Bitwarden, 1Password, NordPass, Dashlane, Proton Pass and LastPass compared — free unlimited vaults, family sharing and travel privacy, with each one's catch.
Reusing one password across twenty logins is the most common security mistake people make, and memory cannot fix it; only a vault that generates and stores a different password for every service can. Modern managers also fill those passwords inside phone apps, warn you when a site is breached and let a partner or relative recover access in an emergency. The surprises sit in the pricing: the strongest free option on the market has no device limit at all, while some famous names restrict free use to a single device. The six apps in this guide run from open-source free vaults to polished family subscriptions, compared on encryption, limits and sharing.
Bitwarden gives unlimited passwords on unlimited devices for free, publishes its source code and its security audits — the default recommendation.
No rival matches the core offer: a free plan with no cap on entries or devices, open-source code and publicly documented audits, plus reliable autofill in apps and browsers, including smooth operation on Android. It is the obvious pick for almost anyone willing to spend twenty minutes setting up. The interface is functional rather than attractive, encrypted file attachments are a paid extra, and importing a messy password history from a browser or another manager takes patience the first evening.
1Password is the most polished vault and the best for families, with shared vaults plus Travel Mode that temporarily hides sensitive data at borders.
Shared vaults let every family member keep private items while contributing to a common space, and the design is the most carefully considered in the category. Travel Mode removes selected vaults from the device when you cross a border and restores them afterwards. There is no permanent free plan, only a trial period, it costs more than Bitwarden, and the software is proprietary rather than open for independent inspection.
Pros
The most carefully designed interface in the category
NordPass pairs the cleanest interface in the category with modern XChaCha20 encryption, but its free tier keeps only one device signed in at a time.
From the makers of NordVPN, it stores unlimited passwords without paying and encrypts them with XChaCha20 rather than the AES that is standard across the sector. The catch on the free plan is significant: a single active session, so moving from phone to computer means signing in again. It also offers fewer advanced features than 1Password, and password history is reserved for paying customers.
Dashlane changes passwords for you on supported services instead of making you log into each site, bundles a VPN and shows a clear vault-health score.
Its distinctive feature is the automatic password changer, which generates and replaces credentials on supported sites without manual visits, and the dashboard that visualises weak or reused passwords is one of the clearest available. Paid plans include a bundled VPN. The free tier is restricted to a single device, features have steadily been stripped out of it, and the paid product is expensive compared with Bitwarden.
Proton Pass, from the Proton Mail team, hides your real address behind email aliases on sign-ups and offers a genuinely generous free, open-source vault.
The Swiss team applies end-to-end encryption and its privacy record to a manager whose standout feature no rival matches on the free tier: aliases that mask your real email whenever you register on a website. That makes it a strong alternative to Bitwarden for anyone drowning in spam or data leaks. It is newer and less battle-tested than established names, unlimited aliases require a paid plan, and its organisation options are more limited than 1Password's.
LastPass still delivers smooth autofill and familiar features, but past security breaches and rising renewal prices make it hard to recommend today.
One of the oldest, best-known names, it offers solid autofill, shared folders, dark web monitoring and emergency access for family members, all behind a huge existing user base. The free plan covers the basics on one device type only — phone or computer, not both. The deciding factors against it are the security incidents in its recent history and renewal prices that keep climbing, when open-source rivals now give more for less.
Pros
Veteran name that is widely known
Solid autofill in apps and websites
Dark web monitoring included
Cons
Free plan limits you to one device type
It has suffered security incidents
Renewal prices keep increasing
Download price only. In-app purchases and subscriptions may cost extra.
Questions & answers
Which is the best free password manager?
Bitwarden, with no contest. Its free plan stores unlimited passwords on as many devices as you like, something no competitor offers: NordPass restricts you to one active device at a time and Dashlane also limits its free tier to a single device. On top of that Bitwarden is open source and publishes its audits, so the security claims can be checked.
Is it safe to keep all my passwords in one app?
Yes, and it is considerably safer than the realistic alternative, which is reusing one password everywhere. These managers encrypt the vault on your device with your master password, so not even the company can read the contents. The weak point is you: choose a long, unique master password and turn on two-factor authentication, because those are the two things the model cannot do for you.
What happens if I forget my master password?
With most of these managers you lose access to the vault for good. That is the direct consequence of zero-knowledge encryption: if the company could recover the password, it could also read your data. Each one therefore offers an emergency mechanism of some kind, such as the 1Password recovery code, which is worth printing out and storing somewhere genuinely safe rather than leaving in another digital folder.
Is paying worth it when my browser already saves passwords?
A browser manager beats nothing at all, but it falls short: it works poorly outside that browser, rarely warns about breaches, and sharing passwords is awkward. A dedicated manager also autofills inside phone apps, alerts you when a service is breached and lets you share access securely. And with Bitwarden's free tier, getting those advantages does not even require paying.
More related apps
App library · United States App Store. Prices and availability reflect the last check.
