The best password managers of 2025: Expert tested

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Trying to retrieve each password and username operation to entree your online accounts is an intolerable task. Now that truthful galore organizations necessitate analyzable phrases, made up of letters, numbers, and peculiar characters, we besides request to trust connected integer methods to retrieve and securely store them.

A reputable password manager volition retrieve and store your credentials for you, often providing autofill capabilities and speeding up authentication processes. While passwordless options are becoming much readily available, accepted password managers are inactive effective. Keeping delicate accusation harmless is much important than ever, and portion these services aren't a metallic slug for security, but they bash mitigate the hazard of your relationship being compromised done the usage of anemic (but easy-to-remember) phrases.

Also: The champion password managers for businesses: Expert tested

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What is the champion password manager close now?

My prime for champion wide choice, 1Password, has a user-friendly interface that simplifies credential storage. You lone request to retrieve 1 password to usage the service, and it comes with utile features including autofill and a unafraid vault. At lone $3 per month, galore of our authors and readers usage and complaint this work arsenic a apical password manager.

Another of our favorites is Bitwarden, a large alternate if you privation to get started with a escaped work first.

ZDNET has researched and tested the champion password managers available, considering security, storage, compatibility, and price. We besides examined lawsuit reviews, consulted experts for their opinions, and performed hands-on testing.

Read connected to find retired however the champion password managers stack up and champion service your password information needs. These services are our apical recommendations.

Best password managers of 2025

1Password is the champion password manager overall, with its user-friendly interface and extended scope of features.

Why we similar it: It's the cleanable prime for beginners, arsenic you lone request to retrieve 1 password to entree stored credentials for online accounts and recognition paper information.

This app helps you make unsocial passwords that are little susceptible to hackers and stores them for you. 1Password's autofill diagnostic tin automatically capable successful your username, password, oregon recognition paper number. You tin besides stock your accusation with trusted household oregon friends.

The 1Password app is accessible crossed your favourite devices, making entree casual and secure. 1Password is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Browser add-ons are besides disposable for Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Firefox. and the institution is presently exploring AI applications for its concern offerings.

Review: 1Password

Other notable features see a unafraid integer vault for stashing delicate documents and notes, arsenic good arsenic the quality to alert you to weak, compromised, oregon repeated passwords. Passwordless authentication, including passkey storage, is besides available. 1Password's Watchtower offers an other furniture of extortion wherever users tin show unafraid ammunition (SSH) cardinal information risks.

1Password is besides ZDNET's prime for the best password manager for Mac successful 2025.

Who it's for: Overall, if you're looking for a reliable and easy-to-use password manager with large features and relationship extortion tools, 1Password is simply a apical choice. Users accidental 1Password's attack to information information is top-notch, and the institution has large lawsuit support.

1Password costs $3 per month, billed annually, oregon $5 for a household pack. Business options are besides disposable for up to 10 seats -- oregon licenses -- and more.

Who should look elsewhere: There's nary escaped plan, but the app offers a 14-day escaped proceedings that doesn't necessitate submitting your recognition paper accusation if you bash privation to see a paid solution. Alternatively, if you privation thing free, cheque retired the remainder of our recommendations.

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Bitwarden is the best escaped password manager due to the fact that it's unfastened source, has a user-friendly interface, accelerated uploads, precocious information features, and smartphone compatibility -- not to notation a escaped program is available.

Why we similar it: It's reliable and free, but if you take to wage for it, it's highly affordable.

You tin usage Bitwarden connected unlimited devices, ensuring you ever person entree to your astir delicate information. It allows you to store unlimited passwords with nary restrictions connected their type.

The app besides helps you make unafraid passwords crossed each plans, and you tin safely stock them with beardown encryption.

Earlier this year, Bitwarden bolstered its native mobile apps for iOS and Android with show upgrades and enhanced integration with functions including biometric authentication. There's besides an absorbing iOS integration disposable for the Apple Siri dependable assistant.

Bitwarden is besides ZDNET's prime for the best LastPass alternative.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a free, but secure, password manager. Users bask the transparent pricing exemplary and say, "it conscionable works." The extensions are excellent, but galore customers would similar to spot changes to the attraction routines.

The escaped program includes each halfway functions, specified arsenic unlimited instrumentality enactment and passkey management. Alternatively, premium accounts are disposable for little than $1 per month, oregon $10 billed annually.

