We don't always fully appreciate the importance of using a strong password. Many times, the password is the only barrier capable of protecting us from intrusions and attacks by cybercriminals, identity theft and fraudulent use of our personal information. It is not necessary to remember that, having access to our data, they can cause us great economic and personal damage. This can be avoided by resorting to the help of the best password managers.
In this post we explain what these tools are, how they work and what advantages they offer us. We also present a series of proposals for password managers, simple and effective, which can be very interesting for our security. So we encourage you to read carefully.
What is a password manager?
A password manager is an application that is used to store all our credentials in an encrypted database. These credentials can be usernames and passwords to access all kinds of services: email, online banking, private files, etc.
The advantage of gathering all this information in one place is that we will be able to easily manage all our user accounts from the same tool, through a single master key.
Actually, almost all browsers have their own password manager (in a very basic version) in which all the passwords used on the Internet are stored, so that when it comes to identifying ourselves on a page, they will already be memorized. That is, it will not be necessary to enter them again.
The best password managers, which can be free or paid, perform many more functions than the one mentioned in the previous paragraph. Among other things, they make sure that there is a different password for each service and that it is updated regularly. Some include a warning service when the password is too weak and even offer the option of creating random passwords that are strong and difficult to crack.
There are also those that store information in the cloud, which allows passwords to be used on different devices. Everything, of course, under maximum control and the most absolute security as a premise.
Best password managers
There are many password management programs that we can install on our computers. Many are free, although they often offer a paid version with many more built-in features. Here is a selection of some of the top seven:
1Password
The first on the list is 1Password, considered one of the best password managers out there. Although it was initially designed for Mac and iOS, its version for Windows and Android works flawlessly (perhaps with a few less features). Its price is $2,99, really cheap for all that it actually offers. In addition, there is the possibility of trying it for free for a while before buying the service. Interesting.
Link: 1Password
Bitwarden
This is the preferred password manager for open source lovers. However, the services of Bitwarden Regarding password management, they are perfectly valid for Windows users and are compatible with the main browsers. It offers a free version and a paid version aimed at companies.
Link: Bitwarden
Dashlane
Dashlane is a paid password manager. One of the most expensive (it costs 3,33 euros per month), but also one of the best. It stands out above all for a particular functionality, that of being able to change the passwords of several services at the same time. It should also be noted that it can be used for free if it is only used on a single device. It's worth it.
Link: Dashlane
Enpass
This is a mixed solution: with a free desktop version and a paid version ($9,99) for use on different mobile devices. The operation of Enpass it is very similar to Dashlane, with which it is often compared.
Link: Enpass
Keeper
Despite not having a very attractive design, Keeper is one of the best password managers available to us, for a price of $2,50 per month. It offers unlimited password storage, as well as desktop, mobile, and browser apps. A highly recommended alternative.
Link: Keeper
LastPass
Definitely one of the best options on this list, now that it has already fixed some security issues experienced in the past. LastPass offers an unusually complete free version, with the basic features built in and many other features also available. Actually, the only notable thing about the Premium version is the option to share passwords and cloud storage.
Link: LastPass
Roboform
Our latest proposal is a simple and unpretentious password manager, but with sufficient control and security guarantees. Roboform It can be used for free, although to access some functions such as password synchronization you have to pay an annual fee of 23,88 euros.
Link: Roboform