Best Password Managers 2026: Independent Ranking
We rank password managers only by verifiable facts: whether zero-knowledge encryption is stated, whether the company publishes independent audits and when the latest one took place, whether the app code is open source, whether you can store passkeys and sign in with a hardware key, how many platforms are supported, whether there is a free plan and what the cheapest paid plan costs. Every fact links to an official page and carries the date we checked it. We do not grade usability by hand, and paid placements never change the Score.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bitwarden | 92 | Yes | Yes | $1.65 | Open source Passkeys Emergency access Free |
| 2 | Proton Pass | 91 | Yes | Yes | $2.99 | Open source Passkeys Emergency access Free |
| 3 | RoboForm | 83 | Yes | Yes | $2.49 | Passkeys Emergency access Free |
| 4 | Zoho Vault | 79 | Yes | Yes | $0.90 | Passkeys Free |
| 5 | Keeper | 76 | Yes | Yes | $4.41 | Passkeys Emergency access Free |
| 6 | LastPass | 70 | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Passkeys Emergency access Free |
| 7 | KeePassXC | 69 | Yes | Yes | $0.00 | Open source Passkeys Free |
| 8 | 1Password | 65 | Yes | No | $3.99 | Passkeys |
| 9 | Dashlane | 55 | Yes | No | $5.42 | Passkeys |
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $1.65
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- App code is open source and can be reviewed by anyone
- Runs on almost every platform
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $2.99
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- App code is open source and can be reviewed by anyone
- Runs on almost every platform
Details Visit site ↗ 100% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $2.49
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Runs on almost every platform
- Free plan available
Details Visit site ↗ 91% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $0.90
Pros
- Affordable paid plan
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Runs on almost every platform
Details Visit site ↗ 87% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $4.41
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Runs on almost every platform
- Free plan available
Details Visit site ↗ 87% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- Not verified
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Runs on almost every platform
- Free plan available
Details Visit site ↗ 73% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $0.00
Pros
- Affordable paid plan
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- App code is open source and can be reviewed by anyone
Details Visit site ↗ 72% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- No
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $3.99
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Runs on almost every platform
- Pays researchers for reported vulnerabilities
Cons
- App code is closed source
- No free plan
Details Visit site ↗ 92% backed by facts
-
- Independent security audit
- Yes
- Free plan
- No
- Cheapest paid plan per month
- $5.42
Pros
- The vault is encrypted on your device: the company cannot read your passwords
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Pays researchers for reported vulnerabilities
- Stores and autofills passkeys
Cons
- Expensive paid plan
- No free plan
Details Visit site ↗ 75% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- Enpass (39% backed by facts)
- NordPass (15% backed by facts)
- Psono (63% backed by facts)
How we calculate the Score
40%
Security
Whether zero-knowledge (end-to-end) vault encryption is stated, whether an independent security audit or penetration test of the product is published and the year of the latest one (current year scores full, minus 20 points per year), whether the client apps are open source, whether passkeys can be stored and autofilled, and whether a hardware security key (FIDO2/U2F, YubiKey) is supported for account sign-in.
20%
Features
How many of seven platforms are supported according to the official download page: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web app, browser extension (logarithmic, full score at 7). Plus whether you can share passwords with other people, get breach alerts (passwords and addresses checked against breach databases) and grant emergency access to a trusted contact.
20%
Price
Whether there is a permanent free plan (trials don't count) and the monthly price of the cheapest paid plan for one person, in US dollars as shown by the company (usually billed annually; the regular price, not a first-term discount): $0 scores 100, $6 or more scores 0. Fully free programs with no paid plan count as $0.
10%
Reputation
Average App Store (US) rating of the app, weighted by the number of ratings. No iOS app means no data for this factor.
10%
Transparency
Whether there is a public bug bounty programme paying for reported vulnerabilities, and the age of the company or product (15+ years scores full).
How to choose a password manager
Check encryption and audits
Choose a manager that encrypts the vault on your device (zero knowledge) and publishes independent audit reports. A recent audit and open source code let you verify the company's claims instead of taking its word for it.
Create a strong master password
The master password is the only key to your vault, and the company usually cannot recover it. Make it long (a phrase of several random words), never reuse it, and write it down somewhere safe.
Turn on two-factor sign-in
Protect your account with a second factor: an authenticator app or, better, a FIDO2 hardware key. A stolen master password is then not enough to sign in.
Make sure it runs on all your devices
Check that there are apps for your computer, phone and browser. A manager missing on one of your devices nudges you back to simple, reused passwords.
Plan access for your family
Emergency access or a family plan lets a trusted person reach the passwords they need if something happens to you. Set it up in advance and keep your recovery kit safe.
Frequently asked questions
Which password manager is the best right now?
The service ranked first has the highest Score under our open methodology. The best choice for you depends on what matters most: check the factor bars — security, features, price — and pick the leader in the factor you care about.
Is it safe to keep passwords in a cloud password manager?
With zero-knowledge encryption the vault is encrypted on your device with your master password, so the company cannot read it even if its servers are breached. What matters most is a long, unique master password and two-factor sign-in. See the Security facts: encryption, audits and open source code.
Is there a good free password manager?
Yes: several services in the ranking have a permanent free plan, and some open source programs are entirely free. See the Free plan fact. We do not count trials as free plans. Free plans often limit the number of devices or features such as emergency access.
What are passkeys and why store them in a password manager?
A passkey lets you sign in without a password using a cryptographic key that cannot be phished. If your password manager stores passkeys, they sync across your devices and are not tied to one ecosystem (Apple, Google or Microsoft).
Do you take past password manager breaches into account?
We show a security incident for information only, and only if the company itself officially reported it, with a link to its statement. It is not part of the Score: the formula counts verifiable safeguards — encryption, independent audits, open source code and bug bounties.
How do you rank password managers?
By facts from official pages — each with a link and a check date — and a fixed, public formula. We do not grade app usability by hand, so the ranking is reproducible and cannot be bought.