NordPass Review: Quick Expert Summary
NordPass is one of the best password managers in 2024. It offers a secure, simple, and easy-to-use interface with a good range of security features, including XChaCha20 encryption, a zero-knowledge policy, and multi-factor authentication (MFA). NordPass also offers a decent range of extras, like password sharing, a password health checkup tool, data breach monitoring, and emergency access.
Most of NordPass’s features work really well. I tested it on my Windows 11 PC, MacBook Air, iOS, and Android devices. I found that saving, generating, auto-filling, and sharing passwords is super straightforward.
NordPass doesn’t have any unique extras like 1Password’s multiple vaults and Travel Mode, or Dashlane’s unlimited-data VPN, but its email masking is the best I’ve tested (and not many competitors offer this feature). NordPass has some limitations in terms of what you can save with templates — you can’t save details like your driver’s license or social insurance number, but you can use custom fields, so I don’t think it’s a huge issue. The iOS app is also a bit minimal compared to the Android app.
That said, NordPass is very intuitive and beginner-friendly, and its customer support is excellent. There are several plans to choose from, including a free plan that offers all the core features, plus unlimited vault storage and unlimited device synchronization — but you can only be logged into 1 device at a time. NordPass Premium and Family come with the full range of advanced features and give each user unlimited simultaneous device connections. NordPass offers a free 30-day Premium trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans.
🏅 Overall Rank | #4 out of 50 password managers |
🔐 Encryption | XChaCha20 |
🎁 Free Plan | Unlimited passwords, unlimited devices (but only logged into 1 device at a time) |
💸 Pricing | $1.34 |
💰 Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days (+ 30-day free trial) |
📀 Operating Systems | Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, Linux, ChromeOS |
TRY NORDPASS (30 DAYS RISK-FREE)
NordPass Full Review — Great Security & Useful Features (Plus a Generous Free Plan)
NordPass is an intuitive and secure password manager with a decent range of useful features. In addition to providing unlimited storage and the latest in encryption technology, NordPass offers secure password sharing, data breach monitoring, password health checks, multi-factor authentication, biometric logins, and emergency access.
Furthermore, NordPass’s Free plan is more generous than many other password managers, and all of its paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no risk in trying it out.
NordPass Plans & Pricing — Affordable Personal & Business Plans
NordPass offers 3 home plans and 3 business plans. The home plans are:
- NordPass Free.
- NordPass Premium.
- NordPass Family.
The business plans are:
- NordPass Teams.
- NordPass Business.
- NordPass Enterprise.
The paid plans — NordPass Premium and Family — include all of the same features, with the only difference being that Premium is valid for 1 user, and Family is valid for up to 6 users. Both plans also come with unlimited device connections for every user.
All NordPass plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there is also a 30-day free trial for Premium and a 14-day free trial for Business.
Here’s an overview of NordPass’s plans:
NordPass Free | NordPass Premium | NordPass Family | NordPass Teams | NordPass Business | NordPass Enterprise | |
Platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, iOS |
Number of licenses | 1 | 1 | 6 | 10-user pack | 5 to 250 users | Unlimited |
Auto-save & auto-fill | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Passkeys |
✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Encrypted storage | ❌ | ✅ (3 GB) |
✅ (3 GB per user) |
✅ (3 GB per user) |
✅ (3 GB per user) |
✅ (3 GB per user) |
Personal information storage | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Secure notes | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Stay logged in on multiple devices | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Multi-factor authentication | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Secure password sharing | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Password generator | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Password health checker | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Data breach scanner | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Emergency access (grant) | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Emergency access (receive) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Email masking |
❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Google Workspace SSO | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Security Dashboard | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Group Management | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
SSO with Okta, Entra ID, & MS ADFS | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
User and Group Provisioning via Active-Directory | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Dedicated account manager | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
NordPass Free — Good Free Plan
NordPass Free includes almost all of NordPass’s core features, making it a decent option for a free password manager. The Free plan includes:
- Unlimited password storage.
- Passkey support.
- Password import & export.
- Unlimited storage for personal info, notes, and credit cards.
- Web form and payment details auto-save & auto-fill.
- Password generator.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Automatic sync across all your devices.
- Use on 1 device at a time.
- 3 GB cloud storage via NordLocker (separate download).
NordPass Free is a more generous free plan than many other password managers. Bitwarden and Avira are the only other password managers to offer unlimited passwords across unlimited devices on their free plans.
