8 Best Password Managers (2026), Tested and Reviewed

In an updated August 2026 review, WIRED evaluated and ranked eight password managers. The publication notes that weak passwords like “password” and “123456” remain common, so a dedicated password manager is a practical way to keep accounts secure without needing to remember long random strings.

Best for Most People: Bitwarden

Bitwarden is named the best choice for most users because it is secure, open source, and free with no limits on storing passwords. The apps are polished and user-friendly, and because the code is publicly available, anyone can inspect it for flaws. Bitwarden is also audited by third parties and can be self-hosted on a local server. It offers apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android, plus browser extensions. The service supports biometric authentication, passwordless login, and passkeys. Extra features include secure file sharing, a built-in 2FA authenticator in paid accounts, and an active community. Bitwarden Premium costs $10 per year and adds 1 GB of encrypted storage, 2FA hardware key support, and password health reports.

Best Free Option: Proton Pass

Proton Pass stands out for its extensive free tier, which includes unlimited logins, unlimited devices, browser, mobile and desktop apps, a password generator, passkey support, password testing, and 10 email aliases. The company has a strong security and privacy track record; its VPN and Mail services are also recommended. Proton Pass apps are open source, though the server-side component is not. The free plan lacks some features like family sharing, but paid plans add tools such as 2FA and encrypted storage. Proton Unlimited, at $10 per month, bundles several Proton services.

Best for Sharing: Keeper

Keeper (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is more expensive, and its free version lacks features like dark web monitoring, which costs extra. However, Keeper excels at sharing logins among multiple people, largely because of its enterprise focus, making it useful for managing credentials across many accounts.

Browser and Apple Alternatives

Built-in browser password managers are better than reusing the same password, but they offer fewer features and are less secure because passwords can be easily decrypted if someone gains access to the computer. Apple’s password manager syncs through iCloud and works well with Safari, but only among Apple devices. WIRED suggests using a dedicated password manager even for storing passkeys.