The household battalion supports up to six users for $3.33 per month, oregon $40 annually. Business pricing begins astatine $4 per idiosyncratic per month.

Who should look elsewhere: Bitwarden volition suit astir usage cases for some idiosyncratic and concern use, though the idiosyncratic interface whitethorn not suit everyone.

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NordPass, from the squad down NordVPN, is 1 of the best password managers for businesses in 2025.

Why we similar it: It offers unafraid sharing, wellness reports, multi-factor authentication, and precocious encryption for added bid of caput erstwhile storing passwords and delicate data.

Team plans with up to 5 seats, oregon licenses, statesman astatine $3.59 per period per user. Features see company-wide settings, Google Workspace azygous motion connected (SSO), a information dashboard, Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), and enactment for Okta idiosyncratic and radical provisioning.

NordPass besides includes a information breach scanner, which ensures your accusation is harmless and alerts customers if a stored password has been compromised successful a third-party information incident. You tin store interaction accusation for colleagues and businesses successful 1 place, allowing for speedy and casual password sharing with the close people. You tin besides delegate integer introduction points to teams for credential sharing and outgo information.

In a merchandise update, NordPass said that caller improvements person included improved autofill capabilities, an offline mode for concern users, and smarter hunt functions.

Who it's for: If you're looking for a password manager that offers precocious information features and is designed with concern successful mind, NordPass is an fantabulous choice. It makes consciousness to effort this 1 out, too, if you're already a NordVPN customer.

NordPass offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. A escaped proceedings is disposable for location and concern plans with nary recognition paper required. You tin motion up for a escaped relationship oregon a idiosyncratic program starting astatine $1.39 per month.

Who should look elsewhere: There's a precise constricted escaped option, and it's not arsenic well-known arsenic 1Password oregon Bitdefender, truthful these factors whitethorn sway your decision.

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Keeper Password Manager and Digital Vault is the champion password manager for security, with its multi-platform syncing, multi-factor authentication, and disposable templates.

Why we similar it: Keeper takes information seriously, utilizing robust AES 256-bit encryption and PBKDF2 to support your delicate information from ransomware and information breaches.

You tin store unlimited passwords successful your idiosyncratic vault, with casual entree via biometrics, a grounds organizer, and automatic syncing. Keeper besides allows you to import existing credentials oregon easy stock your vault records with trusted contacts portion keeping them harmless from hackers. The work tin besides make passphrases for you.

Review: Keeper: An easy-to-use password manager

When it comes to two-factor authentication (2FA), Keeper supports time-based one-time password (TOTP), abbreviated connection work (SMS), fingerprint and look ID, and WebAuthn information keys.

Who it's for: Anyone, particularly concern users, who privation to enactment information archetypal and idiosyncratic enactment second.

The bundle is Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 validated. The bundle besides supports self-destructing one-time shares, which allows the time-limited unafraid sharing of records -- a diagnostic apt to beryllium of involvement to businesses.

Business users tin instrumentality vantage of Keeper moving retired of the container with platforms similar Okta, Azure AD, Ping Identity, and Google Workspace, but immoderate features necessitate a paid plan.

Personal accounts commencement astatine $1.67 per month, a household program is disposable for $3.54 per period with 5 seats, oregon Keeper Business costs $7 per idiosyncratic per period for a minimum of 5 seats.

Who should look elsewhere: Anyone who wants ongoing lawsuit support, arsenic immoderate users study issues.

If you are consenting to usage your email for self-verification, you tin get a escaped proceedings without inputting your recognition paper information. Customers study that the UI is intuitive, but determination tin beryllium a deficiency of lawsuit enactment contempt 24/7 access.

Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault features: Unlimited password retention | Advanced information features including 2FA and biometrics | Supports aggregate devices and platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and web browsers | Password generator | Emergency contacts grounds sharing | Encrypted vault for storing delicate documents | Trustpilot rating: 3.7 | Passwordless features available

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Dashlane is the champion password manager based connected its extended diagnostic suite, which includes generous storage, VPN protection, and acheronian web monitoring.

Why we similar it: In summation to storing passwords, the web-first Dashlane level securely stores your outgo and idiosyncratic accusation for casual input erstwhile you're connected the web oregon logging into an online service.

You tin store an unlimited fig of passwords and sync your information crossed devices, ensuring you ne'er spell without entree to your astir important sites and apps.

