The best password manager for Mac in 2024: Expert tested

Bitwarden is our top recommendation for free password management across platforms, including MacOS, with all the essentials of a good password manager available at no cost. Bitwarden’s paid plans — $10 per year for a single user and $40 per year for a family of up to six — are also an excellent deal and include premium features like encrypted file sharing, detailed vault health and data breach reports, and priority support. 

Unlike most other free plans, Bitwarden has no limits on the number of items you can sync — though synching can be slow — or the number of devices on which you can access your vault to save and autofill credentials. On Mac, that includes a desktop app, web vault, and browser extensions, which are available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Vivaldi, Edge, Brave, Opera, Tor, and DuckDuckGo. Users on the free tier can also share text using Bitwarden Send, select from a handful of multi-factor authentication methods for their vault, and view username data breach reports.  

All users can access helpful privacy features like a username generator and integration with third-party email alias services. For those with paid subscriptions, emergency access allows you to designate a trusted contact to inherit your vault if you are incapacitated. Bitwarden runs on strong AES-256 encryption, and its code is open source for anyone to review. 

If you are looking for a free password manager with strong security and solid features, Bitwarden is an excellent choice. 

Bitwarden features: Autofill and autosave | Secure vault sharing between two users | Secure note storage | Username and password generator | Email alias integration | Encrypted sharing via Bitwarden Send | Passkey support | Biometric unlock | Multi-factor authentication for vault | Integrated authenticator | Vault health reports | Emergency access

Passwords is Apple’s new standalone password management app that builds on its existing iCloud Keychain feature. It is automatically included at no cost with an upgrade to MacOS Sequoia, as well as with devices running iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and VisionOS 2, when you are logged into your Apple Account. 

Apple Passwords will generate, save, and autofill logins across browsers and apps on your Mac along with passkeys and one-time verification codes. The app also stores Wi-Fi network credentials and auto-populates with any items previously added to iCloud Keychain. Passwords will notify you if your passwords are weak or compromised in a data breach, and you can securely share credentials with trusted contacts. 

Passwords does not currently have the ability to save and fill payment methods and identities or to store notes and files – common features of third-party password managers – so it may not be a replacement for those already using a different app. However, Passwords is a good entry point for anyone in the Apple ecosystem who otherwise wouldn’t use a password manager, as it is built-in, easy to navigate, and free. 

Apple Passwords features: Autofill and autosave | Item sharing | Passkey and MFA support | Wi-Fi network credential storage | Biometric unlock | Password health and data breach reporting | Account recovery | Legacy access

NordPass offers secure password management through a user-friendly interface at a competitive price when discounted (at the time of writing, around $25 per year for an individual and $45 per year for a family of up to six). There’s also a free tier that allows unlimited passwords across unlimited devices, though you can only be logged in on one — either your Mac or your iPhone — at a time. 

In addition to the basics — saving and auto-filling your logins, payment methods, and personal information — NordPass comes with a number of premium privacy and security features like secure storage, encrypted sharing, passkey support, data breach monitoring for email addresses and credit cards, and email masking. There’s also an emergency access option, which allows you to designate a legacy contact who can view your vault after a waiting period. 

NordPass was developed by Nord Security, which offers other cybersecurity tools like NordVPN. When you register for a free or paid plan, you’ll create both a universal Nord Account login and a master password specifically for your vault, which is protected by XChaCha20 encryption. On Mac, you can use NordPass through the web vault, desktop app, and browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, Brave, and Opera. 

NordPass is a solid alternative to 1Password for Mac users thanks to its easy-to-navigate interface and feature list at a similar price point. 

NordPass features: Autofill and autosave | Secure note storage | Encrypted sharing | Username generator | Passkey support | Multi-factor authentication | Biometric unlock | Password health and data breach reporting | Email masking | Emergency access | Account recovery | 24/7 customer support

Keeper offers an excellent user experience for new and veteran password management customers with a clean, consistent interface and detailed support resources. An annual subscription to Keeper costs $34.99 for an individual and $74.99 for a family with up to five separate vaults, on par with the likes of 1Password. There is a free tier, but it is limited to just 10 items and one mobile device, so it’s not an option for your Mac. Keeper does offer a 30-day trial before you have to commit to a paid plan. Mac users can access Keeper via web vault, desktop app, and browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Brave. 

In addition to autosave, autofill, and an extensive selection of record types, Keeper offers a top-notch version of premium features: granular settings for securely sharing vault items, password audits with actionable recommendations, emergency access for up to five designated contacts, and the ability to view your data offline. You also get guidance via the onboarding wizard, detailed help pages, and live support via email, chat, and phone. 

Note that dark web identity monitoring (known as BreachWatch) and secure storage aren’t included in Keeper’s base pricing, but you can tack them onto your subscription for an additional fee. BreachWatch costs $19.99 per year for individual users and $39.99 per year for families, while file storage starts at $9.99 per year for 10GB. There’s also an add-on for concierge-level customer support ($99.99 per year). The option to only pay for what you need will appeal to some users, but some of Keeper’s competitors include these features at no additional cost. 

Keeper features: Autofill and autosave | Secure record sharing | Extensive selection of templates | Biometric unlock | Passkey and MFA support | Password health reports | Emergency access | Offline access | Self-destruct feature | Account recovery | Customer support | Add-ons: secure storage, dark web monitoring