8 Best Free Password Managers in 2026 (Compared)

The best free password manager for most people in 2026 is Bitwarden, because its free plan has no limit on devices or passwords. But “free” means very different things from one app to the next: some free plans work on only one device, some only inside one browser, and some only on Apple gear. We checked the free plan of each password manager below on its official site, compared device limits, sharing and passkeys, and explain the catch in each, so you can pick the right one in a few minutes.

Quick answer: Pick Bitwarden if you want one free password manager on every device you own (unlimited devices, passkeys, sharing with one other person). Pick Proton Pass if you also want free email aliases. If you only use Apple devices, the built-in Apple Passwords app is free and very easy. If you live in Chrome and Android, Google Password Manager is already there. KeePassXC suits people who want an offline vault on a computer. NordPass Free and LastPass Free work, but each limits you to one device or one device type at a time.

Best free password manager: comparison table

What to look for in a free password manager

A free password manager only helps if you use it everywhere you sign in. Before you pick one, check four things:

• Device limits: can you use it on your phone and your computer at the same time on the free plan? This is the biggest catch in free plans.
• Platforms: does it work on every system you use (Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, Linux) and in your browser?
• Passkeys: more sites now let you sign in with a passkey instead of a password. A manager that stores passkeys and syncs them saves you trouble later.
• Sharing: if you share Netflix or the Wi-Fi password with a partner, check whether the free plan lets you share at all.

1. Bitwarden Free: best free password manager overall

Bitwarden is the free plan that gives away the most. Bitwarden’s pricing page lists “unlimited devices, unlimited passwords” in every account, including the free one, with browser extensions, mobile apps and desktop apps. Passkey management is part of the core features, so you can save and use passkeys too.

• Who it’s for: anyone who uses a mix of devices, such as an Android phone and a Windows PC, or an iPhone and a work laptop.
• Sharing: the free plan lets you share items with one other Bitwarden user by creating a free organization.
• The catch: sharing with more than one other person needs a paid plan.

2. Proton Pass Free: best for privacy and email aliases

Proton Pass comes from Proton, the company behind Proton Mail. Its free plan includes unlimited logins, notes and credit cards on unlimited devices, and passkeys are supported on all devices. It also includes 10 hide-my-email aliases: throwaway addresses you can give to shops and newsletters, so your real email stays private.

• Who it’s for: people who care about privacy and want fewer spam emails.
• Sharing: Proton’s comparison table shows the free plan with 2 vaults and sharing with up to 2 others.
• The catch: the built-in authenticator for two-factor codes is only in the paid Pass Plus plan.

3. Google Password Manager: best built-in option for Chrome and Android

Google Password Manager is built into Chrome on every platform and into Android, so many people already use it without noticing. Saved passwords and passkeys sync to your Google Account, and you can manage them in any browser at passwords.google.com. On an iPhone, it can fill passwords in apps when you set Chrome as your AutoFill provider.

• Who it’s for: Chrome and Android users who want zero setup.
• Extras: Password Checkup checks all your saved passwords at once to find ones exposed in a data breach and other security issues.
• Sharing: Google’s help page says you can share a password only with members of your Google family group.
• The catch: your whole vault depends on your Google Account, so protect it with 2-Step Verification. If you move to another manager later, you can export passwords from Chrome as a CSV file.

4. Apple Passwords (iCloud Passwords): best for iPhone, iPad and Mac

Apple Passwords is a free app that comes with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia and visionOS 2 and later. It keeps your passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords and verification codes in one place and syncs them through iCloud Keychain. It also warns you about weak or exposed passwords.

• Who it’s for: anyone whose phone, tablet and computer are all Apple.
• Extras: it can store two-factor verification codes, so you may not need a separate authenticator app.
• Sharing: Shared Groups let you share passwords and passkeys with family or trusted contacts.
• The catch: there is no Android app. On Windows, you need iCloud for Windows to use iCloud Passwords in Chrome or Edge.

5. Firefox Password Manager: best for Firefox users

Firefox’s built-in password manager is free, and with a free Mozilla account it syncs your passwords across your devices running Firefox, including Firefox for Android and iPhone. Mozilla says Firefox alerts you if a saved password has been exposed in a data breach, and it can create a strong, unique password for each new login.