Also: The champion VPN services: Expert tested

Features see two-factor authentication compatibility, unafraid password sharing, exigency contacts, a virtual backstage web (VPN) for harmless browsing, signifier autofill, a integer outgo wallet, a password generator, and an alert strategy to notify you of compromised passwords.

Last year, Dashlane introduced passwordless authentication for caller iOS and Android users, which removes the request for a maestro password, alongside passwordless logins for the web.

Who it's for: If you're looking for a password manager that offers precocious information features similar VPN extortion and acheronian web monitoring, Dashlane is an fantabulous choice.

However, unfortunately, Dashlane nary longer has a escaped plan.

You tin effort retired a modular idiosyncratic relationship for $5 per period oregon $7.49 per period for a household program with up to 10 members.

Who should look elsewhere: It appears that Dashlane is targeting the concern alternatively than the user market, which whitethorn interaction your choice.

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The champion password manager of 2025 is 1Password, which offers an affordable, reliable, accessible, and casual mode to store your passwords and idiosyncratic data. If you privation to research each of our apical picks, cheque retired an overview of the champion password managers below:

Password manager	Price	Key features	Going passwordless?
1Password	$3+ per month	A user-friendly interface, an autofill feature, and relationship extortion tools	Yes
Bitwarden	Free oregon $1+ per month	A user-friendly interface, accelerated uploads, smartphone compatibility, and different precocious information features	Some features available
NordPass	Free oregon $1.39+ per idiosyncratic per month	Secure sharing, wellness reports, multi-factor authentication, and precocious encryption	Yes
Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault	$1.67+ per month	Multi-platform syncing, multi-factor authentication, disposable templates, and apical encryption technology	Some features available
Dashlane	$5+ per month	Generous storage, VPN protection, acheronian web monitoring, and Chrome integration, passwordless options	Yes

Note: Prices and features whitethorn alteration based connected the program selected.

Choose this password manager...	If you want...
1Password	A family-friendly, one-stop-shop password manager. 1Password has features that let you to easy stock passwords with household members and negociate aggregate accounts. It's 1 of the champion options retired there.
Bitwarden	A escaped oregon affordable password manager. Bitwarden is open-source and disposable for usage connected each platforms, with escaped plans that see the software's halfway features. It volition assistance you fortify your online security.
NordPass	A password manager suitable for work. Its features, specified arsenic unafraid sharing and centralized billing, marque it a large prime for teams and tiny businesses. Its idiosyncratic plans are besides worthy exploring.
Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault	A security-focused solution. Keeper has features similar unafraid record storage, making it an perfect prime if you privation to support your information arsenic harmless arsenic possible. Biometric entree is simply a large further feature.
Dashlane	Multi-faceted features and a business-geared password manager. Dashlane includes features similar a VPN and acheronian web monitoring, which spell beyond the emblematic functions of a password manager, with a absorption connected information and passwordless technologies.

There is simply a wide scope of password managers connected the marketplace today. To assistance you marque the close decision, see these factors:

Security: Security is the apical precedence erstwhile it comes to password managers. The astir unafraid password managers connection precocious encryption and usage harmless protocols to support idiosyncratic accusation erstwhile transferring from the work to your instrumentality and vice versa.
Frequent patches: You should ever take a password manager that often releases patches and information fixes. No bundle is 100% invulnerable against cyberattacks and it's captious that vendors behaviour audits and are speedy to resoluteness emerging information issues.
Storage: Another important information is retention capacity. While immoderate password managers bounds the fig of passwords you tin store, others connection unlimited retention truthful that you tin adhd each your accusation without restrictions.
Compatibility: It's indispensable to cheque if your preferred instrumentality and operating strategy are compatible with the password manager. The champion options connection cross-platform compatibility, allowing you to entree your information from aggregate devices, including your computer, tablet, and mobile device.
Accounts: If you privation to delegate a idiosyncratic much than 1 individuality oregon online account, see whether the household -- oregon concern -- accounts are worthy the money.
Features: You whitethorn similar a information breach scanner, unafraid vault, autofill, oregon passwordless options. If the further features of password managers involvement you, spot if the solution you are considering has them.
Open source: Open-source options should beryllium considered erstwhile imaginable arsenic the codification is unfastened to extracurricular auditing for information vulnerabilities and flaws. This tin boost spot successful a product.

In compiling this database of the champion password managers, we examined third-party reviews and opinions from information experts. We besides person hands-on acquisition with these password absorption tools due to the fact that that's the lone mode to get to cognize however usable a work is.

