- Best overall free password manager: Bitwarden
- Best for customizability: KeePass
- Best for integration with third-party cloud services: Enpass
- Best for future-proof encryption: NordPass
- Best for multi-factor authentication: Zoho Vault
- Best for extra features: Proton Pass
Keeping track of our online passwords has become a challenge in today’s world. Our work and personal lives increasingly rely on online services, which means that we have dozens of important passwords we need to remember.
Password managers are a great solution for this. They’re software specifically designed to encrypt, store, and manage numerous passwords all at once. While there are a number of password managers to choose from, some solutions do require a monthly subscription to use their services.
Fortunately, there are decent free password managers out there that can help you secure your passwords without shelling out a monthly fee. In this article, we give you a rundown of the best free password managers available today.
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Top free password managers: Comparison
With free password managers, I want to manage expectations in terms of features and included functionality. Security capabilities like data breach scanning and emergency access are usually reserved for password managers with paid subscriptions.
SEE: 4 Best Open-Source Password Managers for Teams in 2024 (TechRepublic)
Since we’re looking at free solutions, our main priority is to look at how many passwords we can store and what type of security we’re getting. Below are a few essential password manager features to consider:
| Bitwarden Free | ||||
| KeePass | ||||
| Enpass Free | ||||
| NordPass Free | ||||
| Zoho Vault Free | ||||
| Proton Pass Free |
Bitwarden: Best overall free password manager
For my best overall free password manager recommendation, I pick Bitwarden. Bitwarden’s free version is a popular pick for users looking for a fully free password manager for the long term. It uses top-tier AES 256 encryption, lets you store an unlimited number of passwords, and provides access to your vaults on an unlimited number of devices. On this list, only Bitwarden, Zoho Vault, and Proton Pass provide users access to an unlimited number of devices.
SEE: 6 Best Open-Source Password Managers for Windows in 2024 (TechRepublic)
I particularly appreciate Bitwarden for being open source. This means that its source code is publicly available to security experts and community members for possible vulnerabilities. To me, this type of additional security and peace of mind is what we want for software that handles sensitive data like our passwords.
Why I chose Bitwarden
I picked Bitwarden for being an almost complete password management solution, despite being free. Specifically, I like it for its unlimited password storage and unlimited device support.
Features
- Open-source software.
- AES-256 encryption.
- Unlimited password storage.
- Supports unlimited devices.
Pros and cons
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For more information, read our full Bitwarden review.
KeePass: Best for customizability
For power users, I suggest taking a look at KeePass.KeePass has been a go-to option for privacy enthusiasts who prioritize customization and tunability. With KeePass, you have access to dozens of downloadable plugins and extensions that add more features or modify existing functionality.
SEE: The Top 5 1Password Alternatives for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Right now, you can choose from around 180 downloadable plugins on the KeePass website. As someone who likes to customize my own software, I appreciate KeePass for making its password manager so versatile and user-friendly.
Another standout feature of KeePass is that it’s a completely local password management system. This means that you won’t have to worry about data breaches and leaked information like you might with a cloud-based password manager. I envision KeePass to be a good match for businesses that already have a secure local data solution in place.
Why I chose KeePass
I have KeePass on this list for its extensive suite of downloadable plugins, making it an ideal choice for tinkerers and tech-savvy users who want a fully customizable password manager.
Features
- Downloadable user-generated plugins.
- Automated login typing feature.
- Local-device password management.
Pros and cons
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For more information, read our full KeePass review.
Enpass: Best for integration with third-party cloud services
Like KeePass, Enpass is another offline-based password manager I recommend. However, Enpass is unique in that it lets users choose a third-party cloud service as the preferred location of their password data. Enpass can store and sync your passwords on iCloud, Google Drive, and OneDrive, to name a few.
SEE: 6 Best Open-Source Password Managers for Mac in 2024 (TechRepublic)
To me, knowing that your data isn’t in any Enpass data center and is stored at your location of choice is a meaningful value-add. I have to mention, however, that Enpass’ free version is only available for desktop users on Windows, macOS, and Linux. If you need a free password manager that works on more than one device, check out either Bitwarden or Zoho Vault.
Why I chose Enpass
I selected Enpass for its unique feature of allowing users to store their data on popular third-party cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive. If you’re already heavily invested in one of these services, I think Enpass can be a smart choice as an accompanying password management service.
Features
- Offline password.
- AES-256 encryption.
- Independently audited.
- Cloud storage service integration.
Pros and cons
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For more information, read our full Enpass review.
