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The best password managers in 2026

Five password managers compared on what matters once the basics are covered: whether there is a free plan, what family and team plans cost, and which extras come included.

Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 5 tools · How we pick

Every password manager here stores logins and passkeys, fills them in for you and generates new passwords. The differences lie in what surrounds that, and three questions settle most of it. Do you want to pay at all? How many people need to share it? And do you want extras such as a VPN or masked email addresses included?

Three of the five have a free plan: Bitwarden, Proton Pass and NordPass. 1Password and Dashlane are paid only, each with a 14-day trial. Bitwarden and Proton Pass are open source, and Bitwarden is the only one you can host on your own server. Dashlane includes a VPN in its standard personal plan, while Proton includes one only in its Proton Unlimited bundle.

Watch the billing terms when you compare prices. Most of the prices below are for annual billing, and two vendors advertise introductory rates: 1Password's $2.99 a month applies only to a new customer's first year, and NordPass's $1.39 a month is an offer on a 2-year plan. The order runs from the manager that fits the most people to those that suit a narrower group. Prices are the vendors' own, read on the date shown on each tool's page.

The shortlist

  1. 1BitwardenBest free password manager
  2. 21PasswordBest for sharing with family or a team
  3. 3Proton PassBest for keeping your email private
  4. 4NordPassBest for a long trial of paid features
  5. 5DashlaneBest for a VPN and scam protection

The picks in detail

  1. 01

    Bitwarden

    Best free password managerOpen-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting

    Bitwarden's free plan covers the essentials without a device limit: unlimited logins, passkeys, notes, cards and identities on unlimited devices, through browser, desktop and mobile apps. It is open source and end-to-end encrypted, and it is the only manager here that can run on your own server. If you outgrow free, Premium is $1.65 a month billed annually ($19.80 a year), and Families covers up to 6 users for $3.99 a month billed annually.

    Worth knowing: The free plan leaves out file attachments, the integrated authenticator, vault health reports and emergency access, and individual plans share items with only one other user.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $1.65 per month, billed annually at $19.80 (Premium)
    Runs on
    Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
    Bitwarden pricing and detailsbitwarden.com
  2. 02

    1Password

    Best for sharing with family or a teamPassword manager for individuals, families and businesses

    1Password is the pick when logins have to be shared with other people. Families covers 5 family members with unlimited shared vaults and admin controls for $5.99 a month billed annually, and the Teams Starter Pack covers 10 members for a flat $24.95 a month billed annually, with role-based permissions. An item can also be shared through an expiring link with someone who does not use 1Password. Apps cover Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.

    Worth knowing: There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and the $2.99 Individual and $4.49 Families rates last for a new customer's first year before the regular $3.99 and $5.99 a month apply.

    Price
    $3.99 per month, billed annually ($2.99 in year one for new customers)
    Runs on
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
    1Password pricing and details1password.com
  3. 03

    Proton Pass

    Best for keeping your email privateEnd-to-end encrypted password manager with email aliases

    Proton Pass creates hide-my-email aliases to hand out at sign-up, so your real address stays private: 10 on the free plan and unlimited on Pass Plus. It is open source and end-to-end encrypted, and the free plan also covers unlimited logins on unlimited devices, passkeys, and alerts for weak and reused passwords. Pass Plus is $2.99 a month billed every 12 months ($35.88) and adds a 2FA authenticator, vault sharing and Dark Web Monitoring.

    Worth knowing: The free plan is limited to 2 vaults and 10 aliases, and no free trial of the paid plans is advertised; Proton offers a 30-day money-back guarantee instead.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $2.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($35.88); $4.99 billed monthly
    Runs on
    Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
    Proton Pass pricing and detailsproton.me
  4. 04

    NordPass

    Best for a long trial of paid featuresPassword manager with breach scanning and email masking

    NordPass lets you start on a free plan that stores, generates and autofills passwords and passkeys. New accounts also get a 30-day trial of Premium features with no card required, according to a third-party review, against 14 days at 1Password and Dashlane. That leaves time to judge the Password Health check and Data Breach Scanner, which are reported to sit outside the free plan. Apps cover Mac, Windows and Linux as well as iOS and Android.

