Full disclosure. I use 1Password, and I don’t pay for it. The company provides complimentary accounts to journalists, not for us to evaluate the product and write about it, but as part of a program aimed at helping reporters stay secure online. I signed up through that program and use it for my own password manager.

This isn’t a referral perk or some clever trick. It’s simply a security initiative for members of the media and, unfortunately, many readers won’t qualify for it.

The good news is you don’t need special access to use a solid password manager. Several services offer free plans, and others have paid tiers that cost far less than you might expect. If you want to avoid paying a premium price or prefer a free option, there are still plenty of good choices.

Learn how you can get a free or cheap password manager.

You should be using a password manager if you aren’t already

Weak or reused passwords are still one of the easiest ways for attackers to break into online accounts. When companies suffer data breaches, login credentials often end up circulating in large databases that criminals can access. From there, attackers run those credentials across other websites in what’s known as a credential stuffing attack. If you’ve reused the same password in several places, one breach can quickly snowball into several compromised accounts.

Password managers exist to stop that cycle. They generate strong, unique passwords for each account and store them securely in an encrypted vault. Even if you’re creating strong, unique passwords yourself, rather than relying on a password manager to generate them for you, a password manager still helps. Instead of trying to remember dozens of complicated logins, you only need to remember one master password. The manager fills in the rest automatically when you sign in on your devices.

Many modern password managers also support passkeys, which are beginning to replace traditional passwords on some services. Since some password managers let you store passkeys, it’s not an either-or situation -- you can save your passkeys in a password manager. Password managers play an important role because they organize and manage all of your credentials in one place. They’re one of the simplest ways to improve your everyday online security.

I get 1Password for free, but I'd use it even if I had to pay

I mentioned this earlier, but my 1Password account comes through the company’s program that offers free access to journalists and some security professionals. The idea is that reporters handle sensitive information and juggle many accounts, so the company makes the full service available to help keep that work secure. The account itself works exactly like a normal paid subscription with all the same features. But even if I didn’t get it through this program, it’s still a service I would pay for.

There’s a reason 1Password is so popular. The interface is clean and easy to understand. It’s approachable even if you’ve never used a password manager. Autofill has always worked reliably across browsers, phones and computers for me, and that matters because I move between devices during the day. It also has secure sharing tools that let you send login information to someone without dropping it into a text or email. I like that.

The service also includes a feature I love called Travel Mode. Travel Mode lets you temporarily remove sensitive vault items from your devices while traveling and restore them later. I travel a lot, so this is important for me.

This isn’t meant to be a sales pitch. You should evaluate what’s out there and purchase what you think will work best for what you need. 1Password just happens to be what works best for me. If I didn’t have free access, I’d still consider 1Password the most solid option out there for my use cases.

You can get a free password manager, but you may have limited features

Some password managers offer free plans, but they usually come with limited features. Depending on the service, the free tier might limit how many devices you can use, how many passwords you can store or which features you can access.

Some free versions also leave out tools that are available in the paid plans. For example, Bitwarden’s free tier gives you unlimited password storage and device syncing, but features like vault health alerts and its multifactor authentication tool are reserved for its paid plan. NordPass also offers a free tier, but free users can only stay logged into one device at a time, which can be pretty inconvenient. Dashlane had a decent free plan, but the company discontinued it in 2025.

A few free options are strong enough to use for the long haul, though. Bitwarden is the clearest example and currently sits at the top of CNET’s list of best password managers. Its free plan lets you store an unlimited number of passwords and sync them across devices, which already covers the core job most people need a password manager to do.

Proton Pass is another solid free option. It also allows unlimited password storage and works across devices, but, as expected, its more advanced features hide behind its paid plan.

Other password managers offer free plans, but many of them function more like previews of the paid version. They give you a sense of how the software works, but hold back enough features that upgrading eventually becomes necessary.

These are the cheap(er) paid password managers you should consider

Paying for a password manager doesn’t have to cost much if the limits of a free plan start to feel too restrictive. Many premium subscriptions are reasonably priced and mainly add convenience and extra security tools on top of the core password storage features.

