Long, complicated passwords can help keep your personal and financial information safe online. However, it can be difficult to keep track of all of those passwords, especially if you have multiple accounts or want to share passwords with team members. Fortunately, password managers can help keep your information safe and secure by storing all of your passwords in one place.
There are many different password manager programs available, so be sure to do your research. Let’s take a look at some of the top options on the market.
What Is a Password Manager and Why Do You Need One?
Before we dig into the options, let’s get a few basics out of the way. A password manager is a software program that helps you create, store, and manage passwords for different websites. Having a password manager can save you from the hassle of forgetting a password and help keep your information safe at the same time.
Oscar Wong/GettyPassword managers help with the second point by evaluating the strength of your passwords, generating complex password suggestions, and monitoring your accounts for security issues. Since a recent study found that stolen or weak passwords were used in about 81% of data breaches, it’s worth looking into password managers.1
Google Password Manager
Google Password Manager is free to use and easy to set up. Unlike many options on the market, it’s a browser tool, not an independent software program. As a result, it’s somewhat bare-bones compared to subscription password managers and limited to one browser — Google Chrome.
However, it could be the right option, depending on your needs. It stores all of your passwords in one place, encrypts data, creates strong passwords, and autofills passwords on your computer and phone. So, Google Password Manager has a lot going for it.
LastPass
LastPass is one of the most popular password managers on the market. It’s a subscription program that offers several plans, including a free version and options for businesses. LastPass offers a variety of features, including password and username generators, form autofill, a secure digital wallet, and dark web monitoring. Features vary by plan.
One of the benefits of using LastPass is its ability to handle team password management. For instance, it can help your business by making it easy to safely share passwords with your team, add and remove team members, and set other security controls. That makes it appealing as a business password manager.
1Password
1Password is another password manager that’s popular among users. It offers subscription plans that include features such as the ability to share passwords with family members and team members, password and credit card autofill, and several encryption methods.
One thing that sets 1Password apart from other password managers is its travel mode. This feature allows you to remove sensitive information from your devices before you travel. Then 1Password helpfully restores that information when you turn off the travel mode.
Dashlane
Dashlane is a password manager that’s easy to use and secure for personal and business uses. It enables individuals, families, and companies to store passwords and make them accessible whenever needed. Some plans offer a built-in VPN, making it even harder for anyone to access your information without your permission.
It can help businesses keep their data secure by allowing employees to share encrypted passwords securely instead of by email or instant messaging platforms. Additionally, employees are provided with an assessment of the security of their passwords and alerted when a breach might affect their information.
Keeper
Keeper is a password manager that can help individuals, small businesses, and large companies. It stores passwords and other sensitive information in an encrypted format, offers a convenient form autofill, and the ability to share passwords with others.
Those with personal accounts and employer-provided accounts can use it on an unlimited number of devices and across web browsers. It also offers personal account holders the option to use fingerprint and facial recognition instead of a master password.
Choosing the Right Password Manager for You
The average cost of a data breach to a company in the U.S. is $9.44 million.2 And 51% of workers use the same passwords for work and personal accounts.3 So, it’s more important than ever for individuals and companies to use a password manager to help keep sensitive data safe and secure.
There are several password managers available, so it’s worth taking some time to explore your options. Some password managers may make more sense for you than others, depending on your needs.