There are multiple reasons to use a password manager, the most important being security. In today’s digital world, you have a password for everything from your favorite retail app to your bank account and everything in between. That can add up to a lot of passwords and it’s not safe, or recommended, to use the same password for everything. It is recommended to use a unique, secure password for each account.
What is a Password Manager?
A password manager is a software application that allows you to create, store and manage strong, secure, unique passwords for all your online accounts on mobile devices, websites, and other services. All your encrypted passwords are accessible with just one password. It eliminates the need to remember more than one password but allows you to use unique, strong passwords for each account. This creates efficiency and safeguarding against hacks.
Reasons to Use a Password Manager
- Security – One of the main reasons to use a password manager is security. Your passwords are encrypted and stored in a secure vault. It is nearly impossible for hackers to access your passwords, even if they get into your device. With password managers, you can be confident that your passwords are protected from theft, and that your personal information is safe.
- Convenience – A huge benefit of using a password manager is that it saves you time and effort. Instead of trying to remember multiple passwords for different accounts or writing them down, you can just remember one master password to access your password manager. From there, you can easily access all your saved passwords. Additionally, some password managers have the ability to automatically log you into your accounts relieving you from needing to type in your password each time you log in.
- Strong Passwords – Another of the reasons to use a password manager is the built-in password generator feature. Password generators use complex algorithms to create random, unique passwords that are much stronger than those created by people. These passwords are customizable and can be long and complex, making them difficult for hackers to crack. By using a password manager to generate these strong passwords, you reduce the risk of your accounts being hacked, even if a password is compromised.
- Cross-Device Synchronization – Most password managers allow you to access your passwords on multiple devices, including your computer, smartphone, and tablet. This means that you can access your passwords from anywhere, and you don’t have to worry about losing them if you change devices. Often when using mobile devices like smartphones, password managers lock passwords behind biometrics, like TouchID and FaceID.
- Cost Effective – Password managers are often inexpensive or even free. And considering the benefits that they offer, it’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with having a secure password management system. One free password manager is Bitwarden. It is open-source, very secure, and transparent.
- Efficiency – It all comes down to one. One password accesses your entire encrypted arsenal of passwords, ready to auto-fill and locked behind biometrics on your mobile device. The importance of keeping your sensitive information secure is a glaring reason to use a password manager. However, ease of use and convenience is what will entice you to use one. When choosing which to use, cost will come into play.
5 Password Managers to Consider
- Dashlane –Dashlane works well for both personal and business use alike. The software is intuitive and both new and experienced users will enjoy the ease of use. Its main drawback is the price of $60 per year.
- 1Password – 1Password excels at password organization and is very popular with individual users. They do have a Teams plan for groups or businesses as well. A unique feature includes Travel Mode which allows you to remove your sensitive data from your phone when you travel and restore it with one button when you return. The main drawback is the mobile app is very basic.
- Keeper – Keeper is great for secure cross-platform password management. It comes with 5GB of secure storage and the offline mode works without internet. Potential drawback is that a stand-alone app is required for desktop biometrics.
- Bitwarden – Bitwarden is open-source, very secure, and transparent. The premium subscription plans allow sharing passwords, logins, memberships, and other items with trusted family and friends. Drawbacks include: not many bells and whistles and not all features are intuitive to use.
- NordPass – NordPass is a good option for business account administrators but works well for individual users as well. There is anonymous payment options and 24/7 live support. It has a clean, consistent design and is very user-friendly. Drawback includes they require creation of two accounts for set up.
The best password manager for you will be dependent on your needs and price point. There are many options to choose from aside from the above-mentioned. Wherever your research takes you we hope it leads you to securing your online presence with a password manager. There are many reasons to use a password manager so guard yourself against a data breach and contact FirstLink today for help with all your online security needs!