However, NordPass Free’s biggest limitation is that you can only be logged into 1 device at a time. You can at least sync NordPass Free across all your devices, but you will need to log in each time you want to switch between your mobile, desktop, and other devices, which is a bit of a pain to be honest.
Ultimately, I prefer RoboForm’s free plan. It’s got all the essential features (including auto-fill, password auditing, and top-notch encryption) and lets you store an unlimited number of passwords on a single device. I was impressed by the highly customizable form filler, which is just as good as the version included with the premium plans. All things considered, it’s definitely one of the best free password managers out there.
If you’re specifically looking for a free password manager, NordPass Free is a decent option. However, for the extra security, not to mention convenience, that comes with the premium options, I would always recommend going for a paid plan.
NordPass Premium — Affordable Plan for Individuals
NordPass Premium includes all the features in the free plan, plus:
- Secure sharing — unlimited items to unlimited recipients.
- Password health checker.
- Data breach monitoring.
- Emergency access.
- Email masking.
- 3 GB cloud storage within NordPass.
- Unlimited device connections.
NordPass Premium has a great range of features and generous allowances with its unlimited storage (passwords, credit cards, and notes), unlimited sharing, and use on an unlimited amount of devices simultaneously.
At $1.34 / month, NordPass Premium is reasonably priced, but it’s not as good a value as other top password managers. While its pricing is not much cheaper than brands like 1Password and Dashlane, they both have a more well-rounded set of features that makes them a better overall value.
However, if you’re not concerned about cool extra features, NordPass Premium is a decent option. It’s a secure, simple, and easy-to-use password manager that you can use across multiple devices.
NordPass Family — Good for Small Families
NordPass’s family plan covers up to 6 unique users, giving them all the features of the Premium plan for $2.68 / month. It’s a good option, but it’s not quite as good as 1Password’s or Dashlane’s family plans — which are the best family password managers on the market.
1Password is the only password manager that offers the ability to add an unlimited number of additional users for a small extra fee each. However, NordPass Family is a similar price to 1Password and still comes with a decent range of features, so if you don’t need more than 6 accounts, NordPass Family is a good option for your household.
NordPass Teams — Best for Small Teams
NordPass Teams is specifically tailored for small teams, offering a secure and efficient way to manage passwords and sensitive information. Key features include:
- Centralized user management for easy onboarding and offboarding.
- Secure password sharing within the team.
- Customizable access levels to ensure team members only see what they need.
- Encrypted file storage for sensitive documents (3 GB per user).
- Audit logs for monitoring user activity.
- Priority customer support.
Pricing for NordPass Teams is $1.79 / month per user, and it’s sold as a 10-user pack, making it a cost-effective solution for small teams.
NordPass Business — Ideal for Medium Sized Businesses
NordPass Business covers from 5 up to 250 users, making collaboration between bigger teams simple by enabling you to grant team members access to systems, software, and sensitive data in just a couple of clicks. Apart from all the features included in the Teams plan, it also has:
- Easy onboarding and offboarding.
- Google Workplace SSO.
- Peer to peer sharing.
- Detailed activity log.
NordPass Business is priced at $3.59 / month per user and offers a good range of features. It also meets the stringent standards of both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 1 certifications, and with its Vanta integration, it helps businesses streamline security compliance to efficiently achieve these certifications.
NordPass Enterprise — Advanced Security for Larger Organizations
NordPass Enterprise is designed for larger organizations that require advanced security and customization features, and there is no limit to the number of users. It includes everything in the Business plan, plus:
- Customizable security policies to align with company standards.
- Dedicated account manager for personalized support.
- Advanced user provisioning and de-provisioning.
- Single Sign-On (SSO) integration for seamless access.
- Tailored deployment options to fit the organization’s infrastructure.
- Comprehensive reporting tools for in-depth analysis.
- 24/7 premium support.
Pricing for NordPass Enterprise is based on the scale of the organization and its specific requirements.
NordPass Security Features — Latest Encryption Technology + Advanced Extras
NordPass uses the XChaCha20 encryption algorithm — this is a modern algorithm considered to be more “future-proof” than the AES encryption that most password managers use (although 256-bit AES encryption is also impossible to crack). While it’s hard to say if XChaCha20 actually makes NordPass more secure than other password managers, it’s certainly never a bad thing to know your sensitive information is protected by the very latest in secure technology.
