By: Gunnar KallstromHead of Information Systems and Cybersecurity Research
Password managers are invaluable tools for generating and recalling robust passwords, simplifying online form filling, and safeguarding sensitive information. If you’re on a budget and seeking an affordable solution, our list presents the best cost-effective password managers available. Whether you’re an individual user, looking for a solution for your family, or aiming to enhance your business’s security without breaking the bank, our comprehensive list has the perfect budget-friendly recommendation for you.
Best cheap password manager
(4.8)
Millions of individuals and businesses use 1Password for a good reason: It offers top-of-the-line security at a fair price. Not only do you get exceptional value with 1Password, but the platform is continually innovating to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers.
| Starting price 4.8/5 | Platform compatibility 5.0/5 | User experience (UX) 5.0/5 | Form filling 5.0/5 | Security 4.5/5 | Two-factor authentication (2FA) 5.0/5 | Storage capability | Top features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.99 per month | Works with almost every operating system and browser. | The friendly design gives a concise view of all available features. | Automatically populates login, billing, and shipping information and bypasses CAPTCHA requirements. | Uses robust AES 256-bit encryption with a Secret Key for optimum security. | 2FA available with authenticator apps, security keys, or Duo. | 1GB per user for most plans or 5GB per person for business plans. |
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1Password is one of the most impressive password managers I’ve tested. In a crowded market, it stands out for its exceptional user interface (UI) and value for the price.
While 1Password isn’t the lowest-cost password manager on this list, I chose it as the best cheap password manager because I feel it offers the best value for what you pay. You can find cheaper offerings, but none will provide the same breadth of features and UX.
1Password uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption alongside a Secret Key to keep your data safe. It also provides one of the best 2FA features of any password manager I’ve tested, giving you many options for receiving your authentication verification. Unlike many other password managers, I haven’t found any evidence of 1Password ever being hacked.
The business and enterprise plans have reporting capabilities that generate custom analytics for additional insights into how your business or household uses 1Password. Unfortunately, the team plan doesn’t offer reporting, something I’d like to see added to the platform.
Who is 1Password best for?
Through testing 1Password, I find it most suitable for individuals and families. The business and enterprise plans are also compelling.
Recent upgrades to 1Password:
1Password 8 introduced dark mode and gives admins more features such as copying, archiving, or creating password groups. Full Linux support is also further expanding 1Password’s operating system compatibilities. Additional improvements include easier entry editing, improved performance and security, updated item icons, a detailed view for items and vaults, and a redesigned sidebar.
1Password pricing:
1Password is the only password manager on this list lacking an always-free plan, but I feel it warrants its slightly higher price with superior functionality and features — especially when you consider free plans tend to be limited in scope. 1Password’s plans start at $2.99 for individuals or $4.99 for families.
Comparable plans with Dashlane cost $2.75 per month for individuals or $7.49 per month for the family and friends plan. LastPass’s Individual plans start at $3 per month and Families plans are $4 per month. You can get a 14-day free trial on all of 1Password’s plans.
Pros and cons of 1Password
Best cheap password manager for VPN users
(4.7)
Dashlane offers a compelling value on all plans, but it is the only password manager to offer a VPN — and for only $4.99 per month. Even if you don’t care for a VPN, you can likely appreciate Dashlane’s other plans, including one of the best free password manager plans I’ve tested.
| Starting price 5.0/5 | Platform compatibility 5.0/5 | User experience (UX) 4.8/5 | Form filling 4.8/5 | Security 4.8/5 | Two-factor authentication (2FA) 4.3/5 | Storage capability | Top features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, OS, iOS, Android. | Simplistic and easy to navigate. | Automatically populates login information but occasionally struggles to recognize other fields. | Uses top-notch AES 256-bit encryption with zero-knowledge architecture and live dark web monitoring. | 2FA on all plans. | From 1GB to 1GB per person depending on plan. |
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Dashlane is unique among password managers for its plan variety, especially the premium plan that includes a VPN for only $4.99 per month. It uses a licensed version of Hotspot Shield, which would cost you $12.99 per month if you were to buy it on its own. While Dashlane’s version is more limited, it’s still a tremendous value.
All of Dashlane’s plans use top-notch security and various premium features, such as live dark web monitoring and a password health checker, set it apart from the competition. I haven’t found evidence of any security breaches, and even if there were one, your data would be protected by its local encryption and zero-knowledge architecture that encrypts information at the device level rather than in the cloud.
New users can appreciate the always-free plan, which, while more limited than the premium offerings, is still the best free password manager I’ve tested. You get unlimited passwords, 2FA, secure password sharing, and 1GB of storage, all for $0 per month. That said, you get the best value with its paid plans, especially if you use a VPN — or want to.
