The Best Aussie Password Manager Deals Available Now

• Keeper Security Personal & Family Plans – From A$4.58 per month
• Get NordPass Premium 2-year subscription for 50% off: $1.49/month
• $20 off new Dashlane Premium plans for Cybersecurity Awareness Month - use code "SECURE20"

Check out more security software deals available in Australia here.

Forgetting your login credentials can send you down the rabbit hole of figuring out the password reset procedure, and it always seems to happen when you're in a hurry. We know it's tempting to reset it to something so simple you won't forget it or to memorize one password and use it everywhere. However, both strategies set you up for failure. For instance, a hacker can easily guess or brute-force a simple password. A data breach can expose whatever complex password you memorize, thus compromising each account using it.

The potential hits—financial and otherwise—resulting from using weak passwords could cost you plenty. If you're on a tight budget and need password protection now, many of the best password managers we've reviewed offer free service plans. Below, we've identified the best free password managers to help you choose the right one.

Note that we're including the entire range of apps we've tested here instead of only our top picks. This is because the free password manager space is small. Furthermore, some big names that scored poorly would otherwise be left out, which would be a disservice to readers considering those apps.

Are There Free Editions of Paid Password Managers?

If you see a paid password manager with features you like, you might be able to check it out during a free trial or use a free, feature-limited version of the premium password manager. All of the free password managers on this list are feature-limited versions of a company's premium password manager.

For example, some companies let you create and store passwords but not sync them across your devices, share credentials, or set up a password inheritance contact without subscribing to the premium service. Some services—Bitwarden is a good example—are less stingy with their free versions. This list doesn't include free password managers that limit the number of credentials you can store in your vault or don't allow cross-platform syncing. For example, Dashlane's free version limits subscribers to 25 stored logins, and Keeper's free tier only works on a single mobile device.

What Does a Free Password Manager Do?

For most people, getting started means installing a password manager's apps for desktop and mobile, along with an extension for your browser of choice. When you log in to a secure site, the password manager captures the username and password and saves them to your vault. The best password managers capture your credentials during account creation, and when you change your password online, they offer to update the stored password for that site.

When you revisit a site, most password managers can automatically fill in the saved data. If you have more than one set of credentials, you can choose which to use. Another handy (and common) feature of most of these browser extensions is that clicking an entry sends you directly to the site and logs you in.

Many of us are just as likely to log into a secure site from a mobile device as from a desktop computer, so finding a password manager that syncs your credentials between all your devices is vital. Most password managers use encrypted cloud storage to sync between devices. Some keep your data local, syncing between databases on different devices without keeping anything in the cloud. The real benefit of having your password manager on your phone is that you can autofill credentials for any mobile apps you use.

One great thing about free password managers is that you can try several and find out which one you like best. If you're thinking of making such a survey, look for products that can import from other password managers. Otherwise, you have to go through the password capture process again for each candidate.

What Else Can Password Managers Do?

The point of adding a password manager app to your security arsenal is to replace each weak and duplicate password with an unguessable, strong password. But where do you get those strong passwords? Most of these apps have a password generator, many of which give you control of things like password length and which character sets to use. The very best ones perform password auditing to ease the process of identifying and fixing poor passwords.

(Credit: Bitwarden)

Automatically filling in usernames and passwords isn't so different from filling in other data in web forms. Many paid password managers can streamline the process of filling forms with personal data, such as addresses or payment card details. Among other features password managers offer is storage space for secure documents, though the allotted storage is typically insufficient to replace a dedicated cloud storage service.

In addition to using your passwords on multiple devices, you may want to share logins with other users. Some free password managers do not support secure sharing. It's also uncommon for free password managers to let you define an inheritor for your passwords, someone who will receive them in the event of your demise.

Are Free Password Managers Secure?

When you put all your passwords into one repository, you'd better be extremely careful to protect that repository. That's where your master password comes in. This is the password used to encrypt the contents of your password vault, so it needs to be as strong as possible. On the flip side, it is unlikely you can recover it if you forget it. Store your master password in a secure place or risk permanently losing access to your password manager.

Setting up multi-factor authentication is another way to mitigate the risk of possible attacks. Multi-factor authentication could be biometric, requiring a fingerprint, facial recognition, or even voice recognition. Some password managers rely on mobile authenticator apps; others use SMS-based methods or hardware security keys to authenticate. Allowing access only from registered, trusted devices is yet another form of multi-factor authentication.

What Is the Best Free Password Manager?

Bitwarden is our Editors' Choice for free password management because it has impressive security features and few limitations for free users. If you're concerned about your online security, read our best antivirus and VPN roundups.