Updated on: March 1, 2023
Short on time? Here’s the best password manager for iOS in 2023:
- 🥇 1Password — Intuitive iOS app, advanced security, and tons of features, including password security auditing, dark web scanning, hidden vaults, and more. It’s compatible with Apple Watch and Voice Control, has some of the cheapest plans around, and offers great value for both individual and family users.
I tested every single password manager in the App Store to find the best ones for iOS. I looked for apps with great security, intuitive interfaces, and more functionality than iCloud Keychain (Apple’s built-in password manager). During my tests, I learned that most products offered very little or no improvement over iCloud Keychain. Some couldn’t sync my password vault across all of my devices, some often failed to auto-fill my login credentials, and others were too difficult to use or too expensive.
However, I found a few password manager apps that are better than Keychain in every way. The iOS password managers on this list provide end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), password security auditing, and a range of extra security features. Most of the password managers on this list also have Apple Watch compatibility. Plus, they sync passwords across devices, browsers, and operating systems, and they let users securely share both passwords and other sensitive data, like notes or bookmarks.
So, which password manager is right for you? Whether you’re looking for excellent family sharing, a good budget option, or an advanced product with dark web monitoring and a VPN, you’ll find something on this list to fit your needs.
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Quick summary of the best password managers for iOS:
- 1.🥇 1Password — Best iOS password manager in 2023.
- 2.🥈 Dashlane — High-security features & extras like a VPN.
- 3.🥉 Keeper — Advanced security with great extras (like an encrypted messenger).
- 4. RoboForm — Simple interface with the best form-filler on the market.
- 5. Avira Password Manager — Very intuitive & offers multi-device sync on the free plan.
- Numbers 6-10 of 2023’s top password managers.
- Comparison Table of the Best Password Managers for iOS.
🥇1. 1Password — Best Overall Password Manager for iOS
1Password offers excellent security for iOS and comes with a wide range of intuitive features in an easy-to-use interface. It integrates really well with iOS, auto-filling passwords and other personal information with just a few taps.
It’s also very easy to set up biometric logins with iOS’s Touch ID and Face ID (it took me under a minute), and I also like that 1Password lets you access passwords and unlock your vault using an Apple Watch — something most password manager apps don’t offer.
One of the coolest things about 1Password’s iOS app is that you can create multiple vaults, which makes it easy to sort all of your logins instead of keeping them all in a single vault, and I also love that you can create mobile-only vaults. I set up a Family vault, so everyone in my family can access our Netflix and Amazon account passwords, and a Personal vault, which is where I keep all of my sensitive information like online banking details and my passport documents.
1Password’s iOS app also has:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Password auditing and breach monitoring.
- Time-based one-time password (TOTP) authenticator.
- Family sharing dashboard (Families plan).
- Hidden vaults (Travel Mode).
- 1 GB Encrypted storage.
- Local data storage.
- Privacy Cards (US users only).
- And more…
Watchtower is 1Password’s password auditing and breach monitoring feature, which audits passwords for complexity and originality and also monitors dark web forums and breach databases to ensure logins are as secure as possible (but Dashlane’s dark web monitoring is a bit better).
Watchtower also notifies you if any of your logins have 2FA compatibility — since 1Password includes a built-in TOTP generator, it can sync with 2FA-compatible logins to generate and auto-fill secure one-time passwords to increase account security.
I’m also a fan of Travel Mode, which is a unique feature that lets you hide certain vaults (when crossing borders). Enabling Travel Mode is very easy, and 1Password doesn’t show a change in status when this feature is enabled so no one can know you’ve actually hidden any vaults.
Privacy Cards are another useful extra feature that allows you to create virtual payment cards and make secure payments online. These cards replace your actual debit card number with a different set of numbers, so if a certain vendor is involved in a data breach, your card information won’t get leaked. Privacy Cards are only available to US users.
One feature I would like to see 1Password offer is emergency access, which enables a trusted contact to access your vaults in an emergency (Keeper and RoboForm both offer emergency access). However, 1Password does offer an Emergency Kit, which is a PDF document with a backup of your vault access details — it’s not quite the same as a regular emergency access feature, but you can give the PDF to a trusted contact and ensure that they store it safely.
1Password Personal ($2.99 / month) is really good for individual users — it comes with all of 1Password’s features and is one of the best-value and most affordable deals on the market. 1Password Families ($4.99 / month) adds an easy-to-use family sharing dashboard that lets you adjust sharing permissions for each family member. 1Password Families covers 5 users and all of their devices, with the option to add additional users for a small fee (it’s the best option for families).
