Passwords now form part of daily life whether at work or at home. With much of our day-to-day tasks now conducted online, we need passwords to pay bills, access social media accounts, open a phone, access apps and so much more… They are also the bane of our lives; too long to remember, too short to be safe from hacking.
Most internet users will have dozens of passwords. But who can remember that many? Instead we are tempted to re-use the same or similar (and often simple) passwords over multiple accounts which leaves us highly vulnerable to hacking. Approximately 49% of all data breaches involve compromised passwords. In corporate settings, 81% of hacking related breaches stem from weak or reused passwords.
A password manager can store all your passwords in one place and will autofill the password of the account you want to log into. This allows you to have lots of different long complex passwords without having to memorise them or write them down. Another interesting statistic: around 88% of passwords used in successful attacks are 12 characters or fewer (source: spacelift.io).
Password managers use advanced encryption protocols to ensure your data is only accessible to you. They offer proper password management and advanced security protection.
Of those people using some form of password manager, 79% stick with the free options like Apple Keychain or Google Chrome. However there are a number of key benefits to selecting one of the paid alternatives.
A dedicated password manager will offer many additional features not available with the cost-free browser-based options. For example:
Multiple Devices
Dedicated password managers work across multiple devices meaning they can to access your passwords from anywhere. This is useful if you have different types of devices for personal and professional use.
Multiple Browsers
The free password management options can be used across multiple browsers but often with limitations and differences.
Apple Keychain requires an extension for non-Safari browsers on macOS and Windows, and its functionality is limited in some browsers like Firefox.
Google’s password manager works across different browsers by syncing with your Google account, though its integration and security can be less robust than a dedicated third-party tool, especially if other users have access to your main Google account (source: bitwarden.com).
Higher Levels of Security
While browser-based password managers have made significant security-related improvements they are still riskier than dedicated password managers. They are more vulnerable to malware attacks, and passwords are constantly being tested by hackers.
Extended Storage
With a password manager, you’re not limited to only storing passwords. Some of the other things password managers let you store include:
- Credit card details
- Addresses
- Documents
- Banking information
- Images and videos
- Back-up codes
1Password
Our preferred manager is 1Password and we are pleased to work in partnership with them. 1Password is one of the industry leaders. 1Password has never had a data breach and unlike some of its competitors it uses a significantly more secure setup to encrypt your ‘password vault’ and encrypts every field.
And you don’t have to take our word for it – the NYT Wirecutter product recommendation service evaluated dozens of paid and free password managers, and concluded that 1Password offers the best combination of features, compatibility, security and ease of use (article posted on 28 February 2025).
According to a product reviewer from cybernews.com, 1Password is “one of the best password managers you can choose in 2025 because of advanced security that doesn’t get in the way of ease of use. It also offers practical features you can use in real life and a great price-to-value ratio for individuals, families, and businesses.”
Together with the Cybernews research team, the researcher spent a few weeks testing 1Password to see what it’s really like using it on a day-to-day basis. It was tested against three key aspects: security, features and ease of use.
