Bitwarden

Reusing passwords is one of the most common and the easiest fixable security problem that most people have. A password manager solves it completely. It generates strong, unique passwords for every site and saves all of them for you. Bitwarden makes it very easy to get started using a password manager.

It's fully open source so anyone can inspect the code, it's been independently audited multiple times and it works on every platform and every major browser. Your password vault is end-to-end encrypted so even Bitwarden can't read it.

Bitwarden's free plan is genuinely unlimited, covering unlimited passwords across unlimited devices with no restrictions. It also includes sharing passwords with one other person by setting up a free organization. It also works offline Most people can stop right there and never pay anything.

The closest comparison is Proton Pass, which is also has an excellent free plan. But it's missing a few things compared to Bitwarden. If you're already going all-in on the Proton ecosystem with Proton Mail, VPN, and Drive, then Proton Pass makes sense because it integrates naturally and you're likely already paying for it through Proton Unlimited. But if you want a standalone password manager, or you're thinking about a family plan, Bitwarden wins clearly on value.

Bitwarden's Families plan is $3.99/month and covers up to six users with all premium features included for everyone. Proton Pass Family is $4.99/month for the same number of users. A dollar a month difference isn't dramatic, but Bitwarden's family plan has been around longer, is more mature, and includes a well-tested shared collections system for managing passwords between family members. Proton's family plan is newer and still catching up on some features.

Bitwarden Premium for a single user is $1.65/month, which works out to $19.80 a year. It adds built-in 2FA, vault health reports, encrypted file attachments, and emergency access. That last one is worth calling out: it lets you designate a trusted contact who can request access to your vault if something happens to you. Proton Pass doesn't have this yet.

One slight trade-off: Bitwarden's interface isn't as polished as some competitors. It's functional and clear but not particularly beautiful. That's a minor gripe for something you'll use every day and never really think about.

If you're setting up a password manager for the first time, the Bitwarden free plan is the place to start. If you have more than two people that need a password manager, the Families plan at $3.99/month for six people is one of the better values in privacy software.