I also appreciate that Dashlane offers support via live chat rather than email or support tickets, as is the case with many of its competitors, including 1Password and LastPass.
Who is Dashlane best for?
Anyone looking for a cheap password manager can appreciate Dashlane. That said, the premium plan that includes a VPN is where the best value is to be had. I also found its free plan to be among the best free password managers available.
Recent upgrades to Dashlane:
Updates include a new CSV import process for moving information from other password managers to Dashlane. There is now a bulk delete function to remove information you no longer need and a new extension that works with passkeys and lets you add your own linked websites and subdomains to your logins that share the same Dashlane account.
Dashlane pricing:
Dashlane’s plans offer tremendous value for the price. It has the best always-free plan of any password manager I’ve tested, but you’ll need a paid Advanced plan for the best features, which starts at $2.75 per month. For comparison, similar plans with 1Password and LastPass begin at $2.99 per month or $3 per month, respectively. My favorite of all Dashlane options is the Premium plan with a VPN, which costs $4.99 monthly.
Group users can also appreciate the reasonably-priced Friends & Family ($7.49 per month) or Start plan, which supports up to 10 individuals for only $20 per month. Larger groups can also use the Team ($5 per person per month) or Business plans ($8 per user per month).
Pros and cons of Dashlane
Best cheap password manager for groups
(4.4)
LastPass is one of the password managers for groups thanks to its affordable multi-user plans. I also liked how it rewards you with a 10% discount for exploring everything it offers.
| Starting price 4.5/5 | Platform compatibility 5.0/5 | User experience (UX) 5.0/5 | Form filling 4.5/5 | Security 3.0/5 | Two-factor authentication (2FA) 4.7/5 | Storage capability | Top features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Compatible with ChromeOS, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge, iOS, Android, Windows PC, MacOS, Linux | Simple, understandable, and generally easy to navigate, plus rewards you for exploring. | Easily create data sets for automatic form filling. | AES 256-bit encryption | Included with all plans. | Ranges from zero storage on free plan to up to 1GB per user on group plans. |
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LastPass’s multi-user plans are a compelling value, but even individuals can enjoy its simple and understandable UI that rewards you for exploring its many features. You can earn a 10% discount for completing different “achievements” that help you learn how to use the platform. I’ve yet to encounter this with any other password manager I’ve tested.
LastPass’s Business and Teams plans are easily scalable, making them a great value for groups of all sizes. Both these plans offer customizable reporting. Unfortunately, single sign-on (SSO) is only offered on the highest-tier Enterprise plan.
While it boasts high levels of support, in my experience, if this exists, it’s well hidden, and this is the main issue with LastPass. Customer service appears to be largely a self-serve exploration of FAQs. You can submit a support ticket if you have a problem that can’t be answered through other people’s questions. This style of customer support feels even more lackluster compared to Dashlane’s live chat.
It’s also important to highlight that while LastPass uses the same military-grade AES 256-encryption as most of its competitors, it has been the target of several data breaches.
Who is LastPass best for?
LastPass offers one of the most compelling Team and Business plans of all cheap password managers. Both plans have all the features you could want, plus customizable reporting capabilities. While the company claims to provide superior support for these plans, I couldn’t verify this in my testing.
Recent upgrades to LastPass:
LastPass recently launched an updated browser extension interface. It’s also added support for YubiKey through its 2FA. Business users will especially appreciate the new support for adding multi-factor authentication to incoming Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connection requests.
LastPass pricing:
Like Dashlane, LastPass offers a Free version — although LastPass’s may be the most limited of all, considering you get no storage. Premium plans start at $3 per month compared to $2.75 monthly for Dashlane and $2.99 for 1Password.
The Teams plan, which supports up to 50 people, costs $4 per monthly user. You’d have to pay $5 per person per month for that many people with Dashlane and $7.99 per individual per month with 1Password.
Pros and cons of LastPass
When you’re looking for the best cheap password manager, the cost is paramount, but it’s best to avoid mediocre features or UX. For this reason, I chose 1Password as the best cheap password manager, although Dashlane and LastPass are also excellent options.
While 1Password doesn’t offer an always-free version, I’ve always felt that such free plans tend to be too limited to be worth comparing. Instead, I prefer to evaluate the premium plans to get a feel for all the password manager has to offer. And in this realm, 1Password does not disappoint. It combines top-notch security with some of the best premium features I’ve found.
Dashlane also provides a similarly robust platform with the added bonus of a VPN. The one area I wish Dashlane would improve is in more customization, which 1Password does provide.