NordPass also uses zero-knowledge architecture, meaning all of your data is encrypted locally rather than on NordPass’s servers. This means that not even NordPass’s staff can see or access your passwords and other sensitive information, and in the unlikely event of NordPass being hacked, your data will still be safe.
Despite NordPass’s zero-knowledge protocol, you can recover your account should you lose your master password. NordPass offers a Recovery Code option, which is great when you consider that a lot of password managers don’t provide account recovery at all.
NordPass also has a biometric login feature that works on mobile as well as Windows and macOS platforms, ensuring a seamless login experience across devices. Users can quickly unlock their NordPass vault using their biological attributes like fingerprints or facial recognition. NordPass also comes with some additional security features, including:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Secure password sharing.
- Data breach monitoring.
- Password health checks.
- Emergency access.
- Email masking.
NordPass is one of our top password managers in 2024 thanks to the addition of these more advanced features. Admittedly, some of its features are more basic than those offered by competitors such as 1Password and Dashlane, but it’s still an excellent choice for users just wanting a secure password manager that does the basics well.
Overall, NordPass has all of the core features you need to manage your passwords and other sensitive information. While it may not offer the same level of advanced options or the template variety found in other password managers, it compensates with a clean and intuitive interface. Furthermore, its additional features ensure that it remains one of the best options available for those seeking a balance between simplicity and functionality.
Password Vault — Easy to Use With Many Storage Options
NordPass’s password vault can be accessed via its desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux, via mobile apps on Android and iOS, and via web extensions in compatible web browsers — meaning you can always access your account, no matter what device you are using. All apps have the same features, functionality, and design, so you can easily access, add, and edit your information from all of your devices.
NordPass’s password vault is intuitive. Adding new entries is easy — simply go to the relevant category, click on Add, fill out the appropriate details, and hit Save. You can store passwords, secure notes (like Wi-Fi passwords, alarm codes, or other text-based information), credit cards, and personal information (address, phone number, email, etc).
NordPass also includes a fully customizable Folders feature. You can create as many folders as you wish, and use them to organize your passwords, secure notes, and other information. This is a nice feature, although 1Password does one better and allows you to create multiple vaults, making it even easier to securely organize and manage your sensitive data.
NordPass makes adding entries easy and offers more flexibility than it initially appears. You can store items like IDs (driver’s licenses, passports, etc.) not only as free text in Secure Notes but also by adding custom fields to Personal Info. While it’s slightly less intuitive than 1Password’s templates, I don’t mind the idea of having all my personal information as one entry instead of divided between ID, passport, address, etc.
Additionally, I like how Premium and Family users can add file attachments (of up to 50 MB in size) to pretty much anything in their vault. You get 3 GB of cloud storage which you can use with file attachments, and there aren’t any limitations to what file types you can attach — this lets you add pictures of sensitive information to specific items in your vault. Most competitors only offer 1 GB of cloud storage, so NordPass’s offering is impressive.
NordPass also lets you add custom fields to each password entry. It’s a handy feature that provides more flexibility. It’s available on NordPass’s desktop and Android apps, as well as the web app, but not straight from the browser extension. I found it intuitive, and it worked without glitches when I tested it.
Overall, NordPass’s password vault has all the basics and even some advanced options, and its interface is simple to use and understand. Beginner users will really appreciate the simplicity of NordPass, but I think additional options for saving IDs and things like medical information and health insurance add a lot of value, like those offered by other top brands.
Browser Extensions — Impressive Auto-Fill Capabilities
NordPass has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Brave, and Safari (macOS only). The extensions let you use all of NordPass’s essential features — you can access and search your entire password vault, view all your items, launch websites, add or edit entries, and access all of NordPass’s tools as well as the Settings menu. Additionally, NordPass business users can create temporary one-time passwords (TOTPs) on Chrome and Firefox browsers.
NordPass’s auto-fill works really well. Once I installed the browser extension, a prompt would appear at the top right of my browser whenever I visited a website with a login form, asking if I wanted to log in using the saved password from my vault. It worked perfectly on every site I visited; automatically filling in my login credentials with a single click. You can also view and copy your credentials from the extension for easy access.
When creating new accounts, NordPass automatically generated a randomized secure password for my new account and then offered to save the new password to my vault. However, I was disappointed that there wasn’t an option to create passphrases directly from the browser extension — you can only create passphrases from the apps (web, desktop, or mobile) and then copy and paste them. RoboForm lets you create passphrases straight from the browser extension.
