IronVest Review 2023: Expert Rated 4.1/5

You have numerous options when looking for the best password manager for your personal and business needs. I’ve tested and reviewed several popular password managers, and IronVest is a good choice for those particularly concerned about their digital footprint. However, it may be overkill for most.

Read on to learn about the pros, cons, features, and pricing of IronVest. And get answers to frequently asked questions about IronVest.

IronVest separates itself from the pack by offering several high-end security features that can bolster a user’s web anonymity. For those who are particularly cautious about being tracked, IronVest is an excellent product. That said, due to IronVest’s high cost for paid plans, most users are likely better off with the free version or a more standard password manager.

It’s also worth noting that IronVest does not offer any kind of desktop app. While I don’t see this as a huge drawback, as the bulk of a password manager’s functionality comes from its browser extension, a high-end password manager should have a desktop app in order to provide an optimal user experience.

From my experience with IronVest, the data importation process needs work. Like most password managers, IronVest allows you to import your data from other password managers via CSV file. However, this did not work for me. While IronVest is a new platform that’s surely working out some kinks, this shortcoming will make it very difficult for most users to make the switch.

IronVest also makes it very easy to sign in and create accounts with a masked email. As masked emails are one of the marquees of IronVest’s platform, it’s good to see that using them is a convenient experience.

IronVest offers industry standard AES 256-bit encryption and steps it up with no-knowledge architecture.

But two of IronVest’s biggest security draws are masked emails, credit cards, and phone numbers. In short, these are randomly generated email addresses and credit card numbers that automatically direct to your actual accounts. When you provide masked emails and credit cards online, it protects your real data from being shared, sold, or breached.

It should be noted that there are some additional fees associated with IronVest’s masked credit cards, including:

• $2 fee per masked credit card (first two free with Ultimate account)
• 1.5% fee per masked credit card charge over $100

Because of these fees, the Ultimate account tier at nearly $15 per month, which provides no-fee single-use masked credit cards, offers the best value for those who heavily utilize masked credit cards. Do you need the expense of masked credit cards, though?

My personal stance on masked accounts is that they’re unnecessary when you have a product that provides live dark web monitoring, such as Dashlane. This is a much more affordable and convenient way to ensure your data is protected. Also, some credit card companies provide virtual account numbers for free.

That said, I like to see password managers offer more than just one form of 2FA. Unfortunately, facial recognition is the only 2FA that IronVest supports. This is a drawback from those who prefer another form of 2FA.

IronVest is a unique addition to the password manager market as it provides many features that the average password manager does not. Masked credit cards, emails, and phone numbers are just a few of the features that separate IronVest from the rest. That said, these extra features are only useful to a niche market. IronVest’s paid plans are far more expensive and less compatible than most password managers.

See how IronVest compares to the top-tier password managers that the PasswordManager.com team recommends:

My review process involved a thorough study of what IronVest offers vis-a-viz the competition. In addition to this deep dive, I created a personal account to give IronVest’s features and functionality a comprehensive test drive.

I signed up for a plan with IronVest to test:

• Plan value: Most password managers offer various subscription plans from free to around $20 per month. While free plans may be sufficient for some, those that need more functionality may prefer paid plans.
• Platform compatibility: You likely access your online accounts from multiple devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, as well as through different web browsers. Your password manager should be compatible with various devices, operating systems and browsers, and sync seamlessly between them all.
• UX: This is how you interface with all the features and functions of your new password manager — if it’s bad, you’ll be less likely to use the service. While this is a highly subjective category and some will disagree, it’s important to provide an overview based on my experience.
• Form filling: A password manager doesn’t have to include form-filling, but it’s somewhat standard and the ease with which it performs that function can be the deciding factor in which password manager you ultimately choose.
• Security: Since a password manager is first and foremost a security tool, it should come with all of the most up-to-date standard security features. This includes the highest level of available encryption (256-bit AES with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512); 2FA, such as biometric logins or multi-factor authentication, and a password generator.
• Two-factor authentication (2FA): Used all over the internet to protect your accounts, this is quickly becoming a standard security practice. 2FA is a great way to secure more sensitive accounts to ensure they’re not breached.

Learn more about our review methodology.