Nowadays, we maintain several online accounts. These include professional and personal email accounts, and each account requires a password. We must keep these passwords safe and unique. Many people reuse passwords across accounts, which makes them vulnerable to hacking and data theft.
We must protect and remember dozens of passwords; frequently we must change those passwords for safety, and sometimes the accounts’ settings ask us to do so. In such cases, the best password manager apps can come in handy.
Best Password Manager Apps
1. Bitwarden
This open-source password manager is increasingly popular because of its free-tier mission to make security available for everyone. You can save as many passwords as you want and use the manager for free on as many devices as possible.
The app is compatible with biometric unlock, uses Android’s autofill API (Application Programming Interface), and has the ability to be secured via the two-factor authentication (known as 2FA) feature.
You can also install this password manager on your server, an option unavailable on many rival products. Bitwarden is available on all main OSs (operating systems), including Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS.
2. 1Password
If you are looking for a trusted password manager to keep your login information private and safe, 1Password is one of the best password managers for the job, allowing you to access your accounts and services with a single master password. It’s available for all major operating systems.
1Password no longer offers a free tier. Individual plans typically start around $36 per year, but storage limits and features may vary by plan and region, and optional 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) through Yubikey is available for added security.
Their travel mode allows you to remove your 1Password private data from your device while you travel and then restore it with one easy click after your return so that it’s not susceptible to border checks.
3. Password Depot for Android
There are many free password managers available on Android, which are of excellent use, and one of those better apps is Password Depot for Android. For Android, it offers limited free functionality, while advanced features and desktop use require a paid license.
Still, the app is quite basic compared to its rivals. Yet, if all you need is a local password manager for your Android device, Password Depot is one of the best Android password managers you can get. If you are trying to use this application on a desktop, this is where a fee is required.
Pricing varies by license type and version and is typically offered as a one-time license, not a yearly subscription. If you choose to use the mobile app for free, you won’t have the computer app, but running mobile apps on a computer is not recommended for security-sensitive applications like password managers.
4. Password Store
Android Password Store may not be a famous name, but it’s an open-source password manager from Indian software engineer Harsh Shandilya. It’s a free password manager and offers the majority of features you can expect, features like password generation and the capability to sync to a remote repository of your selection.
Passwords can be stored locally or synced securely, but local storage requires careful device security. Either way, you’re protected. One limitation: Password Store is not the most intuitive app to use.
To use the secure password manager, you must install a second app to encrypt and decrypt passwords. That application is called OpenKeychain: Easy PGP. Apart from the secondary app required for encryption and decryption, using Password Store is simple.
5. PasswdSafe
PasswdSafe is another open-source password manager that started on Windows but is also available on Android. The app is still free regardless of its move to mobile devices, though it’s more challenging to use than some paid rivals.
You can keep your encrypted file in a file locker; that is how you sync your database. That way, whether you are on your Android device or Windows computer, provided that database file stays synced through Drive (or any other file locker you prefer), your changes to that file will be reflected on your other devices.
Fingerprint options are compatible, so you don’t have to type your master password every time. As the app is free, anyone can try it, even if you are only targeting the Windows version.
6. aWallet Password Manager
aWallet is one of the oldest password manager apps. It can store passwords, banking and credit card information, and custom data if you choose to. It also provides a built-in search option, custom icons, and an auto-lock feature. There is even an in-built password maker, so you don’t have to think of one, but for that feature, you need to have a premium version.
It offers all the basics, including AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and Blowfish encryption features, and can do everything right. You can download this app for free and buy the premium version as a single in-app purchase.
Read More: 8 Best File Manager Apps for Android
7. Dashlane
Dashlane is a popular password manager application for Android. It offers a decent number of features, good encryption, and an impressive set of free features. The free plan is now more limited and restricts device syncing; password limits and features change frequently.
Dashlane offers multiple paid plans; features such as VPN, dark-web monitoring, and identity protection vary by plan and region. Identity-theft insurance and monitoring features are available in select regions and plans. That’s quite attractive.
8. Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator started as a 2FA (two-factor authentication) app with a heavy interface. Since then, it has included password autofill and syncing, but it is not a full standalone password manager replacement for all users that supports syncing with Microsoft Edge or a Chrome browser extension when you log in using your Microsoft account.
As Microsoft is concerned with enterprise customers, you can be assured that the company is taking every step to protect the product and its users. Moreover, Android and iOS apps offer all the usual features: biometric unlock, Android autofill API, and 2FA code compatibility, ensuring the app is user-friendly. It also lets you have password-free logins to your Microsoft account.
9. Zoho Vault
Zoho is mostly famous for being a web-based online office suite in the enterprise environment, but the company also has a password manager. It’s developed chiefly for businesses trying to share and manage passwords across employees. However, there’s a free tier for personal use.
You can store an unlimited number of passwords and notes, access your vault from several devices, save 2FA data, and store files and documents. As an enterprise-targeted business, Zoho takes plenty of measures to make sure its product is safe and its customers are satisfied, which also benefits those who are using the trial mode.
Can I Use A Web Browser To Save My Passwords and Login Information?
You can definitely use Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox to manage and save your passwords, addresses, and other login credentials. You can even create a master password to unlock your records within a browser.
While using an online browser’s password feature is better than not using a password manager, you can’t easily access your passwords and other login credentials outside of the browser or share that info with reliable persons.
Also, in case of a computer crash or a scenario where you have to format your PC, browser passwords can be restored if syncing is enabled, but access is limited compared to dedicated password managers. Therefore, using one of the best password manager apps is a wise choice.
FAQ
Q: Can these best password manager apps work as document storage?
A: Though some of these options can offer some storage, please distinguish them from cloud storage. Password managers have different usages and purposes.
Q: Can I use those apps for free?
A: There are many open-source, free password manager apps available. Some apps also offer a free trial period.
Q: Does Google have such a service?
A: As a tech giant, Google also offers a reliable password manager called Google Password Manager.