I was impressed with NordPass’s performance in recognizing and auto-filling personal and payment details, even when fields were split into separate sections, such as area code and phone number. In my tests across various websites and browsers, NordPass filled both my personal and payment information near perfectly. This level of accuracy in auto-filling is almost as good as other top password managers like 1Password and RoboForm, providing faultless auto-filling of all required fields.
That said, even with NordPass’s excellent auto-fill performance, there were instances where I needed to manually select the information. By clicking on the NordPass logo in the relevant fields, I could easily access and copy the necessary details — such as my credit card information — directly from the browser extension pop-up, ensuring that all fields were accurately completed.
Overall, I was impressed with NordPass’s browser extension. It’s almost as good as 1Password or Dashlane in terms of auto-filling, and you can access NordPass’s full range of tools and features, making it a handy and safe way to access your personal information when online.
Password Generator — Lots of Variables & a Useful Password History Feature
NordPass’s password generator is easy to use and offers many variables for creating a password. You can generate passwords and passphrases and choose to include capital letters, digits, and symbols, as well as defining the exact length of the passwords: 8-60 characters (or 3-10 words for passphrases).
1Password’s password generator can produce longer passwords, whereas Dashlane has a lower limit of just 40 characters, but otherwise NordPass’s password generator is pretty similar to — and just as good as — those from other competitors. And to be honest, I think 60 (or even 40) characters are plenty anyway.
One particularly useful feature is the ability to view your generated-password history. With NordPass, you can see up to 10 previous passwords you’ve saved for a particular account. This is useful if you accidentally replace a working password with an incorrect one or want to know how long it’s been since you last changed your password. It’s not quite as good as Dashlane’s password history tool, which shows you an indefinite history for each account, but it’s still a pretty rare and cool inclusion.
Overall, I like NordPass’s password generator. It does everything you need it to do, it’s easy to access whenever you need it, and it has the added benefit of providing password history. The password generator can be accessed from the desktop, web, and mobile apps, and directly from the browser extension.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) — A Decent Range, but TOTP Authenticator Is Business-Only
Multi-factor authentication is an optional way to add an extra layer of security to your account. All good password managers offer some form of two-factor or multi-factor authentication, and NordPass is no exception.
NordPass offers the following MFA options:
- Authenticator app — Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, and more.
- Security keys — A physical USB key that must meet FIDO U2F standard.
- Biometrics — Fingerprint (Android and iOS) or Face ID (iOS only).
- Backup codes — Use these when you’re unable to access your other MFA options.
Not all password managers support security keys, so it’s great that NordPass does. But other password managers, such as Dashlane, also offer one-time SMS codes, smartwatch compatibility, and other advanced options in addition to those NordPass offers, so depending on your preferred 2FA method, a different password manager may suit your needs better.
Setting up multi-factor authentication with NordPass is easy. From the main Settings menu, click Enable, and NordPass will take you to your Account Settings page on the web-based dashboard. From here, follow the instructions for your chosen MFA option. Once enabled, NordPass also provides you with a list of backup codes — which it will prompt you to save somewhere safe. These codes mean you can still access your account if you can’t use your authenticator app, i.e. if you lose your phone, which is a great addition for extra peace of mind.
The MFA options for your NordPass account are really good, but I was disappointed to find that NordPass only includes a TOTP (temporary one-time password) authenticator for use with business accounts. More and more password managers are adding this feature for all users (such as 1Password and RoboForm), making it far easier and more convenient to ensure an extra level of security for all of your online accounts.
Overall, NordPass has a decent range of MFA options for securing your main account. However, I’d like to see it offer even more options, and I’d definitely like to see a TOTP authenticator introduced to personal plans to easily add extra security to all your saved logins.
Passkeys — A Super Secure Alternative to Passwords
Passkeys is a feature that lets you create and log into accounts without a password. The concept is pretty cool, and it works quite well — when you create an account on a website that supports passkeys, simply enter your email address or desired username, and NordPass will ask you if you want to create a passkey for that account. It’s a much faster way of creating an account since you don’t need to enter any other details. Additionally, NordPass lists every website you have an account for that supports the creation of passkeys, meaning it’s easy to identify more chances to use this feature. However, the feature is still being fine-tuned and not many websites are compatible with it at the moment.
Creating a Passkey can be tricky on some websites, too. For example, in PayPal, you have to navigate into your account settings and set a passkey after creating your account the traditional way. I can’t see any beginner users doing this, and it didn’t really save me any time in the long run.
