Updated on: April 23, 2024
Short on time? Here’s our favorite password manager in 2024:
- 🥇 1Password: High-level security with 256-bit AES encryption, zero-knowledge architecture, and various two-factor authentication options. Includes useful extras like secure password sharing (with anyone), password security auditing, dark web monitoring, hidden vaults, and 1 GB secure storage.
A password manager is one of the safest ways to protect your login credentials in 2024 — and probably the most convenient, too. Millions of user accounts are hacked every year as a result of data breaches, phishing attacks, and password cracking, but password managers can help protect you from this.
A good password manager takes care of everything for you — it can generate secure and unique passwords, store them in a vault, and even auto-fill all of your logins, so you don’t have to memorize anything. Password managers use encryption to protect your login credentials and other sensitive information, and many can also alert you to data breaches so you can quickly secure any related accounts.
But not all password managers provide the same level of security — some log your data on their servers or lack secure two-factor authentication (2FA), increasing the risk of your saved logins being stolen in a data breach or by a password cracking tool.
All the password managers I recommend however, use advanced security technologies to protect user data, such as end-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge architecture, two-factor authentication (2FA), password auditing, and breach monitoring.
In this article, you’ll learn how top-rated password managers reliably secure your logins and protect your account and devices from being hacked. And, I’ll also recommend the best password managers in 2024.
TRY THE BEST PASSWORD MANAGER IN 2024
How Do Password Managers Keep Your Data Secure?
Password managers store all of your information in a secure password vault — this includes logins as well as other data like addresses, travel documents, payment information, and more. This vault is typically locked by a secure master password. The information in your password vault is encrypted using robust 256-bit AES encryption, and this encrypted data is transmitted to the password manager’s proprietary cloud servers, so that your vault can be synced across all of your devices and apps.
Password managers use a process called hashing to securely handle user information. In this process, your master password and a unique chain of random characters (known as a “salt”) generated on your device are used to create a unique hash. This hash is stored and used for password verification, but it can’t be reversed to obtain the original password.
Password managers also employ end-to-end encryption, meaning that the keys to decrypt your data are only stored on your devices. This allows you to sync your password vaults securely across multiple devices. A password manager that employs good end-to-end encryption is described as having a zero-knowledge architecture. This means that even the developers of your password manager have zero knowledge of the contents of your password vault.
However, none of these tools will fully protect you if a hacker gets hold of your master password. While password managers generate a new device key for any device authenticated with your master password, a hacker could potentially access your password vault from their device if they steal your master password. This is why it’s essential to protect your password vault with a strong master password and to use additional security measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and other cybersecurity programs.
Can a Password Manager Be Hacked?
A password manager can only be hacked if your master password is somehow exposed, shared with an untrustworthy person, or cracked. As I pointed out in the section above, if a bad actor steals your master password, they can authenticate a unique key on their device and access your entire password vault. This is why it’s very important to create a long master password (at least 12 characters).
Even a strong master password can be compromised if your computer is infected with malware such as keyloggers, screenloggers, trojans, spyware, or rootkits. These malicious programs record your keystrokes and screen activity, or simply give hackers remote access to your computer, which allows them to steal your master password and access your password vault.
This is why I strongly recommend using a premium antivirus program like Norton to protect your computer from all types of malware.
While client-side hacking is a risk, server-side hacking isn’t something you need to worry about with a reputable password manager like 1Password or Dashlane. These managers use secure end-to-end encryption, making your information completely uncrackable on a password manager’s servers. Therefore, even if hackers successfully breach your password manager’s servers, your information should remain secure. This was demonstrated when LastPass’s servers were hacked in 2015. Hackers were able to access some internal LastPass data, but no user data was extracted from the encrypted files on LastPass’s servers.
Tips on How to Further Secure Your Password Manager
It’s essential to create a strong master password. Password managers like 1Password help users create a strong and unhackable master password with useful on-screen instructions, and it flags any master password that’s too short, overly simplistic, or a duplicate of a password already stored in the vault.
You can strengthen your master password’s security with two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA requires users to provide a second piece of verification in addition to their login information, such as a biometric scan, a temporary one-time password (TOTP), or a USB token like Yubikey. Using 2FA to secure your password manager ensures that even if your master password is compromised, your password vault remains protected.
The best password managers offer a variety of 2FA methods to enhance login security — USB and biometric scans are considered among the most robust forms of 2FA due to their difficulty to duplicate (1Password supports both).