LastPass may be the most compelling cheap password manager for business users, who can benefit from its rock-bottom pricing. Be aware of recent data breaches, however, although the company reports it has found no threat-actor activity since October 2022.
Other password managers we considered but didn’t rank among the best include:
See how the best password managers compare to other top-tier options:
| Password manager | Details | Best features |
|---|---|---|
| 1Password Overall rating: (4.8) Read our full 1Password review. | Starting price: $2.99 per month Platform compatibility: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Web (Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), Windows Security: AES 256-bit encryption, 2FA |
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| Dashlane Overall rating: (4.7) Read our full Dashlane review. Consider Dashlane if: You’re only interested in a personal plan. | Starting price: Free Platform compatibility: Android, iOS, Mac, Web (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), Windows Security: AES 256-bit encryption, 2FA |
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| LastPass Overall rating: (4.4) Read our full LastPass review. Consider LastPass if: You want additional features. | Starting price: $3 per month Platform compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile platform Security: Zero-knowledge security model |
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| Keeper Overall rating: (4.6) Read our full Keeper review. Consider Keeper if: You want to enjoy the feature of secure biometric logins. | Starting price: $3.75 per user Platform compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iPhone, and iPad. Browser extensions for Safari, Opera, Firefox, Edge, Chrome Security: AES 256-bit encryption, PBKDF2 |
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| RoboForm Overall rating: (4.5) Read our full RoboForm review. Consider RoboForm if: You want to sync your passwords through multiple platforms and won’t mind its compatibility with fewer platforms than 1Password. | Starting price: $24 per year Platform compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android support for their respective major browsers, including Edge Security: AES 256-bit encryption, 2FA |
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| NordPass Overall rating: (4.3) Read our full NordPass review. Consider NordPass if: You want the same packages for your family and business. . | Starting price: $2.49 per month Platform compatibility: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and popular browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Safari Security: XChaCha20 encryption algorithm and a zero-knowledge policy |
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While the axiom “you get what you pay for” is often true among password managers whose free plans are more limited in scope than paid offerings, there are several quality free password managers. Some of our top picks include Dashlane, Keeper, and RoboForm.
Password managers are designed to help you keep your information safe, but you’ll still need to use secure passwords. These are at least 16 characters long, include no personal information, are unique from your other passwords, and include a mix of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
Many browsers offer to save your passwords for you to make logging in faster, but these services come with important drawbacks. For instance, many don’t use the same level of security and encryption as password managers and seldom require 2FA. This is why it’s best to use a password manager for storing passwords.
As with all software, password managers are still subject to security breaches. That said, the best password managers use top-notch security to keep your data safe. For example, many use AES 256-bit encryption, the same stuff used by the U.S. military and government. Some combine this with zero-knowledge architecture that ensures your data is only unencrypted at the local level.
Password managers work hard to make their platforms intuitive and easy to use. Based on my testing, two of the easiest password managers are 1Password and Dashlane. Both providers offer a streamlined UX that makes navigation a breeze and plenty of resources to help if you get lost.
The safest password managers use the best security and have little or no history of breaches. Both 1Password and Dashlane meet these criteria. And despite data breaches, even LastPass is trustworthy, in my opinion, because it is working hard to prevent future attacks.
All password managers are designed to fulfill the same purpose: generating and storing secure passwords. However, not all password managers meet this requirement to the same degree. We dug deeper to determine which password managers rise above the rest, comparing what matters most to users, such as price, platform compatibility, security, and functionality.
To test each provider, I signed up for a plan and evaluated it on the following metrics:
Learn more about our review methodology.
About The Password Manager, Gunnar Kallstrom:
Kallstrom, The Password Manager, is a Cyber Team Lead for a Department of Defense (DOD) contracting company in Huntsville, Alabama, and has worked as a Computer Network Defense (CND) Cyber Analyst. An author and content creator for a cybersecurity academy, Kallstrom spent nearly 15 years in the Army as a musician before entering the cybersecurity field.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Thomas Edison State University and a master’s in organizational development and leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word.
Kallstrom has completed several Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) courses, including Security+, Network+, A+ Core 1, and A+ Core 2. He earned a CompTIA Security+ Certification. Additionally, he has completed the Cyber Warrior Academy program with more than 800 hours of hands-on, intensive, and lab-driven technical training in cybersecurity methods and procedures.
Passionate about all things cyber, Kallstrom was a speaker on a panel at the 2022 InfoSec World conference, giving a talk entitled “Hacking into a Cyber Career – True Stories.” Kallstrom is also a mentor to entry-level cybersecurity candidates seeking to break into the field. When he’s not working, he still enjoys playing guitar and fishing (not phishing).