Bottom Line:
1Password is an excellent password manager with one of the best iOS apps I’ve seen. It’s very easy to use, it provides biometric login and Apple Watch compatibility, and its Watchtower feature audits passwords while also actively scanning the dark web for breaches. 1Password Personal is available for an affordable monthly subscription, and 1Password Families is a really good value for multiple users. You can try 1Password risk-free with a 14-day free trial.
Read the full 1Password review here >
🥈2. Dashlane — Advanced Security & Excellent iOS Integration (+ VPN)
Dashlane is highly secure and integrates perfectly with iOS. It has some of the most advanced features on the market today, but it’s also very easy to use, so you’ll have no issues even if you’ve never used a password manager app before.
During my tests, Dashlane performed exceptionally well, and all the features worked exactly as promised. I had no problems syncing my vault across all of my devices, generating and saving passwords, or using and understanding the app’s extra tools. It was also very easy to set up the auto-fill function — it requires a few steps, including adjusting your iPhone’s settings to give Dashlane permission to use auto-fill, but Dashlane made the setup process seamless.
Dashlane provides a wide range of additional features, including:
- Unlimited password sharing.
- VPN (virtual private network).
- Apple Watch compatibility.
- 2FA login.
- Dark web monitoring.
- Voice Control compatibility.
- Identity theft protection (US only).
I like how Dashlane lets you share and sync unlimited passwords with unlimited Dashlane users — even on the free plan! It’s the only free plan on my list to offer unlimited sharing, and some of the password managers on this list (like Avira) don’t offer password sharing at all.
Dashlane also has an Apple Watch app, which lets users directly sign into accounts and even change their passwords — Dashlane sends users alerts if their passwords have been compromised, enabling them to change their passwords directly from their Apple Watch.
Furthermore, Dashlane is also the only iOS password manager app with an included VPN — providing secure, encrypted web access to servers around the world with almost zero connection slowdown. The VPN is powered by Hotspot Shield, which is one of the fastest VPNs on the market.
Dashlane Premium ($3.33 / month) includes all of the features mentioned above for a single user. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, check out Dashlane Advanced, which doesn’t include the VPN and costs $2.75 / month. Dashlane also offers a Friends & Family plan ($4.99 / month) that you can share with up to 10 people, which is pretty generous considering most competitors limit you to up to 6 users. There’s also an excellent free plan that offers unlimited password storage, plus a ton of security extras, including unlimited password sharing, password security auditing, data breach alerts, 1 GB of file storage, and more.
Bottom Line:
Dashlane offers advanced security, it’s easy to use, and it’s got heaps of extra features, like live dark web monitoring and a VPN (it’s the only password manager on my list with a VPN). It also integrates seamlessly with iOS — it’s compatible with Apple Watch, Voice Control, and biometric authentication. Dashlane Free comes with a 30-day free trial of Dashlane Premium, and all of Dashlane’s paid plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Dashlane review here >
🥉3. Keeper — Best Security Features for iOS
Keeper comes with more advanced security features than most competitors. In addition to protecting user data with unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption and zero-knowledge architecture, it’s Service Organization Controls-compliant, meaning it performs regular security audits to ensure all user information is fully protected.
Keeper also offers a wide range of two-factor authentication options — I really like the 2FA login feature, which lets you send one-time passwords to an Apple Watch to enhance your login security. I also like how you can log into Keeper with your Apple Watch’s biometric scanner.
Keeper comes with some great extra features, including:
- Encrypted messenger (KeeperChat).
- Dark web monitoring.
- Up to 100 GB cloud storage.
- Password sharing.
- Password auditing.
- Emergency access.
KeeperChat provides quick encrypted messaging and image and video sharing. I like that KeeperChat allows users to set up group chats, similar to WhatsApp and Telegram. KeeperChat also includes a self-destruct option where you can set a timer for sensitive messages to be deleted after a predefined period of time.
What sets Keeper apart from other iOS password managers is its One-Time Share function. From the iOS app, Keeper users can temporarily share passwords, files, payment card details, or other details via AirDrop or by sending a secure link without the recipient needing a Keeper account. Recipients can then open the shared link to view and use the shared item for a limited time (set by the sender). This is great if you need to quickly share streaming site login details with someone in your household or payment card details with a partner.
