Codebook review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Password manager from Zetetic, free for personal use
Black Friday: is there a Codebook sale?
Codebook report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a free personal vault with manual sync
Codebook is a password app from Zetetic that is free for personal, non-commercial use, with manual sync through Dropbox, Google Drive or desktop Wi-Fi. Automatic sync and sharing need Codebook Cloud from $5 a month, and there is no browser extension.
Who Codebook is for
- Fits if you want a free password app for personal use
- Works for households that want shared entries through a family plan
Who Codebook is not for
- Skip it if you want automatic sync, as that needs Codebook Cloud from $5 a month
- Not for you if you use it at work, since the free app is non-commercial only
- Watch out: the Cloud price is only 'starting at $5' with no billing basis stated
- Too light for browsers, as there is no extension
- Skip it if you run Linux, where Windows version runs under Wine
Why Codebook gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree for personal use, and a program anyone can download and run counts as free. Codebook Cloud starts at $5 a month, but you can skip it.
- BFree plan and trialA person could live on the free app with manual sync. Business use needs a paid licence.
- CFeaturesEntries, an authenticator and password review. Automatic sync and sharing need Cloud, and there is no browser extension.
- BEase of useAn installed app that you start using, with no store rating on record.
- BPlatforms and integrationsMac, Windows, iPhone and Android, with Dropbox and Google Drive sync. No native Linux app, and no browser extension.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zetetic's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Codebook? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/codebook#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/codebook.svg" alt="Codebook: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Codebook stands among password managers
Codebook's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 38 of the 49 other password managers we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 38 of 49) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5 a month, against a middle price of $2.50 for the category: 27 of the 29 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 13 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 50 password managers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Codebook’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 49, level with 11
- BFree plan and trialAbove 27 of 49, level with 9
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 49, level with 31
- BEase of useAbove 31 of 49, level with 9
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 16 of 49, level with 25
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 38 password managers. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Codebook, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Codebook you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 38 of the 49 other password managers we grade. It costs $60 a year.
What you could not
- A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Codebook’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Codebook?
Codebook is a password manager for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows from Zetetic, the company behind the SQLCipher database encryption. The app is free for personal, non-commercial use, and an optional Codebook Cloud subscription adds automatic sync and secure sharing between devices and people.
Worth knowing
- Automatic sync and secure sharing need a paid Codebook Cloud subscription; free sync is manual.
- Business use requires a business license; the free app is for non-commercial use only.
- The Codebook Cloud price is shown only as starting at $5 per month, with no billing basis stated.
- There is no native Linux app; the Windows version runs under Wine, and there is no browser extension.
Key features
- Flexible entries and fields
- Data is organized into categories, entries and fields with labels you define; field labels control behavior, such as opening a URL or dialing a number.
- Encrypted database
- Data is stored with SQLCipher, using AES-256-CBC with HMAC-SHA512 and 256,000 rounds of PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512 for key derivation, per the vendor.
- Autofill and built-in authenticator
- Fills logins through Password AutoFill on Android, iOS and macOS, and generates TOTP verification codes for sites that use 2-step verification.
- Password review
- Checks passwords against online breaches through HaveIBeenPwned and flags weak ones; a random password generator includes a DiceWare option.
- Codebook Cloud sync and sharing
- The subscription service syncs automatically in the background and shares entries with trusted contacts and Family Plan members.
- Images and PDFs
- Stores image and PDF files, such as scans of passports or insurance policies, alongside password entries.
Codebook pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Codebook has a free plan, and paid plans start at $5 per month (Codebook Cloud sync subscription).
- Starts at
- $5 per month (Codebook Cloud sync subscription)
- Free plan
- The Codebook app is free for personal, non-commercial use, with manual sync through Dropbox, Google Drive or desktop Wi-Fi.
- Free trial
- Codebook Cloud is described as free to try; the page does not state the length
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Codebook | $0 | The app on Android, iOS, macOS and Windows for personal use, with manual sync through Dropbox, Google Drive or Wi-Fi. |
| Codebook Cloud | $5per month, billing basis not shown, starting price | Automatic sync and secure sharing. Zetetic also lists a family plan; its price is not shown on the pages read. |
| Codebook for Business | $5per user / month, billed annually | Business license covering Codebook Cloud for every user; sold through sales, with volume discounts. |
Read from zetetic.net on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Codebook before you buy.
How people rate the Codebook app
4.8
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
- 5 stars86%
- 4 stars9%
- 3 stars1%
- 2 stars<1%
- 1 star3%
2,372 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Nov 13, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Works with
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
- HaveIBeenPwned
Codebook alternatives
- Codebook vs Enpass
Free plan · from $23.99/yr
- Codebook vs 1Password
Free trial · from $3.99/mo
- Codebook vs Strongbox
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Common questions
Does Codebook have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Codebook is listed for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Codebook open source?
Codebook is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.