    Worth knowing: The standing prices on record are US App Store rates of $4.99 for 1 month or $31.99 to $35.99 for 12 months, and the $1.39 a month web price is an introductory offer on a 2-year plan.

    Price
    Free plan; paid plans from $4.99 for 1 month, or $31.99 to $35.99 for 12 months (US App Store in-app prices)
    Runs on
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
    NordPass pricing and detailsnordpass.com
  5. 05

    Dashlane

    Best for a VPN and scam protectionPassword manager with scam protection, dark web alerts and a VPN

    Dashlane Premium is the only entry-level paid plan here that includes a VPN. For $5.42 a month billed annually it also adds AI-based scam protection that flags phishing risks in the browser and Dark Web Monitoring, alongside unlimited passwords on unlimited devices. The Friends & Family plan covers 10 accounts for $8.13 a month billed annually, more people than any other family plan in this guide.

    Worth knowing: There is no free plan, Dashlane is listed for the web, iOS, Android and as a browser extension, and on Friends & Family only the plan manager gets the VPN.

    Price
    $5.42 per month, billed annually
    Runs on
    Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension
    Dashlane pricing and detailsdashlane.com

How to choose

Decide whether you want to pay at all

Bitwarden, Proton Pass and NordPass have free plans. Bitwarden's and Proton Pass's both allow unlimited logins on unlimited devices; Bitwarden's leaves out the authenticator and file attachments, and Proton Pass's is limited to 2 vaults and 10 email aliases. 1Password and Dashlane have no free plan, only a 14-day trial each.

Compare prices on the same terms

Bitwarden Premium is $19.80 a year and Proton Pass Plus is $35.88 for 12 months. 1Password Individual is $3.99 a month and Dashlane Premium $5.42 a month, both billed annually. NordPass's recorded rates are US App Store prices of $31.99 to $35.99 for 12 months. Treat introductory offers separately: 1Password's $2.99 lasts one year, and NordPass's 2-year web plan was $37.53 for the first 27 months against a list price of $80.73.

Count the people who will share it

For a household, Bitwarden Families covers up to 6 users for $3.99 a month, Proton Pass Family up to 6 for $4.99, 1Password Families 5 people for $5.99 and Dashlane Friends & Family 10 accounts for $8.13, all on yearly billing. For a small company, 1Password's Teams Starter Pack is a flat $24.95 a month for 10 members, while Bitwarden Teams is $4 per user a month.

Check for open source, self-hosting and extras

Bitwarden and Proton Pass are open source, and Bitwarden can be deployed on your own server. For masked email addresses, look at Proton Pass and NordPass. For a VPN, Dashlane includes one in Premium and Proton includes one in the Proton Unlimited bundle at $9.99 a month billed every 12 months. For single sign-on at work, 1Password needs the Business plan, Bitwarden needs Enterprise and Dashlane sells it in its separate Omnix plans.

Common questions

Which password managers are free?

Bitwarden, Proton Pass and NordPass have free plans. Bitwarden's stores unlimited logins and passkeys on unlimited devices. Proton Pass's adds 10 hide-my-email aliases and alerts for weak and reused passwords, with a limit of 2 vaults. NordPass's stores, generates and autofills passwords and passkeys. 1Password and Dashlane offer a 14-day trial instead.

What is the best password manager for a family?

It depends on the size of the household. Bitwarden Families covers up to 6 users for $3.99 a month billed annually ($47.88 a year). Proton Pass Family covers up to 6 for $4.99 a month billed every 12 months. 1Password Families covers 5 people for $5.99 a month billed annually, and Dashlane Friends & Family covers 10 accounts for $8.13 a month billed annually.

Which password managers are open source?

Bitwarden and Proton Pass. Bitwarden can also be self-hosted: it can be deployed on premises or in a private cloud, and Families and Enterprise organizations can be moved to a self-hosted server.

Do these password managers support passkeys?

Yes. All five store passkeys alongside passwords: 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane, NordPass and Proton Pass. The three free plans, from Bitwarden, Proton Pass and NordPass, include passkeys too.

Which password managers work on Linux?

1Password, Bitwarden, NordPass and Proton Pass all list Linux apps. Dashlane is listed for the web, iOS, Android and as a browser extension.

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