Keeper Unlimited ($24.49 / year) comes with unlimited password storage, syncing across multiple devices, advanced 2FA, and emergency access. Keeper Family ($52.49 / year) adds up to 5 licenses and 10 GB cloud storage. You can also separately purchase up to 100 GB of encrypted storage and dark web monitoring. Keeper has a free plan, but it doesn’t include many security features, and it can only be used on 1 device.
Bottom Line:
Keeper is a highly secure iOS password manager with many advanced cybersecurity protections — it has multiple 2FA options, one-time password sharing, emergency access, dark web monitoring, and Apple Watch integration. It also offers an encrypted messaging app, and it provides more cloud storage than any other password manager. You can try Keeper’s premium features with a 30-day free trial.
Read the full Keeper review here >
4. RoboForm — Best for Advanced Form Filling on iOS
RoboForm has the best form-filling capabilities of any iOS password managers on the market. It comes with 7 pre-built identity templates for everything from addresses and passports to vehicle registration, and you can also create a custom form template. In my tests, RoboForm accurately auto-filled complex web forms like automobile insurance forms without missing any fields.
RoboForm also comes with:
- 2FA compatibility with TOTP apps and biometric logins.
- Password auditing.
- Password, note, and bookmark sharing.
- Secure browser.
- Emergency access.
- Cloud backup.
RoboForm’s password auditing feature is excellent. While many password managers, including 1Password, Dashlane and Keeper, have similar tools, RoboForm makes it incredibly simple to check whether any of your passwords are weak or need updating. RoboForm’s emergency access is also pretty good — it lets you choose a trusted contact who can access your password vault in an emergency.
I’m a big fan of RoboForm’s secure bookmark sharing feature. I could sync bookmarks across all of my devices and share them with other RoboForm users on a variety of different browsers.
RoboForm’s iOS app includes a built-in browser, which is instantly accessible from the app’s home screen search bar or from the Browser tab. The browser is just as easy to use as Safari for iOS, but it also enables auto-fill, auto-save, and password generation, as well as bookmark saving (RoboForm doesn’t save bookmarks in other iOS browsers).
Roboform Everywhere ($0.99 / month) comes with multi-device syncing, 2FA, emergency access, and cloud backup. RoboForm Everywhere Family ($27.70 / year) is the same, but it covers up to 5 users. Finally, RoboForm Free offers unlimited logins on a single device, advanced form-filling, password auditing, and secure bookmark storage.
Bottom Line:
RoboForm is a simple password manager with a great form-filling tool — it auto-fills even the most complex forms with perfect accuracy. RoboForm Free has unlimited storage on 1 device, password auditing, bookmark storage, and a built-in web browser, whereas RoboForm Everywhere adds multi-device sync, 2FA, and emergency access. You can try RoboForm’s premium features with a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full RoboForm review here >
5. Avira Password Manager — Best for Ease of Use
Avira Password Manager is intuitive and secure, and it offers unlimited password storage across unlimited devices on its free plan — all of the other top password managers like Dashlane and Keeper limit you to 1 device on their free plans.
Avira is one of the most streamlined iOS password managers out there, seamlessly generating, saving, and auto-filling passwords in all my tests. It also integrates well with iOS’s biometric authentication systems (Touch ID and Face ID) — you only need to scan your fingerprint or face to access your Avira password vault.
Avira Password Manager also includes:
- Built-in 2FA authenticator (free plan).
- Password vault auditing (paid plan).
- Data breach monitoring (paid plan).
One of my favorite features is the built-in authenticator tool. During my tests, I found this tool was very easy to set up. I only had to scan the QR codes provided by 2FA-compatible sites using my iPhone’s camera, and Avira automatically generated a new temporary one-time password for those sites every 30 seconds.
While I like Avira’s simplicity and ease of use, I’d like to see it offer more features, such as dark web monitoring (like Dashlane) or a built-in browser that enables auto-save and secure bookmark storage (like RoboForm offers).
Avira Password Manager’s free plan is pretty good, but upgrading to Avira’s paid password manager ($2.67 / month) gets you excellent password vault auditing and data breach monitoring tools, which allow you to check the security of your passwords and online accounts and quickly change your passwords in case of a breach. If you want to extend your protection, consider Avira’s comprehensive Prime antivirus package, which costs $59.99 / year and includes premium antivirus protection for up to 5 devices (Avira is one of the best antiviruses in 2023).