Also, while I created a passkey for DocuSign without any trouble, I saw no immediate benefit in doing so. I still had to click on NordPass’s icon in DocuSign’s login field to prompt NordPass to auto-fill the passkey, so it didn’t really save me any time over just using NordPass’s password auto-fill. Finally, you can’t import or export passkeys to other password managers either — which is really annoying, especially when password managers like Dashlane also support passkeys.
However, I do like that every NordPass user (including free users) can use passkeys. I also like how your passkeys are saved into a separate item category within the NordPass app to keep them organized. Finally, I like how passkeys can be shared with other NordPass users.
Overall, the inclusion of passkeys in NordPass is good, but not flawless. Currently, there aren’t many websites that support passkeys, and I didn’t find they saved much time when logging in. However, passkey adoption is expected to increase over time, as they offer greater security than traditional passwords. I’m really interested to see how this feature evolves in NordPass within the coming months.
Shared Items — Share Sensitive Info Securely & Conveniently
NordPass lets you securely share any of the items you’ve stored in your vault — login details, credit card details, personal info, and secure notes. Sharing is only available to NordPass Premium users, but NordPass Free users can receive shared items. This isn’t that unusual, although Dashlane allows its free users to share passwords with an unlimited number of other users.
NordPass has no limit to the number of items you can share or receive, and you can share items with as many different users as you wish. However, you can’t share entire folders unless you have a Business or Enterprise plan — although you can select all entries within a folder and share them at once. Dashlane allows entire categories to be shared, and 1Password even allows an unlimited number of separate vaults to be shared with different users. You also can’t share items with attachments through NordPass, which I found pretty disappointing.
That said, sharing your records in NordPass is super easy. Simply select the entry, choose Share, and enter the email address(es) you want to share it with. It’s possible to revoke access to an item you have shared at any time, and you also have the option to choose the rights the recipient(s) will have — full rights, which means they can view and edit the entire entry, or limited rights, which means they can’t view the sensitive information (i.e. the password itself) or edit the entry, but they can use the logins so long as they have the browser extension installed. This is a nice feature that most top password managers also offer.
However, even with a password manager, sharing passwords over the internet can be risky. For example, you could fall victim to a man-in-the-middle attack on a public Wi-Fi network and have your passwords intercepted. To counteract this, NordPass’s Trusted Contacts feature lets you manually establish an encrypted connection with your contact before sharing passwords with them. Think of it as a digital handshake to ensure the person you’re communicating with is trustworthy. It’s a great inclusion for those wanting extra security while managing passwords — especially if in a public setting.
Overall, NordPass’s Shared Items is a convenient way to securely share your passwords and other sensitive information with people you trust. It works well, it’s easy to implement, and it doesn’t limit the number of items you can share. However, it would benefit from shared folder or shared vault options outside of the two higher tier business plans, and I would also like to be able to share items with attachments.
Data Breach Scanner — Real-Time Breach Notifications (Paid Plans Only)
NordPass’s Data Breach Scanner searches the web to see if any of your data has been compromised. It then sends you real-time notifications if your email address appears in a breach. While most top password managers now include data breach scanning, not all send real-time notifications, and some (like McAfee True Key) don’t offer any kind of data breach scanning at all — so NordPass’s data breach monitoring feature is pretty good.
NordPass automatically checks for breaches on all of the accounts and credit cards in your vault, providing full details of any leaks, including the data that was compromised and a link to the website in question so you can easily change your password.
The real-time alerts are issued if your email addresses appear in a breach — the email address associated with your NordPass account is monitored automatically, but you can add as many more as you like (you’ll just need to verify each one to prove you are the owner). NordPass will then send you a notification if any one of them appears in a new breach.
Using this feature is very easy. Simply navigate to Data Breach Scanner in the side menu, and the scan will start automatically. Once scanned, details of any breaches will always appear here. To add additional email addresses to the live alerts, you just click on the Breach Monitoring button at the top of this screen and add the email addresses you want.
I tested the Data Breach Scanner and was alerted to 4 accounts that had been breached. NordPass then listed the websites where the breaches had occurred, and by clicking on each entry, I could see full details — including the date the breach occurred, and the information that was leaked.
Overall, NordPass’s Data Breach Scanner is a good feature. It’s easy to use, checks all of the information in your vault automatically, and provides real-time alerts to new breaches. It even allows you to add as many additional email addresses as you like, which very few password managers allow.