Bitwarden Premium is one of the cheapest upgrades available. The paid tier adds vault health reports that help identify weak or reused passwords, along with encrypted file storage and emergency access for trusted contacts. It builds on the same unlimited password storage and device syncing offered in the free plan.

NordPass is another good option that also provides easy access on multiple devices, password health reports and a data breach scanner.

Keeper is a solid choice if you want more storage for the family plan. It also gives you offline access if you’re not online 24/7. Dashlane is also good for their family plan if you have a lot of users, but it tends to be a little pricey for smaller families.

In general, you should expect to pay between $10 to $60 per year for most premium password managers, depending on the features you want, how long you commit and whether you choose an individual or family plan.

Here’s how you can save money on a password manager

If you decide to pay for a password manager, there are a few things you can do to keep the cost down. Start by choosing an annual subscription instead of paying month-to-month. Most services offer some sort of discount when you pay once per year since that money is paid upfront, and the annual price is usually where the real value appears.

That said, it’s wise to avoid multiyear subscriptions. These plans can look cheap at first, but a lot can change over the course of two years. A company might raise prices, change ownership or adjust its features. Committing to a single year keeps your options open. No need to marry when you just started dating.

It’s also important to watch the renewal price. Some password managers offer a discounted first year, then renew the subscription at a higher rate. Before signing up, check what the normal price will be and consider turning off autorenewal so you can decide later whether the service is still worth the cost.

Of course, there are sales to keep an eye out for, too. You’ll see password companies run promotions sometimes, like during Cyber Week, the holiday season and early in the new year. Take a moment to look closely at the actual numbers. I haven’t noticed this with password managers myself, so don’t take my word for it, but it’s not uncommon that some companies will employ tricks to make the discount look larger than it really is. Be cautious.

You may also see password managers bundled with other privacy and security tools such as VPNs or identity protection services. These bundles can sometimes reduce the overall cost, but you should only consider one if you’re actually going to use those other services. Nevertheless, you probably should be using a multifaceted cybersecurity toolbox, even if you go the à la carte route. You should also make sure that the services you use are reputable and transparent about their practices.

What about Apple, Google and Microsoft's free password managers?

Apple, Google and Microsoft all offer built-in password managers, and those offerings have gotten better over time. Apple has the Passwords app and iCloud Keychain, and Google includes password management in Chrome and Android. In 2025, Microsoft consolidated its password manager, which is now available through the Edge browser, but its Authenticator app also supports passkeys.

The appeal is pretty clear. Password managers from Microsoft, Google and Apple are free and come built into devices and browsers people already use. They’re simple to set up, too. If you mostly use one platform, they can handle the basic job of storing passwords and autofilling logins without paying for a separate service.

You can expect some tradeoffs, of course. These built-in password managers tend to offer fewer advanced features compared to dedicated services. You’ll find things like detailed security reports, secure password sharing and encrypted file storage are extremely limited or missing. They may also be less flexible if you move between different platforms or browsers.

These tools can work well enough for people who stay on the same platform. But if you use a mix of devices and operating systems, a third-party password manager is usually the better option.

Want to make a switch?

One interesting thing I’ve found about password managers is that they’re really good at preparing people to move to another service, so they include tools to make that process easy for the user.

Each service is different, so I’ll have to generalize here instead of giving you a step-by-step how-to guide for transferring. You’ll want to start by exporting your passwords from your current password manager. This typically creates a file containing your saved login. From there, you can import that file into a new service. Most major password managers support imports from competitors.

Once the import is complete, test autofill on a few websites to make sure your logins carried over correctly. After that, enable two-factor authentication on the new account to add another layer of protection.

It’s also a good idea to store your master password somewhere safe in case you forget it. Some people keep a written copy in a secure place at home. That’s smart, but if you go this route, be careful with where you store it. I’d lock it in a safe.

Finally, and probably most importantly, resist the urge to delete your old vault right away. Keep it around for a short time while you confirm that everything transferred successfully. Once you’re confident the new password manager has everything you need, you can close the old account and move on with your life.