When selecting the champion password managers of 2025, determination are a fig of important factors that indispensable beryllium considered:

Price: While immoderate password managers are free, others whitethorn necessitate a paid subscription to entree each features. It's important to measurement the terms against the benefits and prime a password manager that meets your budget. We wanted to guarantee that we included a scope of options to suit each terms points.
Customer reviews: Customer experiences and feedback are important. If usability is overlooked, it doesn't substance however unafraid oregon exceptional a password manager is. We see lawsuit reviews and easiness of usage 1 of our astir important criteria erstwhile assessing password managers.
Company reputation: As you spot these organizations to negociate your credentials securely, we lone see reputable vendors with proven way records of trustworthy service. We besides show them for immoderate important changes successful this regard.
Use cases: We wanted to see a scope of password managers suitable for user and concern purposes, including idiosyncratic use, household plans, and scalable solutions. We besides similar to spot features specified arsenic password sharing and credential generators.
Updates: Password absorption services indispensable supply predominant information and usability updates. We besides similar to spot autarkic audits being conducted connected a predominant ground to backmost the information claims of password absorption vendors.
Passwordless: While often inactive successful the investigating stages, successful the sanction of longevity, we similar to spot services trying retired these technologies. It shows a willingness to reinvent and amended a password manager's functions to support up with the times.
Support: It's besides important that password manager providers connection a scope of lawsuit enactment options, including online guides, unrecorded chat, email, and telephone numbers.

Latest news

NIST's latest guidelines suggest that the magnitude of passwords is acold much important than utilizing analyzable characters.
Plex media retention work users are being urged to alteration their passwords pursuing a imaginable cybersecurity incident.
A researcher developed an exploit that hijacks passkey authentication.
This is however 1 mediocre password unopen down a 158-year-old business.
Google is acceptable to fix a loophole that allows biometric authentication earlier autofilling passwords to beryllium bypassed. The spot volition grow biometric extortion from apps to apps and browsers.
Google is investigating retired a Chrome feature that could let users to power from passwords to passkeys.

Password managers are integer tools that tin assistance you support safely way and signifier each your passwords and different delicate information. Once you make an relationship with a password manager, you tin adhd your login credentials, recognition paper details, and different idiosyncratic information into the password vault. You tin adhd this accusation each astatine erstwhile oregon implicit clip arsenic you usage antithetic websites and apps.

The password manager volition past store each your information successful an encrypted format, making it hard for hackers to decipher. Whenever you sojourn a tract oregon usage an app requiring login credentials, the password manager tin automatically capable successful your username and password for you. This diagnostic tin prevention you a batch of clip and hassle, particularly if you negociate galore antithetic accounts.

Another diagnostic of the champion password managers is the quality to make beardown passwords. These passwords are typically agelong and random, making them much hard to conjecture oregon crack. Password managers tin make and store these analyzable passwords for you, making it easier to support your accounts secure.

Password managers tin beryllium invaluable for anyone who wants to support their online accounts harmless and secure.

In today's integer age, astir everything we bash requires a password. The champion mode to negociate these passwords is by utilizing a password manager. Not lone does it store your passwords successful a cardinal location, but it besides provides beardown encryption to support your information harmless from cybercriminals.

Cybercriminals usage assorted methods to summation entree to your passwords, from phishing attacks to brute-force attacks. You tin besides usage a password manager to make strong, unsocial passwords for each account, reducing the hazard of being hacked. Alternatively, immoderate browsers, specified arsenic Google Chrome, connection built-in password managers.

Yes, password managers are typically safe. They usage precocious encryption algorithms to support your login credentials. When you usage a password manager, your credentials are stored successful an encrypted form, which means they can't beryllium accessed by anyone without the close password oregon passphrase.

It is important to take a reputable password manager and usage a strong, unsocial password oregon passphrase to support your account. You should besides retrieve there's nary specified happening arsenic a 100% unafraid service, and connected occasion, adjacent the champion password managers whitethorn person to spot and hole information vulnerabilities.

While nary strategy is invulnerable to hacking, the champion password managers usage beardown encryption algorithms and different information measures to support your data. They besides necessitate a beardown maestro password oregon passphrase to entree your account. It is important to usage a unsocial and analyzable maestro password and alteration two-factor authentication to summation security. The company behind the bundle should besides ever beryllium moving to amended its information posture.

