Password Managers in 2024: A Security Professional's Comparison

After using password managers for 10+ years and testing dozens, here’s my honest comparison of the top options in 2024.

Why Password Managers Matter

The problem:

• Average person has 100+ accounts
• Password reuse = single breach compromises everything
• Strong passwords are impossible to remember
• 81% of breaches involve weak/stolen passwords (Verizon DBIR)

The solution: Password managers

Evaluation Criteria

What I tested:

• 🔐 Security model (encryption, zero-knowledge)
• 🎯 Usability (browser extensions, mobile apps)
• 💰 Pricing
• 🌐 Cross-platform support
• 🔄 Import/export capabilities
• 👥 Sharing features
• 🆘 Support & recovery
• 🏢 Business/team features

The Contenders

1. Bitwarden (My Recommendation)

Pros:

• ✅ Open source (audited code)
• ✅ Free tier is generous
• ✅ Self-hosting option
• ✅ Clean, modern interface
• ✅ Excellent browser extensions
• ✅ TOTP authenticator included (premium)

Cons:

• ❌ UI less polished than 1Password
• ❌ Self-hosting requires technical skills

Security:

- AES-256 encryption
- PBKDF2 key derivation (100,000 iterations)
- Zero-knowledge architecture
- Regular security audits
- 2FA support (including hardware keys)

Who it’s for: Security-conscious users, developers, budget-conscious

Pricing:

• Free: Unlimited passwords, 2 devices
• Premium: $10/year (TOTP, 1GB encrypted file storage, priority support)
• Family: $40/year (6 users)

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) - Best value, excellent security

2. 1Password (Best UX)

Pros:

• ✅ Best-in-class user experience
• ✅ Travel Mode (hide sensitive vaults at borders)
• ✅ Watchtower (breach monitoring)
• ✅ Excellent documentation
• ✅ Strong business features

Cons:

• ❌ Expensive
• ❌ Not open source
• ❌ No free tier

Security:

- AES-256 encryption
- Dual-key encryption (Secret Key + Master Password)
- SRP (Secure Remote Password) protocol
- Regular third-party audits
- SOC 2 Type II certified

Who it’s for: Those who prioritize UX, business teams

Pricing:

• Individual: $36/year
• Families: $60/year (5 members)
• Teams: $96/user/year

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) - Excellent but expensive

3. KeePass (Most Secure)

Pros:

• ✅ Completely offline (if you want)
• ✅ Open source
• ✅ Free forever
• ✅ Full control over database
• ✅ Plugin ecosystem

Cons:

• ❌ Terrible UI (looks like Windows XP)
• ❌ No official cloud sync
• ❌ Requires technical knowledge
• ❌ No official mobile apps (third-party only)

Security:

- AES-256 or ChaCha20 encryption
- Argon2 key derivation (modern, resistant to attacks)
- Completely local (you control database)
- Database file can be anywhere (USB, cloud, etc.)

Who it’s for: Maximum paranoia users, technical users, offline-first

Pricing: Free

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5) - Most secure, worst UX

4. Proton Pass (Privacy-Focused)

Pros:

• ✅ From Proton (ProtonMail team)
• ✅ Open source
• ✅ Strong privacy focus
• ✅ Integrated with Proton ecosystem
• ✅ Swiss privacy laws

Cons:

• ❌ Relatively new (less battle-tested)
• ❌ Smaller feature set
• ❌ Pricier than Bitwarden

Security:

- End-to-end encryption
- Zero-knowledge architecture
- Open source and audited
- Swiss jurisdiction (strong privacy laws)

Who it’s for: Proton ecosystem users, privacy advocates

Pricing:

• Free: Unlimited passwords, 2 devices
• Plus: $48/year (unlimited devices, TOTP, etc.)

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) - Good for Proton users

5. Dashlane (Feature-Rich)

Pros:

• ✅ VPN included (premium)
• ✅ Dark web monitoring
• ✅ Automatic password changer
• ✅ Great sharing features

Cons:

• ❌ Most expensive
• ❌ Desktop app discontinued (web-only)
• ❌ Not open source

Who it’s for: Non-technical users who want everything

Pricing:

• Premium: $60/year
• Friends & Family: $90/year (10 members)

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5) - Overpriced

6. LastPass (Avoid)

Update: After multiple security breaches (2022-2023), I cannot recommend LastPass.