Password Health — Useful Login Checking Tool, But No Overall Score (Paid Plans Only)
NordPass’s Password Health is a tool that checks the strength and “health” of your passwords. It checks for 3 things:
- Weak Passwords — Easy to guess.
- Reused Passwords — Used for multiple accounts.
- Old Passwords — Over 90 days old.
In my tests, Password Health highlighted 39 accounts with weak passwords and 138 accounts where I’ve used a password more than once! I’ve invested a lot of time updating my important passwords over the last few years, but this just goes to show how many old passwords and accounts I still have that are vulnerable. From this main report screen, NordPass provides links to the relevant websites so you can change your passwords.
Overall, NordPass’s Password Health is a useful feature. It makes it easy to see vulnerable accounts and serves as a good prompt to update them. It’s just a shame it doesn’t give you an overall password health score like competitors such as Dashlane do.
Emergency Access — Share Your Account With Trusted Contacts (Paid Plans Only)
NordPass offers a way to share your passwords with trusted individuals in case of an emergency. Only Premium users can set up emergency contacts, but Free users can be the recipients. This isn’t unusual — RoboForm has similar emergency access features, and it also restricts the ability to grant emergency access to its premium plans.
Setting up your emergency contacts is easy. You simply go to the Emergency Access section on the app, choose Give Access, and enter the recipient’s email address. They will then receive an email from NordPass, and they will have to open the app to accept the request. Once accepted, this contact can request emergency access to your passwords at any time — you will be notified by email and have up to 7 days to confirm or deny their request, after which they will automatically be granted access. You can add multiple emergency contacts, and you can also remove them at any time.
I was happy to see that NordPass offers this feature, but it’s a bit more basic than other password managers’ emergency access. NordPass’s waiting period is always 7 days (whereas with RoboForm, you can select different time periods between 0 and 30 days), and the recipient will gain access to all of your passwords and secure notes — but nothing else in your vault. However, it’s better than Dashlane, which doesn’t offer an emergency access option.
Overall though, NordPass’s emergency access is a good feature. It can be set up and accessed from the desktop and Android apps, but it’s not currently supported on the iOS app.
Email Masking — Protect Your Email Behind Disposable Addresses (Paid Plans Only)
NordPass Premium includes email masking, which lets you create up to 200 unique, disposable email addresses for each of your online accounts and subscriptions. There is a daily limit of 30 email masks, which is quite generous. You can also delete a mask if you don’t want to receive the emails linked to it, or if you’ve reached the 200 limit. This action is permanent though, so be sure you don’t delete a mask you still need.
The key benefit of email masking is that it protects your primary email address from exposure and leaks on the dark web — reducing the risks associated with spam and phishing attacks. When you use a masked email, NordPass redirects any communication to your actual inbox, keeping your real email address shielded from third-party sites.
When registering a new account on any website, I simply clicked on the NordPass icon in the email field, and NordPass immediately gave me the option to use a masked email. I like that my primary email is still readily available underneath the masked one just in case I want to use that instead. When you create the email mask and use it right away, NordPass also remembers which account you used it for. I found this really handy when I forgot which mask I used to sign up for a newsletter. All I had to do was navigate to Tools > Email Masks, and I quickly found the right mask in the list.
Using the email mask didn’t cause any delays, and I promptly received a welcome email in my primary inbox after signing up to a website. You can also create a new email mask in the desktop or mobile app and copy and paste your masked email wherever you choose to use it.
I didn’t receive any notification from NordPass when I received emails using the mask, but I could see emails appearing in my primary inbox. I like the fact that the email masking uses NordPass’s own infrastructure — competitors like 1Password also offer email masking but make use of 3rd party services like Fastmail.
Overall, I’m quite impressed with NordPass’s email masking — it simplifies protecting your online privacy and allows you to use your email without sharing it. Plus, it doesn’t cost you anything extra.
NordPass Ease of Use & Setup — Simple & Intuitive for Both New + Experienced Users
How to Install NordPass (Just 3 Simple Steps):
- Create a NordPass account. Pick the plan you want and follow the instructions to create an account with NordPass.
- Download the installer. After account creation, you’ll be directed to a page with a “Download” button. Click on it to start downloading the software for your operating system. Once the download is complete, open the installer from your device and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Open the NordPass app. Log into your account in the NordPass app to start managing your passwords. Remember to download the relevant NordPass browser extensions in your desired web browsers, too.
