By: Gunnar KallstromHead of Information Systems and Cybersecurity Research
Small businesses are increasing reliant on online accounts to operate effectively, and with employees accessing various systems and sensitive information, strong password security is a top priority. Password managers tailored to small businesses can centralize password storage, enforce strong password practices, and enable secure sharing of credentials so your business has a robust defense against unauthorized access. Learn about the best password managers for businesses that can can fortify your organization’s cybersecurity, streamline operations, and protect your valuable digital assets.
Best small business password manager
(4.7)
Dashlane offers one of the largest plan varieties of any password manager, making it ideal for businesses of all sizes. Business-oriented plans start at $20 per month for up to 10 users but can be scaled up as your business grows. All plans come with unlimited passwords and 1GB of storage per person.
| Starting price 4.7/5 | Platform compatibility 5.0/5 | User experience (UX) 4.7/5 | Form filling 4.7/5 | Security 4.7/5 | Two-factor authentication (2FA) 4.2/5 | Storage capability | Top features |
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| Free | Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, OS, iOS, Android | Simple and easy to navigate | Automatically populates login information but occasionally struggles to recognize other fields | Uses military-grade AES 256-bit encryption along with zero-knowledge architecture and live dark web monitoring | 2FA available on all plans using an authenticator app | From 1GB to 1GB per user depending on plan |
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Dashlane has everything a small business could need from a password manager. It provides top-notch security with various premium features, such as live dark web monitoring and a password health checker sets it apart from many other password managers. The simplistic interface will make it easy for your employees to get up and running.
While the free version is only suitable for an individual user on a single device, the business and team plans are well worth the price. Its premium plans also come with a virtual private network (VPN), something I’ve yet to find with any other password manager.
It uses a licensed version of Hotspot Shield, which would cost you $12.99 per month if you buy it on its own. While Dashlane’s version is more limited, it’s still a tremendous value given that its Premium plan costs only $4.99 monthly.
Dashlane’s plans come with top-end security using powerful AES 256-bit encryption alongside zero-knowledge architecture that encrypts information at the device level rather than in the cloud. To date, I’ve seen no evidence of any security breaches with Dashlane.
Who is Dashlane best for?
Dashlane’s premium plan is the obvious choice if you use a VPN, but small to large businesses can also get great value from the service. You can start with the $20 per month plan for up to 10 users, then upgrade to either the $5 per person Team plan or $8 per user Business plan as your company grows.
Recent upgrades to Dashlane:
Dashlane recently upgraded its CSV import process to let you quickly import information from other password managers. A new bulk delete function also allows you to remove information you no longer need easily. The new extension works with passkeys and lets you add your linked websites and subdomains to your logins that share the same Dashlane account.
Dashlane pricing:
While Dashlane’s free tier is only for individuals, its Team and Business plans are a great value. Starting at $20 per month or $5 per user, Dashlane isn’t the cheapest small business password manager, but I felt that its Premium features made it the best value.
Keeper’s Business plan costs only $2 per person per month, but it doesn’t have the same capabilities or support as Dashlane. Similarly, Zoho Vault’s $4.50 per user per month Professional plan is marginally cheaper than Dashlane but less capable.
Pros and cons of Dashlane
Best low-cost small business password manager
(4.6)
It lacks the always-free password manager plan for individuals that Dashlane and Zoho Vault have. But Keeper offers the cheapest business plan of the three password managers on this list. I also appreciate how customizable Keeper is, letting you customize the vault to meet your needs.
| Starting price 4.5/5 | Platform compatibility 4.5/5 | User experience (UX) 5.0/5 | Form filling 4.5/5 | Security 4.5/5 | Two-factor authentication (2FA) 5.0/5 | Storage capability | Top features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.92 per month | Compatible with almost every operating system (OS) and browser | Clean and minimalistic interface makes navigation a breeze | Automatically populates login, billing, and shipping information, as well as auto-save for new passwords | Uses top-notch AES 256-bit encryption with zero-knowledge architecture for optimum security | 2FA available via text, authenticator apps, security keys, or Duo | 100 MB for Web Vault, 5 GB for desktop app, 100GB for iOS and Android on most plans |
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Throughout my testing, I found Keeper one of the best password managers for small businesses. At only $2 per user per month, it has one of the lowest-cost business plan options and doesn’t skimp on features.
With Keeper, you get military-grade security and a user-friendly interface compatible with nearly any OS or browser. I particularly appreciated the customizable vault, which small businesses can use to tailor to their needs. For example, someone who stores a lot of data may like splitting their vault into different tabs for categories like passwords, credit cards, personal information, and shared items.
The main shortcoming with Keeper was a lack of a VPN, which would take it to another level. I also found it cumbersome that Keeper’s customer support is only via email, unlike Dashlane’s live chat.
These drawbacks are minor compared to the tremendous value you get from this top password manager. Keeper still stands out in a crowded marketplace for offering great value at a competitive price.
Who is Keeper best for?
After testing Keeper, I found it is most suitable for businesses of all sizes. It offers a robust business plan that can be easily scaled depending on your company’s size and comes with features like Security Audit and BreachWatch.
Recent upgrades to Keeper:
Keeper consistently updates its platform to improve functionality and the UX. Recent and planned upgrades include mega speed improvements for both iOS and Android apps and a new release for iOS 16.7.0 and Android 16.5.15 and 16.5.10. The vault will also be updated with a share admin feature enabled. And Keeper will arrive in Japan and Canada.
Keeper pricing:
Keeper doesn’t offer an always-free version for individuals, but its business plan is the cheapest on this list. For only $2 per user per month, you get unlimited passwords, storage, reporting, and single sign-on (SSO) capabilities. Dashlane’s business plans start at a comparable price of $20 per month for up to 10 people but then increase to $5 or $8 per user per month. Zoho Vault’s $4.50 per person per month Professional plan and $7.20 per individual per month Enterprise plan align with Dashlane’s pricing.
