It’s not the sexiest of topics, but password management is a vital part of everyday life.
At least, it should be.
I’m amazed by how many of my friends and family still write down passwords on bits of paper. Worse still, they re-use passwords they devised at university and turn to the most obvious words and phrases when forced to create a new one.
The good news? The latest range of password managers makes this essential element of your digital life an absolute cinch. In fact, they do it so well, you never have to think about password management – at all.
The bad news? There are loads of password managers to choose from. As a result, the internet is already chock-full of ‘best password manager’ guides, and I’m aware that neither you nor I have the time to get into the weeds with what should be a relatively simple choice.
So, this is my typically high-level guide to just three of the biggest and best password managers on the planet.
Why do you need a password manager?
We all deal with passwords every single day. Whether it’s your online banking details, work CRM login or Facebook account, you’ll need a set of credentials to access your most important data.
Unfortunately, hackers are acutely aware of what lies beyond those credentials. It’s why 2021 was a record-breaking year for data breaches.
Nasty people want your stuff. Password managers will help keep them away from your stuff. It’s that simple.
But they do more. A great password manager will help you create new, strong passwords in a matter of seconds, and enable you to store far more than login credentials in the most secure digital vault possible.
So, what’s best out of 1Password, NordPass, and LastPass? They all offer form filling, two-factor authentication, and biometric support, but only one will be right for you.
1Password
- Price: from $2.99 per month (free trial available)
- Works on: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome OS
- Best feature: goes far beyond a regular password manager
- Be aware of: no free version available
- Try it for FREE here and get 25% off your first year
1Password has a huge, loyal fanbase, and it’s not hard to see why. Spanning every platform you can think of and a particular favourite with Mac users, it’s one of the most comprehensive password managers on the market.
It’s actually my password manager of choice, having switched to 1Password last year from Apple’s Keychain.
For me, 1Password offers a super-secure vault (or a number of vaults) for literally anything I want to keep safe, from the obvious (login details) to the less obvious (driving licenses). The superb ‘Watchtower’ feature also keeps an eye out for any websites I use that have been compromised.
There are some great add-ons, too. In 2021, 1Password added a masked email address feature in conjunction with their partner, Fastmail. You have to subscribe to both services, but the ability to generate a random email address directly within 1Password when signing up for a new online service is so useful.
You can also share anything within your vault with non-1Password users via a secure, temporary web link via the ‘Psst!’ service. Again – super handy.
But, arguably, one of the most defining features of 1Password is Travel Mode, which lets you temporarily remove sensitive data from your device to prevent pesky border control agents from finding it.
The downside? There’s no free version. But, then, is anything in life really free?
Bottom line: 1Password is a tough one to beat, given its deep, genuinely useful features and fair pricing
NordPass
- Price: from FREE
- Works on: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome OS
- Best feature: a nicely-featured free plan
- Be aware of: can be expensive unless you grab a special offer
- Try it here
If there’s one thing you want from a password manager, it’s peace of mind, and you’ll get bags of that from NordPass, considering that it comes from the team behind NordVPN.
Just like NordVPN, NordPass has a pleasingly simple and clean interface that is available across virtually every platform you can think of. And although its feature set isn’t quite as far-reaching as 1Password, it does contain the essentials, such as secure password sharing.
There’s a free tier of NordPass, which is always welcome, but you may quickly yearn for some of its missing features. If you’re lucky, you’ll grab a decent deal on a paid plan (they arrive fairly regularly), but if you don’t, it’s worth bearing in mind that NordPass can get a little pricey.
Bottom line: if you’re a NordVPN fan, this is probably the obvious choice
LastPass
- Price: from FREE
- Works on: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome OS
- Best feature: clean, simple design
- Be aware of: the free version is rather limited
- Try it here
If you’ve heard of 1Password, you’ve probably heard of LastPass, because it’s these two password managers that are usually pitched against each other.
Despite this, there’s no doubting that LastPass doesn’t have quite the depth of features as 1Password. It therefore suits anyone who wants the simplest form of password management with a couple of useful bells and whistles.
The LastPass user interface is instantly recognisable, thanks to the copious use of brand logos when searching through your password vault. It’s a matter of taste, of course, but I find the LastPass user interface a little busy and overwhelming at times – particularly when you just want to find that vitally important password, quickly.
There’s a free tier on offer, which is certainly welcome. But over the years, LastPass has gradually reduced its functionality, revealing once again that very little comes for free if you’re serious about online security.
Bottom line: A simple all-rounder, but be careful with the free version – it’s not what it once was
Keychain (for Apple users)
If you know me, you know I’m an Apple guy, and as noted earlier, Keychain was my password manager of choice many years before I discovered 1Password.
If you’re wedged firmly within the Apple ecosystem, it might be the best password manager for you, too. Because while Keychain offers nowhere near the number of features of the three products listed above, it is completely free and deeply embedded within macOS, iOS, and iPadOS.
If you don’t want to invest in a third-party password manager, that’s cool – just make sure you’re really putting Keychain to work across your Apple devices.
Conclusion
I can’t tell you which password manager is right for you – it’s entirely a personal decision and should be based solely on your feature needs, user interface preference, and the platforms you use.
For me, 1Password beats both LastPass and NordPass hands-down, making it the winner of this particular battle. The fair pricing, simple but comprehensive user interface, and slew of genuinely useful new features issued every year ensure it’s the first thing I install on every device.
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The feature that keeps me at LastPass is the Emergency access. If I get hit by a bus, my emergency contact can get access to my passwords. Does 1Pass offer that?
Is there a reason you leave out KeePass?
[…] Some are absolutely lovely. They’ll have their favourite method of securing all of their digital stuff, and they’ll politely let you know about it. Others are, I’m afraid, utter clowns. They’ll accuse you of misinforming your audience or tell you to “take down this video and remake it with the correct information” (I kid you not) if you fail to mention their favourite password manager. […]