Bottom Line:
Avira Password Manager is user-friendly and secure, with a robust free plan and an affordable premium version. It offers multi-device sync and biometric logins with its free plan. The paid plan adds password vault auditing and data breach monitoring — you can get Avira Password Manager as a standalone app, or bundled with the Avira Prime package (Avira’s premium antivirus suite). There’s a 60-day money-back guarantee on all yearly plans.
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Read the full Avira Password Manager review here >
6. LastPass — Good Free Plan for iOS Users
LastPass has a really good free password manager for iOS — you can use it on an unlimited number of mobile devices, but you can’t use it on your computer (unless you upgrade to LastPass Premium).
Unlike some free password managers, LastPass offers unlimited password storage — it also provides unlimited file storage where users can add attachments to notes, including images and PDF files.
The free plan also has one-to-one password sharing, which allows you to share an unlimited number of passwords or other files with one other LastPass user. While Avira’s free plan lets you use its password manager on all devices, I think the password sharing feature makes LastPass Free even better. That said, Dashlane offers unlimited password sharing with other Dashlane users on its free plan.
LastPass is also one of the few password managers to offer multiple account recovery options, including mobile account recovery with Face or Touch ID. That said, I’d like to see LastPass offer password security auditing and data breach notifications in its free plan (this is something Dashlane’s free plan has).
One thing I really like about LastPass is its Safari for iOS extension — the extension not only allows you to auto-fill logins, but it also lets you auto-save logins, generate passwords, and manage your vault all within the Safari app. While some password managers offer a built-in browser with similar options, I like how LastPass gives iOS users a bit more flexibility to use Apple’s own browser (which is one of the most secure browsers available).
LastPass Free is really good, but LastPass Premium ($3.00 / month) comes with many extra features, like one-to-many sharing, encrypted storage, emergency access, and dark web monitoring. LastPass Family ($4.00 / month) includes an intuitive family dashboard and coverage for up to 6 users and all of their devices.
Bottom Line:
LastPass Free is one of the top password manager apps for iOS — it offers unlimited password storage on either unlimited desktop or unlimited mobile devices, along with TOTP 2FA compatibility, one-to-one sharing, and several account recovery options. LastPass’s free plan is good, but LastPass Premium adds one-to-many sharing, emergency access, and encrypted storage. LastPass Free comes with a 30-day trial of LastPass Premium.
Read the full LastPass review here >
7. NordPass — Intuitive and Easy to Use iOS Interface
NordPass is one of the most user-friendly iOS password managers on this list — its streamlined interface makes generating and auto-filling passwords easy, and it integrates well with iOS’s biometric login system — so there’s no need to enter a complex master password every time you log in. That said, I’d love to see NordPass add Apple Watch compatibility like 1Password has.
NordPass uses an excellent encryption method (called XChaCha20). This is different from most competing password managers (which use 256-bit AES encryption), but there’s no concrete evidence to prove XChaCha20 is stronger than 256-bit AES — hackers haven’t cracked either method.
NordPass doesn’t include as many features as competitors like 1Password and Dashlane, but it’s still got all the essential features I expect to see in a premium iOS password manager, like:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Biometric login (Apple ID).
- Secure password sharing.
- Password auditing.
- Data breach monitoring.
NordPass’s vault auditing and data breach monitoring features aren’t unique, but they worked pretty well in my testing and detected all of my weak and repeated passwords. They also identified multiple instances where my test email was leaked in the last few years.
However, NordPass for iOS lacks essential features included in the Windows and Android version, such as emergency access, which is disappointing. Competitors like Keeper have emergency access in their iOS versions.
NordPass Free offers unlimited password storage, multi-device sync, and biometric logins — but you can only use it on 1 device at a time. NordPass Premium covers up to 6 devices simultaneously, and it includes extra features like password sharing and data breach monitoring. NordPass Family is the same, but it covers up to 6 users.
