In February 2021, the LastPass password manager announced that it would be changing its free version so that it would only work on one type of device and that people who wanted to use it on both their computer and mobile devices would have to start paying for a subscription. More recently, LastPass members may have a more important reason to consider a change: two breaches in 2022 led to hackers gaining access to user data.
LastPass has stated that the information is still safe. If you’re currently using LastPass and are feeling a little nervous, or if you’re not happy with whatever your current app is, there are other password managers you can try. That’s why we’ve updated our list of free password managers for 2021 to consider.
Just a note: at least one of the more popular password managers, 1Password, is not included here because it does not have a free version. Meanwhile, most browsers, such as Microsoft Edge and Firefox, have their own password managers, and many security apps like Norton offer their own as well. If you’re using Apple devices, there’s a password manager built into iOS and macOS, while Google’s password manager works through the desktop Chrome browser and Android devices. Finally, Windows has a standard built-in app called Credential Manager.
But if you prefer to use an independent third-party password manager, here are a few that are currently available.
Bitwarden is a well-known open-source password manager that offers a solid selection of features, including storing unlimited items, synchronization between devices, vaults for other data, and password generation. For daily password use, Bitwarden could be a good alternative.
You can find information about the security strategies here.
Other prices: For $10 a year, a Premium account gives you access to 1 GB of encrypted file storage, additional two-step sign-ups (the free version lets you use email or an authenticator app), and lets you share your vault with, among others, a other user extras. For $40 per year, the Family account lets you share Premium features with six users.
Zoho Vault, one of Zoho’s vast collection of productivity apps, has a free version with unlimited password and note storage, access from computers and mobile devices, two-factor authentication, and password generation, among quite an impressive number of other features.
You can find information about the security strategies here.
Other prices: Zoho’s Standard plan costs $10.80 per year and adds options like password sharing with team members, expiration alerts, and cloud backup. The Professional plan, for $54 per year, includes the ability to create user groups, share folders, access password breach reports, and more.
Dashlane is a well-known password manager with a limited free version that allows you to store and autofill passwords on a single device and with 1 GB of storage space for encrypted notes and data breach notifications. You can also generate passwords, share passwords, and use two-factor authentication.
You can find information about the security strategies here.
Other prices: The advanced plan costs $3.49 per month or $33 per year and lets you use an unlimited number of devices. For $6.49 a month or $59.88 a year, the Premium plan adds a VPN, while the Friends & Family plan offers password management for up to 10 people for $8.99 a month or $89.88 a year .
KeePass is another free open-source password manager, but judging by its website, it can be a bit difficult for less tech-savvy users to use. Nothing is kept in the cloud, so while that can be more secure (you can store your passwords in an encrypted database with master key locking), it’s also less convenient. However, if you don’t mind manually transferring your password database from one device to another, it might be worth a try. (Note: Shortly after this article was first published, we received several emails from KeePass users saying they successfully synced their passwords using cloud storage services such as Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox.)
You can find information about the security strategies here.
The free Premium version of LogMeOnce offers unlimited passwords and usage on unlimited devices, along with autofill, synchronization, password generation, 1MB of encrypted file storage, and two-factor authentication using email or Google Authenticator. LogMeOnce uses ads to fund the free version, so that might be a bummer depending on your tolerance for ads.
You can find information about the security strategies here.
Other prices: The Professional version offers 1 GB of encrypted file storage, emergency access, additional authentication methods, and more. There are two other plans: The Ultimate plan, for $3.25 a month, adds features including 10 GB of storage, unlimited note storage and password sharing, and the ability to use YubiKey security keys. And for $4.99 per month, six family members can use LogMeOnce with the Family plan.
NordPass has a free version with unlimited passwords, cross-device syncing, and use of authenticator apps. While there is no limit to the number of devices you can use, only one can be active at a time. For example, using it on your phone will sign you out of your computer’s version.
You can find information about the security strategies here.
Other prices: The Premium version of NordPass ($4.99 per month or $23.88 for the first year) lets you run up to six active accounts simultaneously and includes secure asset sharing and a data breach scanner. The Family plan ($6.99 per month or $44.28 for the first year) gives you six Premium user accounts.
RoboForm has been around for a while, although it has never been as well known as competitors like LastPass or 1Password. The free version offers unlimited passwords, form filling, and emergency access, among other features. However, it doesn’t sync between devices, which can be an inconvenience.
You can find information about the security strategies here.
Other prices: RoboForm Everywhere usually costs $23.88 for a one-year subscription, and it lets you sync between devices, perform cloud backup, and use two-factor authentication, among other things. The Family plan offers up to five accounts for $47.75 per year.
Update January 6, 2023, 3:50 PM ET: This article was originally written on February 16, 2021; Dashlane has been added, all entries have been updated and links to their security strategies have been added.