It’s also important to make sure that none of your passwords are weak — for instance, if you’ve been using “MyCat’sName1234” across multiple accounts, it’s time to change that. Password vault auditing tools can analyze each of your stored logins and flag any repeated, weak, or generic passwords, allowing you to replace them before they’re potentially compromised.
Finally, you need to maintain your vault’s security. Most top-rated password managers provide breach monitoring tools that instantly notify you if any of your passwords are leaked in a public data breach — Dashlane even has a live dark-web monitoring team, which scans hacker forums for private data breaches.
And that’s it! Once you’ve selected a strong master password, set up good 2FA protection, audited your password vault, and activated data breach monitoring, your password manager is about as secure as it can possibly be.
Best Password Managers for Keeping Your Passwords Secure
Quick Summary of the Best Password Managers for Keeping Your Passwords Secure in 2024:
- 1. 🥇 1Password — Best overall password manager in 2024 (top security with extras like multiple vaults).
- 2. 🥈 Dashlane — Secure password manager with more extras than most competitors, including a fast VPN.
- 3. 🥉 RoboForm — Budget-friendly with good security and impressive form-filling + bookmark storage.
🥇1. 1Password — Best for Comprehensive Password Security in 2024
1Password includes excellent password security with strong encryption, zero-knowledge architecture, and a great set of extra features. It uses bank-grade 256-bit AES encryption to secure your password vault from attackers, as well as hashing technology, security keys, and a master password to ensure that your data is only accessible from your devices. Due to this zero-knowledge architecture, even 1Password’s developers can’t access your data.
You also get a wide range of two-factor authentication options for additional security, as well as local data storage that lets you access your vault offline. 1Password includes excellent additional features, like:
- Secure password sharing.
- Travel Mode.
- Passkey support.
- Password security auditing.
- Dark web monitoring.
- Shared family vaults.
- Encrypted storage (1 GB).
- Privacy Cards (US users only).
It’s great that 1Password lets you securely share passwords and other sensitive data with anyone, not just other 1Password users. Most competitors only allow sharing among users, so it’s great that 1Password doesn’t force the password recipient to create an account to be able to view and use the shared credentials.
One of my favorite 1Password features is Travel Mode, which allows you to hide certain logins while you’re traveling. This feature is very easy to use and prevents intrusive border officials from accessing your social media or other personal information.
I’m also a big fan of 1Password’s security auditing. In my testing, it identified a couple of weak passwords, detected 3 duplicate passwords, and alerted me that one of my credit cards had expired. 1Password’s data breach monitoring tool scans HaveIBeenPwned, which is a database of publicly available data breaches — it’s good, but not as good as Dashlane’s live dark web monitoring team.
Passkey support is another great feature that makes 1Password stand out. Passkeys are a highly secure and efficient alternative to passwords that eliminate the need for passwords by allowing you to sign into compatible websites without having to click any buttons. They’re likely to replace passwords in the coming years.
1Password Individual ($2.99 / month) includes all the above-mentioned features for a single user — whereas 1Password Families ($4.99 / month) adds coverage for up to 5 accounts, as well as a vault-sharing dashboard that makes it easy to adjust permissions and recover accounts for family members on a shared plan.
1Password lets you add an unlimited number of users to the family plan for a small fee — and it’s the only password manager to do so (it’s the best password manager for families in 2024). You don’t get a money-back guarantee, but there’s a risk-free 14-day free trial, which gives you enough time to try it and see if it’s right for you.
Read the full 1Password review
🥈2. Dashlane — Excellent Security + Tons of Features
Dashlane is very secure, comes with a ton of convenient features, and is super simple to use. In addition to 256-bit AES encryption and zero-knowledge architecture, it has the following security features:
- Password security auditing.
- Secure password sharing.
- Virtual private network (VPN).
- Live dark web monitoring.
- Passkeys.
Like 1Password, Dashlane has an excellent vault auditing tool that checks the strength of all of your passwords and gives a score for your overall password security.
What sets Dashlane apart is its live dark web monitoring, the best I’ve seen in the market. It scours data breaches and dark web forums, providing live updates if your data is compromised. I tested this, and thankfully, none of my passwords were exposed!
Dashlane is unique in offering an integrated VPN. Although it doesn’t outperform the best standalone VPNs, it provides a secure, user-friendly option that can access streaming sites — a rare find among password managers.