Pros and cons of Keeper
Best small business password manager for storage
(4.4)
Zoho Vault is an impressive password manager with all the features a small business could want. Its unlimited storage is what sets it apart from the competition.
| Starting price 5.0/5 | Platform compatibility 5.0/5 | User experience (UX) 4.7/5 | Form filling 3.0/5 | Security 4.5/5 | Two-factor authentication (2FA) 4.5/5 | Storage capability | Top features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Web (Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Vivaldi), Windows | User-friendly dashboard that provides a snapshot of overall password usage and password assessment score | No form filling capabilities | Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit | Multifactor authentication (MFA) provides options for how to authenticate | Unlimited |
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Zoho Vault continually improves its platform and has become a solid and secure password manager for small businesses and beyond. While it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles like other providers, it handles the basics well and offers unlimited free storage.
It combines top-notch security with affordable prices to ensure you get a solid bang for your buck. Small teams may like Zoho Vault’s Standard plan, which costs only 90 cents per user per month. Or you can upgrade to the Professional plan for $4.50 per person per month for more reporting capabilities.
I appreciate the new breached password alerts, which appear on your dashboard when you log in. The platform is also easy to navigate with only five main sections: Dashboard, Passwords, Folders, Audit, and Settings. This ensured I never got lost while using it.
The one thing Zoho Vault is blatantly missing is form filling, something almost every other password manager offers. That said, given the platform’s track record for continuing to update and improve, I wouldn’t be surprised if this feature shows up soon.
Who is Zoho Vault best for?
After testing Zoho Vault, I find it’s best for small to medium-sized businesses who can take advantage of the lower 90 cents per user per month plan. Yet larger teams won’t break the bank with the $4.50 per person monthly Professional plan, either. And all plans come with impressive unlimited storage.
Recent upgrades to Zoho Vault:
Zoho Vault is continually improving its platform. Recent upgrades include the ability to view auto-generated, time-based, one-time passwords (TOTP) and share them; keyboard shortcuts; browser extension enhancements, and support for German and Italian languages.
Zoho Vault pricing:
Zoho Vault’s pricing aligns with Keeper and Dashlane for comparable features. Small teams can enjoy top-of-the-line features for a rock-bottom 90 cent per user per month price. Or, if you need more room to grow, the $4.50 per person per month Profesional plan or $7.20 per user per month Enterprise plan are both great values and cheaper than Dashlane.
The latter offers comparable plans at $5 per individual per month or $8 per user per month, respectively. Keeper prices below market at $2 per person per month for its Business plan.
Pros and cons of Zoho Vault
While I chose Dashlane as the best small business password manager, it was a close competition. Keeper and Zoho Vault are also excellent options you may prefer, especially if you’re looking for a lower cost or more storage.
Dashlane had all the features I wanted in a password manager and the most user-friendly UX. The one thing Dashlane is lacking in most of its plans is SSO capabilities that let you log into multiple applications with a single set of credentials. I didn’t find this missing feature to be enough to rule it out as the best small business password manager.
Keeper offered the best price-to-value opportunity at only $2 per user per month for all the same features Dashlane provides. However, Keeper’s support is only available via email vs. Dashlane’s live chat, something I felt could hinder small businesses.
Zoho Vault also offers competitive pricing and the most storage of any password manager on the market. It falls short, though, with a lack of form filling and limited support options like Keeper.
That said, you can’t go wrong with any of these top small business password managers.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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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| 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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| Zoho Vault Overall rating: (4.4) Read our full Zoho Vault review. Consider Keeper if: You want to enjoy the feature of secure biometric logins. | Starting price: Free Platform compatibility: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Web (Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Vivaldi), Windows Security: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit |
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| 1Password Overall rating: (4.8) Read our full 1Password review. Consider 1Password if: You want unlimited passwords and password sharing with all plans. | 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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| 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 Microsoft Edge 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 to get additional features and are willing to pay a high price for it. | Starting price: $3 per month Platform compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile platform Security: Zero-knowledge security model |
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| NordPass Overall rating: (4.3) Read our full NordPass review. Consider NordPass if: You don’t want different 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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Password managers are software programs that help you securely store and monitor your login information. These programs use encryption to ensure only you can access your data. To access your information, you only need to remember one master password for the platform — and if you forget it, many offer account recovery options to get you back in.
Business and consumer password management plans offer many of the same features, although you’re more likely to find reporting and SSO with business plans than consumer ones. The business plans also tend to be higher priced or use a per-user model rather than a flat monthly fee.
MFA is a way to add extra security to your system by requiring an additional code for logging in. You will need to use a second device or account to receive this code and verify you are the one trying to log in. Many businesses are transitioning to MFA models, especially with people increasingly working from home.
Password managers use some of the strongest encryption methods available, such as AES 256-bit encryption, also used by the U.S. military and widely believed to be unbreakable. Other measures include zero-knowledge architecture that prevents data from being stored in the cloud in unencrypted format. That said, data breaches can happen, so it’s best to take your own measures, such as requiring employees to use strong passwords.
Password managers are usually designed to be user-friendly, especially when providing services to businesses that don’t want to waste valuable time onboarding employees to the service. Some business plans even come with priority technical support, and others offer multiple languages so you can work with teams across borders.
On the surface, all password managers essentially fulfill the same functions — they generate and store passwords. In creating our list of recommendations for the best password manager, we dug deeper, comparing software on what matters most, including price, platform compatibility, security, and other factors.
I signed up for a plan with each provider to test:
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).