Enterprise password managers are must-have tools for organizations of all shapes and sizes. While consumer-based password managers are good for users' personal lives, enterprise security and desktop administrators require more comprehensive password managers that offer greater security, control and visibility across the entire organization.
Let's examine the key features to evaluate in enterprise password managers and look at five leading product options.
What to look for in an enterprise password manager
While both consumer and enterprise password managers securely store user passwords, offer encryption and support MFA, enterprise password managers also offer stronger security features for controlling access to enterprise systems, enforcing policies and mitigating credential-based risks.
When evaluating enterprise password managers, consider the following features:
- Secure storage and retrieval of passwords.
- Enterprise password policy enforcement, such as password length and strength requirements, and generation of new passwords that meet those guidelines.
- Password synchronization across each user's devices and applications.
- Secure password sharing, for those cases where password sharing is permitted.
- Notification when a password has likely been compromised.
- Centralized administration and reporting.
Leading enterprise password managers
Let's look at some popular enterprise password managers. The following tools were selected based on market research. Each has sizable customer bases, is under active development and has numerous publicly available user reviews contributed by verified purchasers. This list is organized alphabetically.
A word of caution before we continue: Enterprise password manager vendors are inconsistent in their labeling of "enterprise" password managers versus "business" password managers. NordPass, for example, offers a Business version and a more fully functional Enterprise version built on the framework of the Business version. On the other hand, 1Password's Business and Enterprise Password Manager offerings are completely different. The Enterprise version is part of a larger Extended Access Management suite and the Business version is more consistent with what other enterprise password managers offer.
This article chooses the appropriate tier -- Business, Enterprise, etc. -- for each product based on functionality, not the tier's name.
1Password Business
1Password Business integrates with several major identity and access management (IAM) platforms, including Duo, Entra ID, Okta and OneLogin, as well as with a variety of developer tools, enabling capabilities such as signing SSH keys and Git commits.
Pros
- UI ease of use, especially its autofill capabilities.
- Integration with mobile apps, particularly on iOS devices.
Cons
- Reauthentication required too frequently -- e.g., every few hours.
- Initial setup and configuration can be more challenging than expected.
Pricing
- $7.99 per user per month, paid annually.
- 14-day free trial.
Bitwarden Password Manager for Business
Bitwarden Password Manager for Business provides secure generation and storage for passwords, passkeys, SSH keys and time-based one-time passwords, as well as secure storage of notes and other forms of credentials. The product's source code is independently audited and is also publicly available for security review and testing.
Pros
- Stellar documentation and outstanding customer support.
- Excellent integration with system for cross-domain identity management (SCIM).
Cons
- Unnecessarily difficult UI.
- Hard to distinguish the admin and user portions of the interface.
Pricing
- Enterprise version costs $6 per month per user, paid annually.
- 7-day free trial.
Dashlane for Business
Dashlane for Business provides secure storage for passwords, passkeys, secrets -- e.g., private keys -- and other credentials, as well as payment card information. It supports integration with SCIM provisioning, single sign-on (SSO) and log management technologies.
Pros
- Clear and easy to use UI.
- Ease of sharing passwords, secrets and other items among users.
Cons
- Deployment and initial configuration are more complicated than expected.
- Lacks some of the admin features that most competing password managers offer.
Pricing
- $8 per month per user per month, paid annually.
- 14-day free trial.
Keeper Enterprise Password Manager
Keeper Enterprise Password Manager synchronizes with Active Directory and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, and integrates with Entra ID and MFA via Duo and RSA. It also offers CLI and SCIM provisioning.
Pros
- Easy to use and easy to manage.
- Comprehensive technical support services, documentation and training.
Cons
- Not as customizable and flexible as some organizations would like.
- Some third-party integrations not sufficiently strong.
Pricing
- $6 per user per month, paid annually.
- Free trial available (duration not specified).
NordPass Business
NordPass Business integrates with IAM and SSO platforms from Entra ID and Okta, and supports SSO through Google and Microsoft. It is regularly audited by third parties and offers a bug bounty program.
Pros
- Autofilling passwords through browser extensions.
- Customizable, flexible password policy configurations.
Cons
- Performance issues, most notably slow password synchronization between devices.
- Integration support is not as comprehensive as competitors'.
Pricing
- Enterprise: $5.99 per user per month with a one-year commitment.
- 14-day free trial.
Karen Kent is the co-founder of Trusted Cyber Annex. She provides cybersecurity research and publication services to organizations and was formerly a senior computer scientist for NIST.