Dashlane Free allows you to store 25 passwords on 1 device. Despite other brands offering multi-device syncing on their free plans, Dashlane remains one of my favorite free password managers. Dashlane Premium ($4.99 / month) covers unlimited devices, whereas Dashlane Friends & Family ($7.49 / month) adds up to 10 users. You can try Dashlane with a 30-day free trial, and all purchases are backed by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
🥉3. RoboForm — Budget-Friendly Option with Good Security
RoboForm provides secure password protection, offers the most precise form-filling functionality out of all password manager apps, and is one of the most affordable password managers on the market. Its zero-knowledge architecture and end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption ensure that your data is secure on its servers. It also offers excellent security features like:
- Password auditing.
- Password sharing.
- Emergency access.
- TOTP and biometric 2FA.
- Support for passkeys.
- Bookmark storage.
The vault auditing tool increases login security by flagging weak and repeated passwords, and its 2FA options ensure that your vault is securely locked behind both a master password and either a fingerprint scan or one-time passcode. But unfortunately, RoboForm isn’t compatible with USB 2FA tools (unlike 1Password).
One standout feature of RoboForm is its advanced set of form-filling templates, the most comprehensive among any of the password managers on my list. It automatically enters information like home addresses, bank account information, vehicle registration, passport information, and more. In my tests, this feature helped save me tons of time when I filled out an online application for a new credit card.
RoboForm has a pretty good free version, which offers password auditing, 2FA, bookmark storage, cloud backup, and unlimited logins for 1 device. The premium plan RoboForm Premium ($0.99 / month) adds shared folders, emergency access, and cloud backup on unlimited devices, while RoboForm Family ($19.05 / year) allows for up to 5 separate user accounts. All RoboForm premium plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there’s also a 30-day free trial.
Comparisons of the Safest Password Managers
How to Choose the Best Password Manager for Your Needs
- Check for strong security measures. All of the password managers on this list come with 256-bit AES encryption, provide two-factor authentication (2FA), and employ a zero-knowledge architecture, ensuring your passwords are safe from prying eyes.
- Look out for valuable extra features. Beyond the industry-standard features like encryption and auto-fill, I’ve selected password managers that offer additional security tools. These include password vault auditing, advanced 2FA options, and data breach monitoring. Some even come with unique features; for instance, 1Password offers hidden vaults and virtual payment cards, and Dashlane includes a VPN for added online privacy.
- Make sure it’s easy to use. A password manager should simplify your life, not complicate it. All recommended options have user-friendly interfaces and intuitive apps for major platforms.
- Compatibility. An effective password manager should offer robust applications for both desktop and mobile. Each of the top contenders I’ve selected operates seamlessly across all operating systems and devices.
- Look for the best value. The best password managers provide a balance of competitive pricing, a strong suite of features, and customer-friendly policies like free trials or money-back guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main risk of using a password manager?
The biggest risk of using a password manager is getting your master password cracked or stolen — if this happens, your entire vault can be accessed. The master password (which is used to unlock your password manager) is vulnerable if it’s too weak, and it can also be compromised through a phishing attack, a data breach, or a malware infection. To avoid these situations, use a strong, unique master password (12 or more characters, including numbers and symbols) and install a top antivirus (Norton is my favorite) to keep your system clean from malware.
Does a password manager know all of your passwords?
No, a good password manager employs zero-knowledge architecture and end-to-end encryption, ensuring it cannot access your passwords. All of the password managers on this list rely on zero-knowledge architecture and end-to-end encryption to maximize user security. So, while your password manager stores and auto-fills your credentials, the developers behind the app remain unaware of the contents of your encrypted password vault.
How safe is Google Chrome password manager?
Google Chrome’s built-in password manager is reasonably secure — it uses strong encryption, and Google offers the option to protect accounts with TOTP 2FA apps like Google Authenticator. However, Google doesn’t offer advanced features like password vault auditing, dark web monitoring, and secure password sharing, and it doesn’t sync well across devices and browsers.
Also, Google Chrome’s password generator is very basic and doesn’t offer the same customization options to generate complex passwords as top standalone password managers like 1Password.
What if a password manager is hacked?
In the event of a password manager’s servers being hacked, your stored logins are still safe. The top password managers protect your personal data with 256-bit AES encryption, which is the same encryption standard used by banks and militaries. So, if a password manager’s server is hacked, all of your information is unreadable. For example, LastPass’s servers were hacked in 2015, but no user information was compromised in the hack.
If your password vault is hacked, contact your password manager’s customer support, change your master password, and consider deleting your account. To prevent your password manager from being hacked, I strongly advise that you combine a strong, unique master password (that’s at least 12 characters long and includes random numbers and symbols) with 2-factor authentication (2FA). Also, I recommend that you install an antivirus like Norton to prevent hackers from using malware to steal your master password.
