The conundrum of password management has been a long-standing issue plaguing denizens of the World Wide Web. It is common knowledge that utilizing identical passwords across various platforms poses a significant security threat. However, the task of having to memorize a multitude of passwords is a daunting feat.
It is imperative to comprehend that utilizing the same password across multiple sites is a perilous undertaking. A distinctive password for each website is mandatory. This, however, presents a management issue, and thus, the advent of password managers.
Amidst the plethora of password managers, which ones reign supreme? We propose to advocate the preeminent password managers available in the contemporary landscape, comprising both paid and unpaid versions, and with an abundance of features.
Best password managers
Due to their value for money, their quality and because we have personally tested them, we can recommend these password managers.
NordPass
NordPass is a password manager that comes from the European privacy giant Nord VPN. A complete password manager that has a free version and a premium subscription.
It has all the features you need such as automatic saving functions when entering a website with a password, auto-completion and also saving credit cards and notes safely.
Now you can find an offer with a 43% discount on the NordPass Premium account. The Premium account costs only 1.69 euros per month in a 2-year subscription. In it you have functions such as switching devices without logging out, detection of weak passwords and search for leaked passwords on the web.
It also has a family account for up to 6 people where you can, if you want, share passwords or notes.
Bitwarden
Bitwarden It is not only one of our favorite password managers, it is also one of the best value for money.
Its free version is quite extensive with the option to store all the passwords you want, with all the devices you want and it will always remain free. But also, for only 10 dollars a year You get advanced two-step verification manager, emergency access, key authenticator, security reports, data storage.
Its security is audited and its roots are open source, there is even a version that you could install on your own server.
1Password
With 1Password You have one of the best-known password managers in the world, used by professionals and security experts, above all for being one of the first to offer a good design, interface, ease of use and a competitive price.
It has all the features you could need in a password manager like two-step verification, card storage, and note storage.
The bad thing is that 1Password does not offer a free version. Their prices start from 2.65 euros per month for 12 months or from 4.75 euros per month for 12 months for families (up to 5 members). To this must be added VAT.
KeePassXC
KeePassXC is one of the password managers free and open source best known in the world, which is constantly updated and has a very intense group of developers.
It is very secure and, unlike the rest of the options, it is based on a local password manager whose other devices are synchronized from the first one. There is no cloud in betweenmaking it safer as there are no intermediaries.
It is available on all platforms such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android or iOS. It also has extensions for Firefox, Chrome and Edge.
What is a password manager
A password manager is a program or an online service where you store your passwords along with the site name and username, all under one master password and with all data encrypted.
The good thing about having a password manager is that you only have to remember one. The bad thing is that if you lose that password you have a problem. But for that there are backup codes that you can always store somewhere else safely.
In the middle of 2023 if you don’t use a password manager you have a problem. It doesn’t matter which one you use, but it has to be safe. It is not worth using a document or Excel, which is another bad idea due to security problems and lack of organization.
What to look for in a password manager
A paramount concern when dealing with sensitive information is ensuring its safety. One method of achieving this is through the use of a password manager, which employs a master password that is encrypted with the highest level of security measures available.
It is not uncommon to forget a password, which is why password managers that offer the option to download recovery codes, typically limited to 10 uses and one-time use only, are highly recommended.
Any password manager that claims to be capable of recovering an account without requiring any information from the user is not end-to-end encrypted, and should be avoided at all costs due to its inherent security risks.
Furthermore, a good password manager should provide the ability to implement two-step verification, which involves a randomly generated six-digit code that changes every 30 seconds and can only be utilized in conjunction with your account on a specific service.
In addition to these security measures, it is equally essential for a reliable password manager to offer mobile, browser, and desktop applications in order to accommodate the widespread use of internet services.
If they ever hack a password manager, run
In December of the year 2022, it came to light that the renowned LastPass password manager experienced a security incident whereby an unauthorized party obtained access to their systems. This type of situation is the most significant problem that a security firm can encounter, and unfortunately, it is ample cause to lose your confidence. Consequently, even though numerous websites consider it a viable option, you will not find LastPass included in this list.
It would be best if you also did not place your confidence in password managers that are not maintained up to date. This includes open source projects that remain stagnant in development without enhancements for extended periods. In the realm of security, it is critical to continuously refine the software in pursuit of security vulnerabilities that could potentially result in a catastrophic digital life event. Hence, a lack of updates is a worrisome indicator.