NordPass is easy to use and has an intuitive interface, which makes it simple for users of all technical capabilities to navigate. Setting up NordPass is a very quick and simple process, too. It only took me a few minutes to download the NordPass app, choose my master password, and create my account.
NordPass has a “Getting Started” tab in the top left of the main dashboard, which you can keep going back to until you have completed all recommended initial steps. These include:
- Adding your first passwords.
- Adding the browser extensions.
- Getting your recovery codes.
- Setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Upgrading to Premium (or starting the 30-day trial).
I like how easy NordPass made it for me to set up the most important features — I used this screen to work my way through these steps in order.
NordPass can also import your passwords from a wide range of other password managers, including Dashlane, Keeper, LastPass, and RoboForm, as well as from every major browser. You can import passwords in formats such as CSV, JSON, ZIP, and 1PUX. For both desktop and Android app users, direct importing is available from the Chrome browser, and desktop users can also import directly from LastPass. For other browsers and password managers, desktop users need to export their data to a CSV file and then import it into NordPass. Imports via CSV files aren’t uncommon, but competitors like Keeper offer direct imports between top password managers, which is more secure and convenient.
To import from unsupported password managers, the CSV file has to be in a specific format. However, NordPass doesn’t provide a template, so I had to follow an online guide to get the format right — not the most seamless process.
That said, other than a few minor issues, importing passwords was pretty smooth. The remainder of the NordPass set-up process involved getting my Recovery Code, setting up MFA, and starting my Premium trial, all of which was very straightforward and well explained.
All in all, NordPass is pretty easy to both set up and use. It’s well-designed, clean, lightweight, and intuitive.
NordPass Mobile App — Great Features on Android, Limited on iOS
NordPass has mobile apps for Android and iOS. I tested the app on both an iPhone and Android smartphone, and setting up was simple in both cases. As soon as I had downloaded the app, I was prompted to log into my NordPass account. As I’d already activated multi-factor authentication, I then had to enter the code from my authenticator app, and finally, I was asked for my master password. Once logged in, I was prompted to enable auto-fill from the phone’s Settings menu, and given the option to set up biometric logins. And that was it: set-up completed.
The NordPass mobile app is very intuitive, and most features are just like the desktop app. With NordPass’s mobile app, you can:
- View, edit, and share all of the data saved in your password vault.
- Generate passwords.
- Check your passwords’ health.
- Scan for data breaches.
- Save and auto-fill your passwords and login details.
- Set up biometric authentication.
- Reset your recovery code.
- Set up and use email masks.
- Attach files up to 50 MB in size to your vault.
- Manage emergency access (Android only).
NordPass’s mobile app works well to access, view, edit, and share all the information in your vault. The password generator and health checker also work perfectly, and in exactly the same way as they do in the desktop app. The mobile app’s auto-fill function also worked pretty well on both iOS and Android.
NordPass’s mobile apps also include an OCR scanner for uploading new credit cards and notes. I tried scanning multiple notes and credit cards with it — and NordPass scanned them without issue every time. However, with my credit cards, I still had to manually enter some details (like the cardholder name), which was a bit annoying. Still, it’s good that NordPass includes a scanner, as this isn’t something that all password managers offer.
Overall, I quite like NordPass’s mobile apps. They work well, and the Android version comes with most of the features included in the desktop version of NordPass — which is great. However, it’s disappointing that the iOS support is limited and lacks important features like emergency access. If you’re an iOS user and a full-featured mobile app is important to you, I’d recommend 1Password, which has one of the best password manager apps for Android and iOS.
NordPass Customer Support — Helpful & Responsive Live Chat & Email Support
NordPass provides 3 types of customer support:
- Online knowledge center.
- Email.
- Live chat.
Compared to other major brands, this is a pretty good range of support. Password managers typically don’t offer phone support, and Dashlane, Keeper, and RoboForm are the only other password managers I’ve tested with live chat functions. The level of support I received from each of NordPass’s customer support channels was excellent, too!
I experimented with the live chat on numerous occasions, and each time I was connected to a live chat representative within a few seconds. Every support rep I interacted with was extremely welcoming and incredibly helpful.
I also tested NordPass’s email support and I found it equally impressive. I had to fill out a contact form via the Help Center, and I got an auto-reply right away to verify that my query had been received. I then received a helpful response from a support agent in just 2 hours, and continued to get quick responses after this.
