support isn’t easy unless you have a Microsoft account
- It’s not as user-friendly on non-Microsoft products
Samsung Pass
Anyone who ditched their iPhone for a Samsung phone will have noticed its password manager. When you log into a new service or buy something online, Samsung Pass will prompt you to save it for later use.
Pros
- Preinstalled on Samsung devices
- Integrates with your existing biometrics settings
- You can use one Samsung Pass account across five Samsung mobile devices
Cons
- It only works on Samsung devices
- There are no browser extensions
- You need to create a Samsung account to use it
Do You Need a Third-Party Password Manager?
One of the common themes mentioned above is how restrictive some free password managers are. You’re limited to the device, operating system, or browser owned by the company. Third-party password managers have dedicated solutions for multiple devices and browsers. Plus, it syncs the information using cloud technology, so your information is available everywhere you need it.
Third-party password managers can scan the dark web to see if your data has been leaked.
In our experience, third-party password managers also include state-of-the-art security protocols and extra tools to protect you online. Some of the most common features include:
- Password generator
- Password health assessment
- Dark web monitoring
- Two-factor and multifactor authentication management
- Passkey storage
- Encrypted note storage
- Secure document sharing
- Password organization
Are Free Password Managers Safe?
The free password managers we recommended are safe to use. Dashlane and 1Password use 256-bit AES encryption to protect your passwords. Even Apple Passwords and Microsoft Autofill use the same encryption. The protocol is considered one of the most secure methods because of its resilience to cyberattacks.
However, NordPass uses a more advanced encryption protocol called XChaCha20. Instead of grouping your information into data blocks to scramble the information like AES 256-bit does, XChaCha20 scrambles your details in one constant stream. The result is a faster, safer encryption of your passwords and credit cards.
Another benefit is that NordPass, Dashlane, and 1Password all use zero-knowledge architecture. Google can access your passwords (if they wished to) if you use Google Password Manager, especially if you don’t enable on-device encryption. This isn’t the case with NordPass, Dashlane, and 1Password. They all have on-device encryption by default, and with the zero-knowledge architecture in place, only your master password can unlock your vault.
When Should You Upgrade to a Premium Password Manager?
Free password managers are a great way to get familiar with a product. However, we recommend upgrading to a premium plan once you find one that suits your needs. But how do you know when it’s time to sign up? Here is when we suggest choosing a plan:
- You’ve been hacked: If you notice more spam in your inbox or weird posts on your Facebook page, your data may have been exposed. It can even result in identity theft. Use a password manager to scan the dark web and find which credentials you need to update.
- You switch between a lot of devices: If you’re always on the go and constantly switching between a laptop and a mobile device, you’ll find it’s more convenient to have a premium password manager. No more constant sign-ins.
- You have a lot of friends and family members: For friends and families that share passwords for various accounts, it’s much safer to share them in a password manager instead of a text message or email.
- You save a lot of notes: We’re always saving important things in our Notes app. But now that we use premium password managers, we save them in encrypted notes so they’re for our eyes only.
Recap
Whether you’re entwined in the Google or Apple ecosystem, we recommend using a dedicated password manager instead of relying on the built-in options. There are several free alternatives with stronger encryption protocols that support safer password management.
NordPass is our No. 1 pick. You can store an unlimited number of passwords and passkeys in its vault. NordPass even encrypts your information using the latest security protocols.
If you want to know which passwords are weak or reused on multiple accounts, we suggest using Dashlane. It only lets you store 25 passwords, so make the most of the 30-day premium trial, which provides unlimited password storage and dark web monitoring.
But the best free trial comes from 1Password. You can test it with friends and family members to see if it’s the right choice for sharing passwords amongst the group.
FAQs
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What is the best totally free password manager?
We recommend NordPass’s free password manager plan. It lets you store all your login credentials, and you don’t need a credit card to sign up.
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Can a password manager be hacked?
There have been examples of password managers getting hacked. One is LastPass, which has exposed data three times. To date, NordPass, Dashlane, and 1Password have not been hacked.
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Can I use a free password manager on multiple devices?
The password managers we tested prevented us from logging in on more than one device at a time. However, we could still install apps on multiple browsers and devices.
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Is data encryption included in a free password manager?
Yes, it is. The free plans include the same security technology as their premium plans. For example, the encryption protocols and zero-knowledge architecture principles are more secure than Google Password Manager and Samsung Pass.
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Do free password managers work on browsers?
The NordPass, Dashlane, and 1Password extensions worked on all the browsers when we tested their free plans.