NordPass: Best for future-proof encryption
If you’re a fan of Nord Security and NordVPN, I suggest you consider NordPass. NordPass’ free version comes with unlimited password storage and auto-filling password capabilities. What I like about NordPass, however, is its encryption algorithm. While many password managers on this list use military-grade AES-256, NordPass utilizes XChaCha20 encryption.
SEE: 5 Best Password Managers for Android in 2024 (TechRepublic)
XChaCha20 is a newer algorithm that NordPass says is less crackable compared to the industry standard AES encryption. In theory, this means your passwords will have the advantage of a more modern encryption algorithm that’s less likely to be exploited by malicious hackers. Personally, I commend Nord Security for pushing innovation and utilizing a different encryption algorithm than what most of the competition carries.
NordPass also implements XChaCha20 with a zero-knowledge architecture, which means that none of your log-in credentials will ever be available to NordPass or other third parties.
Why I chose NordPass
NordPass made my list for utilizing the newer XChaCha20 encryption algorithm, giving users a future-proof option amongst other password managers that use AES-256.
Features
- Unlimited password storage.
- XChaCha20 encryption.
- Multi-factor authentication available.
- Vault unlocking with biometrics.
Pros and cons
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For more information, read the full NordPass review.
Zoho Vault: Best for multi-factor authentication
If multi-factor authentication is your main priority, I recommend Zoho Vault. Many free password managers limit the number of multi-factor authentication (MFA) options available in their free versions. That’s not the case with Zoho Vault. With Zoho Vault’s free plan, you get passwordless logins like YubiKey, Passkeys, Windows Hello, and Touch ID. In addition, it also offers SMS, voice calls, and time-based OTPs as second factors.
This suite of MFA options rivals those that we get from apaid Keeper subscription, for example — which I find pretty impressive given that this is Zoho Vault’s free plan. In addition, Zoho Vault also lets you store an unlimited number of passwords with access through an unlimited number of devices. Like Bitwarden, this feature combo helps Zoho Vault stand as one of my top recommendations for a long-term, free password manager.
Why I chose Zoho Vault
I selected Zoho Vault for its generous amount of MFA options, covering passwordless logins, SMS, OTPs, and others — all on its free version.
Features
- Unlimited password storage.
- Unlimited devices.
- AES-256 encryption.
Pros and cons
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For more information, read our full Zoho Vault review.
Proton Pass: Best for extra features
For users who want bells and whistles on top of the main password management service, I recommend looking at Proton Pass. From the creators of Proton VPN, I found Proton Pass’ Free version brings interesting features like hide-my-email aliases, unlimited password storage, an integrated two-factor authentication authenticator, and unlimited device support.
SEE: How to Run a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)
A standout for me is the fact that Proton Pass operates in Switzerland, a country with some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. This makes it a good choice for users worried about government surveillance and intrusive data requests from authorities. Proton Pass is also open-source, which I know is important to many users that put a premium on transparency.
On top of that, all Proton Pass Free accounts gain access to Proton Drive and Proton VPN — significant value additions alongside the free password management service.
Why I chose Proton Pass
I chose Proton Pass for its suite of additional features on top of the password manager, such as a hide-my-email aliases feature, integrated 2FA, access to encrypted cloud storage, and a VPN.
Features
- Open-source software.
- Unlimited password storage.
- Unlimited devices.
- 256-bit AES-GCM encryption.
Pros and cons
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As of August 2024, we have yet to have Proton Pass undergo our full review treatment. Rest assured, we’ll update this article once a full review has been conducted.
How do I choose the best free password manager software for my business?
With free password managers, it’s a given that you won’t get all the premium features you’ll find in a paid solution. However, this doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice fundamental features like security and ease of use just because you’re using a free version.
If you opt for a free password manager, the main features I recommend you look out for are unlimited password storage and unlimited device access. These two fundamental features ensure that you’ll be able to use the free password manager for a long time. This is because some password managers’ free plans, like those fromDashlane andMcAfee True Key, only let you store 25 and 15 passwords, respectively.
Finally, I highly suggest taking multi-factor authentication into account. MFA acts as an additional layer of security by requiring something other than your master password to access your password vault. This is one of the crucial ways you can protect your passwords against malicious third parties out to get your or your business’ information.
Review methodology
In this roundup of the six best free password managers, I prioritized looking at products with the best balance of password management features despite being free solutions. In particular, I looked at encryption used, password storage, multi-factor authentication, and device access, among others.
I evaluated each product through a combination of first-hand experience and detailed research of their feature offerings. This involved doing a comprehensive comparison of each free password manager’s features and how they fared against each other.
Finally, I also took into consideration what free password managers were best for specific use-cases and needs.
