Best Free Password Managers of 2023 Reviewed

Password managers are vital tools in today’s digital world. They help protect yourself from hacking. If you’re unlucky enough to be a hacking target, a password manager can help avert loss of data, identity and assets! They also make managing your monster list of passwords a lot easier.

With the increasing number of online accounts we have, it can be easy to use the same password for all of them. However, that puts you at risk. A good password manager can help reduce this danger. If you need some more reasons, here are more details on some of the scary password statistics in 2023.

As with most things, you get what you pay for. And there a lot of password managers on the market. These include the free web browser-based password managers that come with Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. These may be convenient, but do have limitations and risks. To enjoy the widest available options and features, you will definitely need to pay up. My personal favorite password manager is Keeper. But, Keeper does not have a free option. However, many dedicated password managers do have surprisingly decent free versions available. And that’s what this article is about: here we compare free password managers. So, if you don’t want to pony up the monthly or annual subscription fees for a paid dedicated password manager, the list below outlines the best FREE password managers. The vast majority of password managers are online and indeed the options below all are. These all offer robust security, but if being synced online makes you uncomfortable, then you may want to check out the best offline password managers.

1st Best FREE Password Manager: Bitwarden

2nd Best FREE Password Manager: Dashlane

3rd Best FREE Password Manager: LastPass

4th Best FREE Password Manager: LogMeOnce

5th Best FREE Password Manager: RoboForm

Pick the Best Password Manager For You 

There’s a few things you should look for when considering a password manager, whether paid or not. And how you intend to use the free password manager will limit the options further. Make sure you pick one that checks off your boxes. Here are some considerations:

Cross-platform functionality

This can be a biggie. Where do plan to use your password manager? Make sure you select a free password manager that is available for those platforms! Although most password managers support a broad range of desktop and mobile browsers, the best one for you is the one that not only works with your platform but does so seamlessly. Your individual tolerance for quirks and inconveniences will ultimately guide your decision. So, make sure you test it out and see how it works on the platforms you use most.

Multi-device options

How many devices will you use the password manager on? Different password managers have limitations, especially when it comes to their free versions. If you only need to use the free password manager on a single device, then that’s fine. But if you plan on using it across 2-3 devices, then you need an app that will allow you to do so and sync your passwords and confidential data securely across those devices.

Local or cloud-based storage 

The strongest password managers store your passwords in one of two places: either remotely on their own secure servers, or locally on your own computer / server. Cloud-based storage is the most practical option for many people. It’s significantly more secure than any make-shift solution, and your data will be backed up if something happens to your device, plus you can effortlessly transfer your login credentials across multiple platforms. If you’re extremely paranoid and/or adept at security, there are plenty of local-storage only options available to you. If you just want an offline backup of your passwords rather than come up with your own offline solution, many of the online password managers offer offline backup.

Security protocols 

Password security is of highest priority. The best password managers will all use the same high-security protocols. These are typically 256-bit AES encryption, end-to-end encryption, and zero-knowledge technology. This ensures that all data is encrypted and decrypted on your local device, locked behind your master password and that no third party has access to that master password. It’s also important to look for a password manager that has 2FA, multi-factor authentication, or biometric authentication. These can enhance your login security significantly. And make sure the company producing the password manager is active and regularly updating their password manager and also allows regular third-party security audits.

Password generator 

The best password managers make it easy to create and save strong, unhackable passwords and passphrases. A great password generator will have many options that allow you to create passwords that conform to different set standards. For example, one could be that it is easy to read or has 16+ characters. The generator should be accessible on all types of devices and platforms. A password manager will usually require a master password. Make sure your master password is really strong.

More than passwords

In addition to passwords, password managers also store credit card numbers, bank info, shipping addresses, and other types of information. Most of the best ones have “secure notes” where you can store strings of text safely and securely. There are some that also offer 1GB+ of secure cloud storage as well.

Recovery options

Although your master password is inaccessible, there’s still a possibility you could retrieve your account. The method of recovery varies depending on the service, but options include SMS and biometric authentication to contacting an emergency contact. Before you lose your password manager’s master password, double-check that you can actually use the recovery options provided.

Additional features

With a premium password manager, you’re not just paying for the best possible software. In most cases, you also get extra security features that come in handy, like the following:

• Password auditing. A password audit is basically when the program analyzes all the passwords in your vault and tells you which ones are compromised, weak so that you can update them or delete them. Weak or reused passwords should be weeded out! Some password manager audits will monitor for expired passwords and even identify websites that offer 2FA as additional security.
• Breach/dark web monitoring. Breach (or dark web) monitoring can protect your information by tracking any data breaches that may occur online; it then notifies you if it finds your passwords or personal info is unsecured.
• Browser extensions. Another very handy feature to look for is browser extensions. Browser extensions will allow you to quickly fill out forms securely using your passwords and other details.
• Secure file storage. Many password managers now offer some file storage to securely store files. This is not meant to replace other types of services like backups or file syncing services, but this can be very helpful to store confidential files. Even some free password managers offer considerable storage space.

Pricing

Although most of the top-ranking password managers have a free plan, these plans usually come with restrictions. The greatest restriction is usually that they cannot be used by somebody who owns multiple devices. In these days and times, that’s a problem.

As you will see from this article, Bitwarden is different. Bitwarden has a totally free plan that does not have limitations on the number of passwords stored or the number of devices you use and sync. It’s also worth noting that most password managers do provide 14 – 30 day free trials of their premium plans. Check these out, test their service. Of course, once the trial is up, the premium features will be too! Some password managers offer bundles that allow families (of 5-6) to use one account with multiple users, and one main administrator. Each family member will have their own private secure vault, but with the ability to share selected passwords and information with other selected members of the family.

The Final Score: Best Free Password Managers of 2023

Online security is something you simply cannot ignore! These days there are so many passwords to keep track of, manage and secure that you really need to consider a Password Manager. There are certain considerations you need to look out for when selecting a password manager. While most password managers have a paid version that will offer the most complete feature-set, some still offer free versions and a couple of those are decent. Out of the available options, there is one that stands out from the crowd. It will be obvious from the free password manager reviews above: Bitwarden is the best completely free password manager. It does have a paid version but the features that come with the free version are very suitable for an individual user requiring security for passwords across platforms and devices, both mobile and computer. Other password managers, LastPass, LogMeOnce and DashLane all tie for second place, but each have their own specific pros and cons to their free version. Each of these have very solid paid versions though, and a paid password manager might be more suitable to meet your needs. So, make sure and do your own research and be smart and stay safe.