Shortlist criteria
When in doubt
- • Prioritize security (audits, MFA) over convenience gimmicks.
- • Ensure all your primary devices are supported natively.
- • Choose vendors with clear recovery and export options.
- • Test the free trial with 3–5 real accounts before committing.
Decision tree
Use within 10 minutesIf you want simplicity
Choose a manager with clean autofill, built-in breach alerts, and minimal setup. Start with a free trial, then enable passkeys.
Best for iPhone (guide coming soon)If you share often
Look for shared vaults, item-level permissions, and activity logs. Confirm family/business pricing covers the seats you need.
Best for families (guide coming soon)If you manage a team
Require SSO/SCIM, audit logs, role-based access, and delegated recovery. Verify onboarding/import flows for your stack.
Best for business (guide coming soon)Feature comparison rubric
Score vendors on the categories below (1 = missing, 3 = meets, 5 = excels). Aim for 24+ overall.
| Category | What to verify | Score (1-5) |
|---|---|---|
| Security model | Zero-knowledge, encryption at rest/in transit, independent audits. | __ |
| Authentication | Passkeys/WebAuthn, TOTP, hardware keys, recovery options. | __ |
| Cross-platform | iOS/Android apps, desktop, extensions for major browsers. | __ |
| Sharing & roles | Shared vaults, item permissions, admin controls, auditing. | __ |
| Import/export | Migration tools, CSV import, secure export with warnings. | __ |
| Support & docs | Live chat/Email SLAs, onboarding guides, outage transparency. | __ |
Keep this rubric with your procurement notes; it aligns with our testing methodology.
Pricing sanity check
- Trials: Ensure at least 14 days of fully featured testing.
- Seats: Confirm number of users/guests included and how extras scale.
- Refunds: Look for 30-day refund or prorated cancellation.
- Add-ons: Breach monitoring, family packs, or SSO may be separate fees.
FAQs
Last updated: March 2025Should I use a free or paid plan?
Free tiers are great for personal testing. Choose paid when you need cross-device sync, family sharing, breach monitoring, and support.
Passkeys vs master password?
Use a strong master passphrase plus passkeys or hardware keys for unlocking. Passkeys improve convenience, but a robust passphrase remains essential.
What if I need to switch later?
Pick a manager with clean export (CSV/unencrypted warnings) and import tools. Run a staged migration: export, import to a sandbox vault, then cut over.
How do business teams evaluate?
Map roles and access policies first, test SSO/SCIM, review audit logs, and confirm support SLAs before rollout.
Next steps
Compare your top two picks head-to-head, then start a trial with real accounts to validate autofill, sharing, and recovery.