Bottom Line:
NordPass is a secure and easy-to-use iOS password manager. It uses the advanced XChaCha20 encryption algorithm and has good vault auditing and dark web monitoring features. However, the iOS version lacks features like emergency access. NordPass Free offers unlimited password storage and biometric 2FA support, but the Premium and Family plans add multi-device access, password sharing, and password auditing. NordPass comes with a 30-day free trial, and you can test it out with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full NordPass review here >
8. Sticky Password — Good Premium Plan With Local Storage
Sticky Password is a basic password manager, but it has a couple of nice extra features, including local data storage. You can choose whether you want to store and sync your data in its cloud or on your own device. Sticky Password uses 256-bit AES encryption to secure user databases in the cloud, which is great for most users. But if you’re extra security-conscious, it’s nice having the option to sync across your devices over a local Wi-Fi network — I was able to sync my passwords from my Mac directly to my iPhone and iPad using my private Wi-Fi network, and it was just as fast as syncing via Sticky Password’s cloud servers.
Unfortunately, Sticky Password doesn’t have as many features as top brands like 1Password. However, its iOS app does come with a few extras, including identity and payment card details storage, secure notes, and really good dark web monitoring. Its mobile app is also easy to use, with a clean and simple interface, and its essential password management features — including password generation and auto-fill — work well.
Sticky Password Premium ($29.99 / year) includes all of its features for a single user, and it’s a pretty good value. I also like that Sticky Password donates part of the profits from each premium license to the Save The Manatee Club — a non-profit dedicated to manatee conservation. There’s also a free plan that includes unlimited passwords on 1 device, two-factor authentication, secure notes storage, and a portable USB version.
Bottom Line:
Sticky Password has all the basic password management tools, plus extras like local data storage. The free plan comes with a 30-day free trial of Sticky Password Premium, and all purchases have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, each premium purchase benefits the Save the Manatee Club — a bonus for animal lovers!
Read the full Sticky Password review here >
9. Password Boss — Well-Designed iOS App With a Decent Range of Features
Password Boss is secure, feature-rich, and easy to use. It comes with all of the basic password management features, including unlimited storage, syncing across multiple devices, and two-factor authentication. It also has useful extra features like a secure browser, a built-in two-factor authenticator, and a remote delete feature.
I also like that Password Boss supports biometric logins — you can log into your account with Face or Touch ID instead of typing in your master password. It also lets you choose a 4-digit PIN code for logging in.
Password Boss has a good range of features that are well-designed and work as promised, but I’d still like to see more additional features like live dark web monitoring or hidden vaults (these extras are offered by top competitors like Dashlane and 1Password).
Password Boss’s premium plans let you sync passwords across unlimited devices and share unlimited passwords, and they start at $2.99 / month. You can try Password Boss Premium with a 30-day free trial that comes with the free version, or with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The free plan lets you store your passwords locally on one device.
Bottom line:
Password Boss is a secure password manager with a good set of features. These include unlimited storage, syncing across multiple devices, two-factor authentication, secure password sharing, password security auditing, and emergency access. Password Boss is easy to use, and the iOS app is intuitive. It offers a limited free version, and there’s a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee for all paid plans.
Read the full Password Boss review here >
10. Bitwarden — Open-Source With Budget-Friendly Pricing
Bitwarden is a secure open-source password manager that offers a free plan and a very affordable paid plan that costs only $10.00 / year. It has all the security tools I’d expect in a premium password manager, including:
- Strong encryption.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Password security auditing.
- Password breach monitoring.
- Cloud or local hosting options.
When I tested Bitwarden’s mobile app on my iPhone, I found it integrated really well with iOS. All my passwords synced easily between my desktop and my phone, and I had no trouble setting up Bitwarden to auto-fill my passwords. I tried the auto-fill function in the Safari iOS app, and it worked perfectly — I could log into all of my accounts without any issues.
However, Bitwarden isn’t as easy to use as other top password managers like Dashlane. Importing passwords from a browser or other password manager is a bit tricky, and the interface isn’t intuitive.
Bitwarden Free includes unlimited password storage across unlimited devices, unlimited password sharing with 1 user, and 2FA compatibility with TOTP authenticators like Authy. Bitwarden Premium adds vault auditing tools, a built-in 2FA authenticator, and 1 GB of encrypted storage.
Bottom Line:
Bitwarden is a highly secure password manager with much cheaper plans than competing brands. It’s an open-source product, and it offers local data storage. Bitwarden isn’t as user-friendly as Dashlane, but it’s a good choice if you’re tech-savvy and want a feature-rich budget option.
Read the full Bitwarden review here >
Bonus. Norton Password Manager — Great Free Option With an Intuitive iOS App
Norton Password Manager is a good free password manager with an intuitive iOS app. It has all of the essential features, including auto-fill, a password generator, and secure notes storage, as well as unlimited password storage — it’s rare for any free password manager to offer unlimited storage.