NordPass’s customer service is primarily in English. Nevertheless, an agent confirmed that they could handle both emails and live chat requests in any language with the help of an in-built translator. The knowledge center also provides articles in English, Spanish, or French.
Overall, I was very impressed with NordPass’s customer service. There are a range of options to suit most people’s needs, and responses were always quick and helpful.
What NordPass Can Do Better — More Distinctive Features
NordPass is a solid password manager, but there are a few areas where it could be improved. For instance, the iOS app is missing features included in the desktop version (like emergency access). This is annoying if you rely on your mobile device. I’d really like to see these discrepancies addressed in the near future.
Likewise, NordPass has an excellent password generator that lets you create both passwords and passphrases, so it’d be great if you could generate passwords that automatically fit the specific requirements of different sites like you can with 1Password. I do like the fact that NordPass allows you to create passphrases, though, as not too many other password managers have this option.
Furthermore, there’s room for improvement in its password health checker. It doesn’t show an overall security score, which would help you better visualize the strength of your security. Additionally, NordPass doesn’t really offer any unique features. For example, 1Password has a travel vault, Dashlane offers a VPN, and Keeper provides encrypted chat — adding a distinctive feature would enhance NordPass’s overall appeal.
In short, while NordPass has a lot going for it, these little changes could make it even better.
Is NordPass a Good Password Manager for 2024?
NordPass is a good and highly secure password manager. It uses the latest in encryption technology — the XChaCha20 algorithm — as well as zero-knowledge architecture, multi-factor authentication, and biometric login security. It’s also very easy to use, has an attractive and intuitive app interface, and comes with some useful additional features, including secure file sharing, data breach monitoring, password health checks, email masking, and account recovery options.
However, I do have a few complaints about NordPass. I would like to see different forms for various entry types such as a driver’s license, passport, Social Security number, insurance policy, etc — so that you’re not forced to use custom fields. I’d also like to see NordPass improve its iOS app.
That said, NordPass is pretty good overall. It has all of the essentials, making it super accessible for beginner users or for those who want a simple and affordable password manager without heaps of extras. Plus, its customer support is among the best I’ve ever tested. If you’re after a password manager that does the basics well, NordPass is a really decent (and very reasonably priced) option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NordPass secure?
Yes, NordPass is very secure. NordPass uses the XChaCha20 encryption, which is said to be the future of encryption and more “future-proof” than the industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption. It also has a zero-knowledge policy, multi-factor authentication, and biometric logins.
Is NordPass included with NordVPN?
Yes — NordVPN offers multiple plans and 2 of them include NordPass. Specifically, the Complete and Plus plans come bundled with NordPass. If you opt for NordVPN’s Standard plan, it will only include NordVPN.
Where does NordPass store my passwords?
NordPass uses secure cloud storage to store your sensitive items, such as passwords and credit card details. This cloud storage method ensures continuous access to your data, even if your device encounters issues or gets lost. But here’s the crucial part: before your data ever reaches the cloud, it’s securely encrypted. This encryption ensures that only you, with your unique master password, can unlock and view your data. And with NordPass’s zero-knowledge architecture, not even the NordPass team can peek into your vault. It’s a blend of convenience and rock-solid security.
Does NordPass have a free version?
Yes, NordPass has a good free plan that includes all of its core features. The free plan is valid for 1 user account and can be synced across an unlimited number of devices. However, its main limitation is that you can only be logged into one device at a time. The free plan allows for unlimited storage of passwords, notes, personal info, and credit cards. You can also receive shared passwords from other users (but not share any yourself).
However, I think RoboForm’s free version is superior. It’s restricted to 1 device, but the form-filling tool is more advanced. You also get password auditing and password sharing.
Can I access my NordPass account if I lose my master password?
Yes. NordPass provides a Recovery Code that you can use if you lose your master password. This key is provided when you first create your account, and can also be reset at any time from the desktop, mobile, or web apps.
Does NordPass allow emergency access to my account?
Yes, NordPass has an emergency access feature. Only Premium members can set up emergency access, but NordPass Free users can be the emergency contact.
NordPass’s emergency access is basic, but it works. You can set up multiple emergency contacts, all of whom can request access to your passwords at any time. You have 7 days to confirm or deny an emergency access request, after which it will be granted automatically. Emergency access provides your contact with access to 100% of the passwords in your vault and your secure notes, but none of your other information.