How to choose a password manager

A password manager stores every login in an encrypted vault, fills them in for you, and creates a new strong password for each site. The six we track all do that. What separates them is who you need to share with, how many devices you use, how you can try them, and what you pay after the first term.

We have not run hands-on tests of these password managers yet. This guide compares what each vendor publishes on its own pricing page, with the date we checked it.

Start with the free plans

Two of the six have a free plan with no device limit. Bitwarden's free account covers unlimited devices and passwords, and lets you share with one other person. Proton Pass Free covers unlimited logins, notes and cards on unlimited devices, and adds 10 hide-my-email aliases.

NordPass also has a free plan, but its pricing page marks access on multiple devices as not included. If you use a phone and a laptop, that matters more than any other feature.

1Password, Dashlane and Keeper have no free plan. 1Password and Dashlane both offer a 14-day trial with no card required.

What the paid plans cost

On their cheapest terms, paid personal plans start at between $1.39 and $5.42 a month. The headline price is often a first-term discount, so read the renewal column. 1Password's Individual plan was $2.99 a month for the first year on annual billing and $3.99 a month after that. NordPass and Proton Pass show discounted first-term prices and do not state what they renew at.

Plans for families

If you want to share logins with a partner or children, a family plan is cheaper than separate accounts. Family plans cover between 5 and 10 people. Dashlane's Friends & Family plan is the largest at 10 members, and Bitwarden, Proton Pass and NordPass each cover 6.

Plans for a business

Business plans are priced per user, and several have a minimum. 1Password's Teams Starter Pack needs at least 10 users, and NordPass sells Teams as a 10-user pack and needs 5 users on Business.

If your company signs in with Okta, Microsoft Entra ID or Google, check which tier includes single sign-on. It is usually the top business tier: Bitwarden lists it on Enterprise, and 1Password on Business.

Questions to ask before you pay

1. How many devices will you use? A free plan limited to one device type is a trial, not a plan.
2. Who do you need to share with? One person, a household, or a team changes which plan you need.
3. What does it renew at? If the pricing page does not say, ask before you pay for a long term.
4. Can you get your data out? Export your vault once you have set it up, so switching later is easy. Bitwarden states encrypted export is available on every account.
5. Can you try it first? Use a free plan, a 14-day trial or a 30-day money-back guarantee to move a few real logins in before you commit.

Where to start

If you want to pay nothing, start with Bitwarden or Proton Pass. Both free plans work across all your devices. If you would rather start with a paid-only manager, 1Password and Dashlane both have 14-day trials with no card required. For a household, compare the family plans above on the number of people they cover. For a company, check the per-user price at your team size, the minimum seats and which tier includes single sign-on.