Using weak or reused passwords for your online accounts can be detrimental to the security of your personal information. However, it can be near impossible to remember your passwords for countless accounts for work and personal use. Enter the password manager.
A tool designed to encrypt your most private data and keep it safe, password managers are a must-have in 2020. Not only does a password manager protect your most secure information, it can be a major time saver. You no longer need to memorize passwords for countless websites and logins for your personal or business use. Password managers can auto-fill credentials for your accounts as well as name, address, and credit card info, making online transactions faster than ever. Most password managers can also generate complex, virtually impossible to guess passwords for you, saving you the hassle of creating multiple random passwords. Check out more benefits of different password managers below, as we look at some of the top-used options.
One Key
If simplicity and ease are what you’re looking for in a password management tool, One Key is what you need. Access your encrypted data with one master password, which you can create via the Password Generator feature, ensuring it will be safe and strong. One Key does not require any internet access to use, making it easier than ever to store your credit card details, logins, and other information. As an added bonus, this app is completely ad-free!
Price: Free to download with in-app purchases and a ‘premium’ version available.
LastPass
This cross-platform password management app offers options for personal and business use. LastPass includes access on all of your devices, as well as one-to-one sharing. You’ll have a ‘vault’ as your home base for passwords, payment info, logins, and other secure details. This platform uses local-only encryption at the device level, which keeps your info secret, even from LastPass. With additional features like form autofill, data breach monitoring, and more, LastPass is trusted by millions of users to keep their information safe.
Personal Price: Free for 1 user. Upgrade to Premium for $3/ month for 1 user. $4/month for up to 6 users for Families.
Business Price: $4/user/month for Team use of 5-50 users. $6/ user/month for Enterprise use of 5+ users. $3/user/month for MFA use of 5+ users. $8/user/month for Identity use of 5+ users.
BitWarden
BitWarden is a completely open-source password manager perfect for personal or organization use. Users of BitWarden treasure its strong encryption algorithm and built-in password generator. You can place very specific access control policies on your ‘vault’, which can be audited with helpful reports. BitWarden allows you to host on-site, without the need for an external cloud service.
Personal Price: Free for 1 user. Upgrade to Premium for $10/year for 1 user. $1/month for 5 users for Family Sharing.
Business Price: Free for 2 users. $5/month for Teams of 5 users. $3/user/month for Enterprise use.
1Password
1Password uses a ‘secret key’, created locally on your device, with your master password to encrypt your data and keep your information safe. Create security policies, monitor access, and prevent threats with 1Password’s Advanced Protection, which is included in all 1Password Business accounts. With a special built-in feature called Watchtower, you will be alerted to security issues on websites you use and can see if any of your passwords have appeared in data breaches.
Personal Price: $2.99/month for 1 user. $4.99/month for 5 users for Families.
Business Price: $3.99/user/month for Team use. $7.99/user/ month for Business use. Custom quotes available for Enterprise use.
KeePass
Looking for a low-cost option for password management? KeePass offers extreme security on a ‘DIY’ platform, and it’s free! One master password, or a combination of a key file with the password, can be used as extra security. With features like multi-language support, intuitive and secure clipboard handling, and a powerful editor for text files, KeePass has become increasingly popular. This password manager is best suited for the tech-savvy community, but there are resources available to help guide you through set-up.
Price: Free!
There is no one right option when selecting a password manager, but it is important to choose one that is easy to use and fits your needs. Using a password manager is a great safety practice and can protect you from identity theft and data breaches. By only needing to remember one master password, it will be easy to keep your passwords and personal information safe and secure. It’s never too late to take this step to protect yourself, and the peace of mind knowing your accounts are secure will be well worth it.