• Who it’s for: people who use Firefox on every device.
• The catch: it lives inside Firefox. If you also use Chrome, Safari or Edge, a standalone manager such as Bitwarden is easier.

6. KeePassXC: best free offline password manager

KeePassXC is free and open source (GPLv3) and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Instead of a cloud account, it saves your vault in an offline, encrypted file that you can keep anywhere, and the project says no data is stored on remote servers. Recent versions can also store passkeys and two-factor (TOTP) codes, and a browser extension fills your logins in the browser.

• Who it’s for: tech-savvy users who want full control and no cloud account.
• The catch: there is no official KeePassXC phone app, and syncing the file between devices is up to you (for example through your own cloud storage). Lose the file and its backups, and your passwords are gone.

7. NordPass Free: best for one device at a time

NordPass puts no limit on how many passwords, passkeys or personal details you store on its free plan, and it includes autosave and autofill. You can install the app and browser extension on as many devices as you like.

• Who it’s for: people who mostly use one device and want a clean, simple app.
• The catch: NordPass’s help center says the free version “only allows users to have one active session on one device,” so switching between your phone and your computer means logging in again each time.

8. LastPass Free: best if you only use a computer or only a phone

LastPass Free includes unlimited password storage, autofill and dark web monitoring. Basic sharing lets you share one password with one person at a time.

• Who it’s for: people who manage passwords on a computer only, or on a phone only.
• The catch: the free plan is limited to one device type, so you can use it on your computers or your mobile devices, not both. Passkeys are listed only for the paid plans. Leaving LastPass? See how to export and print your LastPass passwords.

Password managers that no longer have a free plan

• Dashlane ended its Free plan on September 16, 2025. Older “best free” lists that still name it are out of date.
• Keeper offers a 30-day free trial of its personal plans rather than a lasting free plan.

Which free password manager should you pick?

• You use Android and Windows, or a mix of brands: Bitwarden.
• You want privacy and email aliases: Proton Pass.
• Everything you own is Apple: Apple Passwords.
• You use Chrome everywhere: Google Password Manager is fine; switch to Bitwarden if you start using other browsers.
• You want nothing in the cloud: KeePassXC.
• You only ever use one device: NordPass Free or LastPass Free.

How to switch to a new password manager safely

1. Export your passwords from your old manager or browser as a CSV file.
2. Import the CSV into your new password manager (look for Import in its settings).
3. Delete the CSV straight away and empty the Recycle Bin or Trash, because the file is not encrypted.
4. Turn off password saving in your old browser or manager, so new passwords don’t end up in two places.
5. Fix weak passwords one by one: use your manager’s generator, or our free password generator, to make long, random passwords.

Your master password is the one password you still have to remember, so make it a long passphrase you’ve never used anywhere else, and turn on two-factor authentication for the password manager account if it offers it.

FAQ

What is the best free password manager?

For most people, Bitwarden is the best free password manager, because its free plan works on unlimited devices with unlimited passwords and supports passkeys. Proton Pass is a close second and adds free email aliases.

Are free password managers safe?

A well-known free password manager is far safer than reusing the same password everywhere or keeping passwords in a notes app. The real risk is a weak master password, so use a long, unique passphrase and turn on two-factor authentication.

What is the best free password manager for iPhone?

If you only use Apple devices, the built-in Apple Passwords app is the easiest choice. If you also use Windows or Android, Bitwarden or Proton Pass works on all of them.

What is the best free password manager for Android and Windows?

Bitwarden and Proton Pass both work on Android and Windows on their free plans with no device limit. Google Password Manager also works if you use Chrome on Windows.

Is Google Password Manager good enough?

For many Chrome and Android users, yes: it is free, syncs passwords and passkeys, and checks for breached passwords. It is less handy if you use Safari or Firefox, and sharing works only with your Google family group.

Is there a completely free password manager with no limits?

Bitwarden’s free plan and Proton Pass Free both have no device limit and no cap on passwords. KeePassXC is free and open source with no account at all, but it runs only on computers.

Photo by Alp Duran on Unsplash