Top Password Managers for Windows

Take a minute to count how many apps you use and the number of digital accounts you've created; dozens, hundreds, thousands? And each with a unique password that needs to be memorized. Maybe you write them down or save login data in your browser. You probably use similar, or even identical passwords on multiple sites - one of the worst things imaginable so far as security is concerned.

The good news is that you don't have to choose either security or convenience, and can instead have both, thanks to password managers. These keep track of your passwords for you, preventing unauthorized access while providing a high degree of utmost convenience. But which is the best for Windows?

Most password managers are compatible with Windows and macOS, with a few supporting Linux or other, more obscure operating systems. On occasion, it's clear that a developer prefers one OS over another, with features, interfaces, or functionality being markedly better for that version than the rest of their clients. This article lists our top 3 password managers for Windows, saving you the time and trouble of having to try them out on your own.

The list of providers is long, making selecting the right password manager being anything but easy. Making things more difficult, most services offer similar features and functionality at comparable prices. At the same time, small differences here and there can greatly affect your experience with the software. Like most things tech, each platform has developed its own fanbase, members of which swear by the superiority of their platform over those of its competitors. We've tried to take a more objective approach here, simply listing our top 3 password managers for Windows.

Dashlane's strong showing during our evaluation secured it the top spot overall, with its Windows version cutting a mighty fine figure. Both the desktop client and web interface are intuitive and well-designed, offering users access to an unparalleled array of features. As if that wasn't enough, Dashlane's browser extension is one of the best on the market, brilliantly complementing the desktop version.

Getting back to those features though, Dashlane offers many which other providers lack. Its convenient password changer automatically alters passwords for a range of popular Internet services and sites with a single mouse click.

The app's current version even comes with a VPN. Dashlane also impresses among features common to password managers, with its security dashboard and password generator, being two of the best we encountered.

Most features are reserved for premium users, however, a Dashlane subscription is, at least in our eyes, the best option for a Windows user willing to pay for quality.

At first glance, 1Password might seem like an odd inclusion on our list of the Top 3 best password managers for Windows, considering that the software was originally developed only for Macs.

All the same, as things stand, 1Password's Windows version certainly wowed us: Loaded with features, the software includes Watchtower, from which you can keep tabs on the safety of all of your accounts, as well as Travel Mode. This makes it possible to configure which vaults you can access from which devices, a handy feature that we'd like to see other providers integrate as well.

Autofill performed reliably, whether for inputting login credentials or payment information. One of the few drawbacks we noticed is that only Family or Business subscribers are able to securely share data sets with other 1Password users.

You're looking for a full password manager for Windows, but don't want to pay? Following upon LastPass's overhaul of its free version in 2021, imposing new limits on what used to be a real favorite, NordPass has taken its place as our pick for the best free password manager. Free users can create as many data sets as they'd like, all the while synchronizing everything between the desktop client and mobile app.

Even beyond its price though, NordPass stands out, in a good way, staying true to the Nord name (NordVPN performed best in our comparison of VPN provides). The service is intuitive, elegantly designed, and seamlessly integrates into your browser, performing as though it were always there.

In terms of disadvantages, NordPass can't boast as many features or options as the other top services from our sample, and adding data sets isn't as flexible as it could be.

During our review of 12 of the most popular password managers, we found a lot of great options, and truth be told, it was a very tight race to call. Compiling a top three list of anything is always subjective and password managers for Windows are no exception. Although we try to be as objective as possible, we don't discount the possibility that our ratings might skew in a certain direction, giving one provider the edge over another.

For that reason, we highly recommend taking a look at some of the other services we didn't mention here since each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Below, we've provided a selection of the best alternatives:

You can find an in-depth analysis of all 12 password managers we evaluated, including the three discussed above, in our comprehensive review and comparison.