4 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Password Manager

Password managers are great tools for enhancing account security and making it easy to log into your accounts with a wide variety of services. However, choosing the right tool for your needs can be difficult, especially if you've never used one before. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a password manager.

1. Security

Security is the most important factor when choosing a password manager. All of your personal account data is stored in the password manager and if the security is lax or problematic, your privacy will be compromised.

One way to check if a manager is actually secure is to Google it. Just type in the name of the manager and add the keyword “leaked” or “scandal” to see if there are any articles about it.

2. Price and quality go hand in hand

To choose a password manager with quality commensurate with the price, you need to pay attention to many aspects.

With a simple program that doesn't come with too many features, the cost is relatively cheap. If you need more features, the price will be higher, but not too much difference.

Those that include VPN software will cost more. For example, the Proton Pass password manager costs just under $24/year, while the Proton plus other services package costs $120/year. NordVPN also has plans with the NordPass password manager for around $75 for the first year. Dashlane also offers a VPN package for $60/year.

While buying a bundle can save you money, it only happens if you need all the programs in the bundle and all the products in the bundle are of comparable quality. For example, the VPN software in the Dashlane package is only basic. Therefore, you should carefully consider the services provided in the package and what your needs are.

3. Features in password managers

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a password manager is the features it offers. Password managers generally offer pretty similar features, but many are more advanced.

For example, auto-fill passwords are available in all password managers, but Dashlane's is better.

In case you have a lot of password entries to manage, 1Password is a great choice for you as it has some powerful management features.

If you prefer an open-source, customizable password manager, choose Bitwarden or KeePass. Both offer a variety of features and options that let you customize the interface or adjust security settings, such as the type of vault security.

You might also want to keep an eye out for a few other features like the ability to add credit card numbers or secure notes like PINs. Proton Pass does a good job with these.

4. User-friendly interface

Even though you only use it to save passwords and manage them, the interface must be easy to use.

Autofill is important and you need to test that it works well. Performance can vary by device, operating system, and browser, so we can try out different password managers to see how autofill works.

Equally important is password management. If you don’t care too much about how you manage your passwords, credit card numbers, or security notes, it’s easier. But if you want everything to be neatly and clearly managed by category, you’ll need to look into and experiment with other programs. 1Password and Dashlane have great management options that are easy to follow and use.

And finally, to get the password manager that best suits you, ensuring the elements you want, you should use it to get the most accurate view.