Norton Password Manager’s iOS app layout is easy to navigate and doesn’t come with an array of extras that clutter the screen, which makes it much easier to set up and use. When I first opened the app, Norton prompted me to set up the auto-fill function on my iPhone and guided me through the entire process, so I didn’t need to waste time contacting customer support for assistance.
Norton Password Manager also comes with a few extra features:
- Secure browser.
- Auto-save capabilities (within Norton’s Secure Browser).
- Mobile unlock authentication (a form of 2FA).
- Randomized keypad option for PIN code unlocking.
- Clipboard clearing options.
Norton’s Secure Browser worked well when I tested it. Norton’s Safe Search search engine is the default search engine, and it worked just as well as Safari or Chrome. I like how the browser protects users from dangerous sites and also how it enables users to auto-save passwords when logging into websites.
The mobile unlock feature (which is a form of two-factor authentication) also worked well — it enabled me to use my iPhone to authorize access to my Norton Password Manager vault when logging in via my desktop browser. However, I wish Norton offered more two-factor authentication options, like TOTP 2FA integration, Touch ID, and Face ID, all of which are included with 1Password’s iOS app.
Norton’s password manager is also missing a few more features, such as password sharing (offered by 1Password), a VPN (Dashlane has a VPN), emergency access (offered by Keeper), in-app password vault auditing (only in the desktop version), and dark web monitoring (included with Norton’s premium antivirus plans).
You can download Norton’s password manager for free, but if you want access to extras like live dark web monitoring, a VPN, and other iOS security protections, it’s worth trying one of Norton’s premium antivirus plans. Norton Mobile Security for iOS is just $14.99 / year, but if you want to protect all of your devices, including iOS, Mac, Windows, and Android, Norton’s 360 Deluxe plan ($24.99 / year) is one of the best options on the market.
Bottom Line:
Norton is a great free password manager for both iPhones and iPads. It has a good range of features, although it doesn’t quite compare to top brands like 1Password, Dashlane, or Keeper. That said, if you want to access extras like dark web monitoring, a VPN, and iOS protections, you can try one of Norton’s premium security plans.
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Read the full Norton Password Manager review here >
Comparison of the Best Password Managers for iOS
How to Choose the Best Password Manager for iOS in 2023
- Choose an iOS password manager that offers solid security features. A good password manager needs to use 256-bit AES encryption to keep your information completely secure. Additional security features like 2FA, password vault auditing, and dark web monitoring are also important. In my list, I only included apps with enough tools to keep iOS devices and data as secure as possible.
- Test the app to see if it’s easy to use. Password manager iOS apps should be easy to set up and use, and they should seamlessly sync across all Apple devices. In my tests, I gave extra points to products with useful in-app tutorials and syncing with PC and Android devices, like 1Password and Dashlane.
- Look for additional features. Look out for additional security features like a virtual private network (VPN), encrypted storage, intuitive form filling, encrypted messaging, and emergency access. I tested each of these features to make sure they add significant value.
- Check the quality of each customer support option. In my tests, I contacted each company’s customer support teams via email or live chat and ranked each team for timely responses, accurate information, and overall professionalism.
- Ensure the password manager offers a good value. There are many password managers out there, so make sure to choose one that gives you good value for money. All the products on my list provide plenty of useful features for a good price. Products with good free versions, free trials, money-back guarantees, support for multiple users, and intuitive family plans, like 1Password and Dashlane, received bonus points.
Apple iCloud Keychain vs. Third-Party Password Managers
iCloud Keychain is a simple password manager that’s bundled with all iOS devices and comes with industry-standard security features like 256-bit AES encryption, two-factor authentication, and a zero-knowledge policy. It allows you to enter and save passwords, credit cards, and other personal information, and it monitors for compromised and reused passwords in your vault. iCloud Keychain also allows you to securely share passwords via AirDrop and has a simple password generator. It also syncs data across Apple devices, but doesn’t sync well with Windows or Android.
The third-party password managers on this list make it easy to sync your data across all devices, OS, and browsers. Top third-party password managers like 1Password, Dashlane, and LastPass all come with industry-standard security features, better password sharing and auditing, and a wide range of useful extras like account recovery (LastPass is the best for this), Travel Mode (1Password), virtual payment cards (1Password), and even a VPN (Dashlane). Finally, these third-party password managers offer family plans that come with intuitive family dashboards and cover up to around 5 users on all devices (1Password is the only brand on the market that lets you add as many users as you like under a single account for a small fee).
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut:
- Enpass. Enpass is actually not that bad. It has cross-platform support, it stores and auto-fills passwords, and it’s pretty cheap. But it only offers local password storage, which isn’t good for most users, and it doesn’t come with extra features like dark web monitoring or emergency access.
- KeePass. KeePass is an open-source password manager that’s highly secure and completely free to use. However, it’s not at all user-friendly, and it lacks features like password sharing and dark web monitoring that top brands like 1Password or Dashlane include. It also lacks a native mobile app, so I definitely can’t recommend it for iOS users.
- True Key. True Key is a password manager provided by the popular McAfee antivirus brand. It works ok, but it’s pretty minimal compared to the picks on my list and is missing important features like password sharing and vault auditing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a password manager on iOS?
Yes. If you have multiple online accounts on your iOS device, you’re probably not able to remember all of your passwords unless they’re very simple or if you have a single password for every account. Either of these situations leaves your sensitive information vulnerable, so you’re definitely better off with a password manager that can generate, save, and fill all of your online logins.
I personally recommend one of the third-party password managers on this list to securely store all of your online logins — they are secure, offer industry-standard features like 256-bit AES encryption, zero-knowledge protocols, and two-factor authentication, and come with a variety of useful extra features.
Is iCloud Keychain good enough on its own?
No, iCloud Keychain is not good enough on its own — it’s a very basic password manager compared to the third-party password managers on this list. iCloud Keychain has a basic password generator, allows you to store passwords, credit cards, and other personal information in its vault, and provides a simple password auditing tool, but that’s about it. iCloud Keychain also doesn’t sync well with Windows or Android and has issues interfacing with third-party browsers.
On the other hand, brands like 1Password and Dashlane have strong security, better password generators, password sharing features, and password auditing tools, provide a wide range of useful features that iCloud Keychain doesn’t have, like emergency access and dark web monitoring, work across all devices and operating systems, and offer affordable plans for both individuals and families.
What’s the difference between iCloud Keychain and other iOS password manager apps?
iCloud Keychain is a secure and simple password manager that comes bundled with all iOS devices — but it has many flaws. iCloud Keychain doesn’t sync well with Windows or Android, and it has a hard time interfacing with third-party browsers.
The third-party password managers on this list are more secure, all coming with 256-bit AES encryption (or similar), zero-knowledge protocols, and two-factor authentication. They can do a lot more than just save and store passwords, as well.
The apps on this list can:
- Fill complex web forms.
- Share passwords between users.
- Audit passwords for security and strength.
- Monitor the dark web for breached logins.
- Generate one-time passwords for 2FA-enabled logins.
- Provide emergency access if you lose your device or master password.
Some password managers offer additional security features like encrypted messaging and cloud storage — 1Password also has unique extras like Travel Mode and Privacy Cards, and Dashlane even includes its own VPN.
Are iOS password managers safe?
Yes, iOS password managers are safe. While it’s natural to be worried about entrusting all of your login information to one piece of software, password managers actually increase your internet security. All password managers on this list store your logins in highly encrypted servers using 256-bit AES encryption or better, which has never been broken.
However, if your master password gets into the wrong hands, your entire vault is vulnerable. This is why password managers like 1Password, Dashlane, and Keeper offer two-factor authentication (2FA) — with 2FA, you can’t log into your password vault without a second form of verification, like a fingerprint, face scan, or one-time password sent to your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Can I share my passwords between non-iOS devices?
Yes, every premium third-party password manager offers multi-device sync across different operating systems and browsers. Avira Password Manager even offers coverage for unlimited devices on its free plan, and LastPass Free provides coverage for either unlimited mobile or unlimited desktop devices.
All of the password managers on this list sync easily between different platforms. I currently have 1Password installed on my PC and iPhone, as well as on my Android tablet.
Do third-party password managers integrate well with iPhones?
Yes. Until recently, password managers couldn’t auto-fill login or financial information, so they weren’t very useful for iOS devices. But since Apple updated iOS 12 to allow third-party applications to access the auto-fill function on iOS, all of the top password managers are just as easy to use on iPhones and iPads as they are on other devices. These password managers also integrate with face scanning and fingerprint scanning, and 1Password is even compatible with Apple’s Voice Control function, which allows people with disabilities to access the functions on their phone, hands-free.