Yes, astir password managers let you to usage your relationship connected aggregate devices, specified arsenic your computer, smartphone, oregon tablet. This means you tin entree your passwords and different login credentials from anyplace astatine immoderate time. However, escaped services whitethorn beryllium constricted to 1 instrumentality per account.

Browser-based password managers -- specified arsenic the 1 built into the Google Chrome browser -- are convenient, but the offerings are limited. Browser-based password managers are usually constricted successful scope and are bolt-ons to the wide browser experience, and they usually aren't multi-platform.

They besides whitethorn beryllium much susceptible to malware and compromise than standalone password manager solutions, and truthful betwixt them, I would urge a standalone password manager.

I would urge 1Password oregon NordPass for seniors. They are some user-friendly and bash not overcomplicate the password retention oregon sharing process.

Passwords whitethorn 1 time go a happening of the past, but we person a agelong mode to go. Passwordless authentication systems are linked astir commonly to the FIDO Alliance, which promotes an unfastened modular of passwordless authentication utilizing passkeys. Passkeys are encrypted, safer than passwords, and usage a cardinal brace -- lone you person the backstage cardinal -- to authenticate astatine the clip of a sign-in request.

Generally speaking, yes. You volition find that galore information experts see password managers to beryllium 1 of the champion solutions for managing countless analyzable passwords. No work is wholly harmless from cyberattacks, truthful beryllium mindful of this if you usage them, but thing is amended than utilizing -- oregon reusing -- anemic passwords to support your online accounts.

No integer information solution is wholly risk-free, including services for credential management.

While password managers tin drastically amended your password information by suggesting analyzable combinations, storing them, and providing a safer sharing method, immoderate services person experienced information incidents successful the past and volition apt bash truthful successful the future.

Furthermore, you inactive person immoderate responsibility. You indispensable support your bundle updated, and your maestro password, utilized to entree your vault, needs to beryllium remembered oregon kept successful a harmless location. If you suffer this, determination is nary warrant you volition ever retrieve entree to your account.

If you aren't keen connected the thought of a password manager -- oregon a password manager unsocial -- we urge that you acquisition a carnal information key. Physical information keys and dongles supply an further furniture of cryptographic extortion for your online accounts. Unless a cybercriminal has carnal entree to your key, it is challenging to compromise your credentials.

Also: The champion information keys you tin buy: Expert tested

Latest updates

October 2025: In ZDNET's October update, we revised our FAQs and updated the accusation disposable connected our apical and alternate picks.
September 2025: In ZDNET's September update, we performed editorial changes and added further accusation connected the latest quality and products successful the password manager space.
August 2025: In ZDNET's August update, we performed editorial changes, updated the latest quality connected VPNs, and added further accusation connected our apical picks and alternatives. We besides removed the TP-Link Archer GX90 from our apical picks.
June 2025: In ZDNET's June update, we performed important editorial and layout changes. We besides removed out-of-stock options.

Alternative password managers worthy considering

Enpass is simply a reliable, unafraid password manager alternate that allows you to store and sync passwords and passkeys from aggregate services. This work is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, and provides unlimited vaults.

Pricing begins astatine lone $0.79 per period during the firm's existent sale.

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LogMeOnce offers unlimited password absorption alongside precocious information features similar anti-theft extortion and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

It has a escaped option, which we see an fantabulous alternate password manager if you don't caput an outdated interface. Alternatively, idiosyncratic plans commencement astatine $2.50 per period oregon $4 per period per idiosyncratic for businesses. Students tin enjoy 50% off.

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Proton Pass is an open-source password manager with unlimited logins and notes. Developed by the aforesaid radical arsenic Proton VPN, Proton Pass has rapidly improved successful the past fewer years and present offers a much streamlined, intuitive service.

Premium plans commencement astatine $2.49 per month, and household packs are disposable for $5 per month, with pricing cheaper during the firm's existent sale. A escaped program is besides available.

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ExpressVPN Keys is simply a password manager built into the fashionable VPN work ExpressVPN.

If you would similar to harvester a VPN that encrypts and disguises your online activities with a robust password manager, this could beryllium an fantabulous choice, particularly arsenic the steadfast focuses connected being user-friendly. While ExpressVPN utilized to beryllium precise expensive, it has precocious transitioned to tiered pricing, with plans starting astatine $4.49 per period if you besides privation the password manager.

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Our favourite password managers of 2025 volition suit astir usage cases, but if you are looking for a much niche service, cheque retired our guides connected the champion password managers for families, for business, and the champion password generators.

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