What happened:

• 2022: Breach exposed customer vault data
• 2023: DevOps engineer’s home computer compromised
• Customer password vaults exfiltrated

My verdict: ⭐☆☆☆☆ (1/5) - Do not use

Feature Comparison Matrix

My Personal Setup

Current: Bitwarden Premium ($10/year)

Why Bitwarden:

1. Open source (I can audit the code)
2. Self-hosting option (I use cloud, but nice to have)
3. Excellent value ($10/year vs $36-60)
4. TOTP built-in (no separate authenticator app)
5. Active development and responsive team

My configuration:

Master Password: 6-word diceware passphrase (78 bits entropy)
2FA: YubiKey (primary) + TOTP backup (1Password - yes, I use two!)
Emergency Access: Spouse can request after 7 days
Organizational sharing: For shared accounts with team

Security Best Practices

1. Master Password

Bad:

Password123!
MyPassword2024
Company@123

Good:

correct-horse-battery-staple-velvet-ocean (diceware)
Tr0ub4dor&3-but-actually-much-longer
Use a passphrase you can remember, not a password

Generate secure master password:

# Use Diceware
pip install diceware
diceware -n 6  # 6 words = 77.5 bits entropy

# Or use EFF wordlist
shuf -n 6 eff_large_wordlist.txt | tr '\n' '-'

2. Enable 2FA on Password Manager

Options (best to worst):

1. ✅ Hardware key (YubiKey, Titan) - Most secure
2. ✅ TOTP app (Authy, separate from password manager)
3. ⚠️ Email - Better than nothing
4. ❌ SMS - Avoid (SIM swapping attacks)

3. Emergency Access

Set up emergency access for trusted person:

• Spouse/partner
• Parent
• Lawyer

Bitwarden example:

Settings → Emergency Access → Invite Emergency Contact
- Set wait time: 7-30 days
- They can request access
- You're notified and can reject
- After wait time, they get access

4. Regular Security Audits

Monthly tasks:

- Review password health report
- Check for breached passwords
- Update weak passwords (< 12 characters)
- Enable 2FA on important accounts
- Remove unused accounts

Bitwarden Vault Health Report shows:

• Weak passwords
• Reused passwords
• Old passwords
• 2FA not enabled
• Exposed passwords (from breaches)

Migration Guide

From Browser-Saved Passwords

Chrome:

1. chrome://settings/passwords
2. Click ⋮ (three dots)
3. Export passwords
4. Import CSV to Bitwarden/1Password
5. Delete from Chrome

Firefox:

1. about:logins
2. ⋮ → Export Logins
3. Import to password manager
4. Clear Firefox saved passwords

From Another Password Manager

Most support export to CSV:

1. Export from old manager (Settings → Export)
2. Import to new manager (Tools → Import Data)
3. Verify all passwords transferred
4. Securely delete export file:
   shred -u passwords_export.csv

For Teams/Businesses

Bitwarden Organizations

Features:

• Shared collections
• User/group management
• Audit logs
• 2FA enforcement
• SSO integration (enterprise)

Pricing:

• Teams: $5/user/month (minimum 2 users)
• Enterprise: $7/user/month (SSO, advanced reporting)

1Password Business

Features:

• Advanced admin controls
• Travel Mode
• Activity logs
• SCIM provisioning
• Compliance reports (SOC 2)

Pricing:

• Teams: $19.95/user/year
• Business: Custom pricing

Common Questions

Q: Is it safe to put all passwords in one place? A: Yes, IF you use a strong master password + 2FA. More secure than reusing passwords or browser storage.

Q: What if the company gets hacked? A: With zero-knowledge encryption, even if servers are compromised, your encrypted vault is useless without your master password.

Q: What if I forget my master password? A: You’re locked out. There’s no recovery (by design). Write it down and store securely.

Q: Should I use the same password manager for personal and work? A: No. Use separate accounts/vaults. Use organization features for work sharing.

Q: Browser password manager vs dedicated? A: Dedicated is more secure, better features, cross-browser/platform.

Final Recommendation

Best for most people: Bitwarden Best UX: 1Password Maximum security: KeePass Privacy focused: Proton Pass Avoid: LastPass

Start today: Even a basic password manager is infinitely better than:

• ❌ Password reuse
• ❌ Weak passwords
• ❌ Written on sticky notes
• ❌ Saved in browser (unencrypted)

Resources

Tools:

• Bitwarden
• 1Password
• KeePass
• Diceware Password Generator

Learning:

• Have I Been Pwned - Check if your passwords were breached
• Password Strength Calculator

Using a password manager? Which one and why? Share in the comments!

Not using one yet? What’s holding you back? Let me know and I’ll help!

Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter