8 Best Password Managers (2026), Tested and Reviewed

Scott GilbertsonGearAug 2, 2026 7:30 AMThe Best Password Managers to Secure Your Digital LifeKeep your logins secure with our top password management apps for PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, and web browsers.Courtesy of ProtonCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyPasswords are a classic catch-22: If they’re good, they’re hard to remember. But if they’re easy to recall, they aren’t effective. Because we are an eminently practical species, most of us err on the side of convenience. “Password” and “123456” have been the two most commonly used passwords on the web (“admin” also ranks high), and in 2026, sadly, that’s still the case.It doesn’t have to be this way. In this article, I’ll teach you how to memorize hundreds of random 16-character strings and keep track of which works where.Just kidding. That might work for Memory Grand Master Ed Cooke, but it probably won’t for you and me. What I will do is help you find a password manager to do the memorizing for you and give you access to those crazy-long, crazy-strong passwords whenever and wherever you need them.Updated August 2026: We’ve revamped and reorganized this guide based on more recent testing.Table of ContentsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronBest for Most People: BitwardenBest Free Password Manager: Proton PassBest for Sharing: KeeperBest Upgrade: 1PasswordBest Full-Featured Manager: DashlaneBest for Bundled Services: NordPassBest DIY Options (Self-Hosted)Other Password Managers We TestedWhy (and How) You Should Use a Password ManagerHow We TestBest Password Manager for Most PeopleCourtesy of BitwardenSave to wishlistSave to wishlistBitwardenPassword Manager$20 Bitwarden (Premium, Yearly)$48 Bitwarden (Families, Yearly)Shop atBitwarden (Free)Bitwarden is secure, open source, and free with no limits. The applications are polished and user-friendly, making Bitwarden the best choice for most users. Did we mention it’s open source? That means the code that powers Bitwarden is freely available for anyone to inspect, seek out flaws, and fix. In theory, the more eyes on the code, the more airtight it becomes. Bitwarden is also audited by third-parties to ensure it’s secure. You can even install it on a local server for easy self-hosting if you prefer to run your own cloud.Bitwarden offers apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android, as well as extensions for all major web browsers. Bitwarden also supports Windows Hello and Touch ID on its desktop apps for Windows and macOS, giving users the added security of those biometric authentication systems. The web interface (which I frequently use) is also well done and easy to use.Bitwarden supports passwordless authentication, meaning you can log in with a one-time code, biometric authentication, or a security key. Bitwarden also has excellent support for passkeys, including the ability to log into Bitwarden with a passkey, which means you don't need to use your username or password even to open your vault. There’s also some extras, like a feature to securely share files (called Bitwarden Send), a built-in 2FA authenticator app (paid only), and an extremely active and helpful community.We like Bitwarden’s semi-automated password fill-in tool. If you visit a site you’ve saved credentials for, Bitwarden’s browser icon shows the number of saved credentials from that site. Click the icon, and it will ask which account you want to use and then automatically fill in the login form. This makes it easy to switch between usernames and avoid the pitfalls of autofill. If you simply must have your fully automated form-filling feature, Bitwarden supports that as well.Why Not Use Your Browser?AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronMost web browsers offer at least a rudimentary password manager. (This is where your passwords are stored when Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox ask if you’d like to save a password.) This is better than reusing the same password everywhere, but browser-based password managers ar