The 5 Best Password Managers for Android in 2020

There’s no question that passwords are an inconvenience; that’s why so many people reuse the same password variations across many accounts, while maybe adding or changing the number or exclamation mark to the end of it. Still, there’s no excuse for bad password hygiene.

There are billions of compromised passwords available to hackers on the Dark Web, and for free! These days, it’s crucial to take a tiny bit of extra precaution and use a unique, complex password for every account.

The challenge here is that most of us are simply incapable of memorizing dozens, or even hundred, of unique passwords. This is why I think everyone should at least try a password manager, and see if it’s right for you. If it’s not, then the best password managers all offer “the super-power” to wipe your data clean, by storing data on the user’s device only.

All of the best password managers claim to be the best safeguard for everyone’s online identities…and maybe they honestly believe that’s the truth… but in reality, not everyone can be the best at everything.

So, which one really offers the strongest password security features for Android devices? And, is it actually going to help you remember dozens of unique passwords?

But, without blindly testing each app one by one, how will you know which password manager to choose? I’m here to solve that problem for you today, by helping you find the right password manager for your Android device.

Short on time? Here’s a summary of the best password managers for Android:

1. Dashlane — The best overall password manager. Offers the most user-friendly experience and top-notch security features
2. Keeper Security — Most robust password keeper. With many addons and several business, family, and personal package options.
3. Bitwarden — Best open-source password security.
4. LastPass — Most free features out of all password managers.
5. Roboform — Most user-friendly password manager software and service. No wonder they have so many loyal customers after 20+ years.

Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut

• 1Password — Originally built for iOS, 1Password has fewer features for its Android counterpart. It is worth noting, however, that 1Password is a highly regarded business, backed by the Microsoft Regional Director and founder of HIBP (haveibeenpwned.com), Troy Hunt.
• Enpass — Does not support multi-factor authentication. Why is this a deal-breaker? The best way to prevent password spraying, credential stuffing, and other credential-based attacks is simply use a password manager that authenticates you on multiple factors.
• NordPass — NordPass is a very new password manager, so it’s safety hasn’t withstood the test of time; it’s just too young to rank with the best password managers, and lacks some important features, for example, there is no way to organize your entries in folders, either.

How I Rated the Best Password Managers for Android in 2020

I downloaded each password manager from the Google Play Store and rated them based on their available features, security architecture, mobile interface usability. All tests were done from a Samsung Galaxy S9 Android device.

To earn a spot as one of Android’s top 5 password manager, the app must meet all of the following standard requirements:

• Complex Password Management. It’s important for password managers to encourage stronger passwords by generating and remembering complex passwords for you. The very best password managers will also allow you to share, mandate, and monitor password changes across all accounts.
• Unique Password Management. We trust our password managers to help secure our sensitive data by protecting and strengthening our sensitive passwords. Each password manager below facilitates unique password creation and saves you from having to memorize each password.
• Autofill Logins: I verified that each password manager properly autofills any login forms with your credentials. This is an essential basic feature that checks the current URL before autofilling passwords to defend against phishing and keylogging attacks.
• Mobile UX: Mobile device accessibility is essential for many types of users including remote staff, travelers, and other mobile users. I checked each of these apps to ensure they function and protect on mobile just as well as they do on their desktop applications.

At a minimum, a password manager should support:

• strong encryption for websites and app passwords
• auto-fill feature for login forms
• multi-factor authentication (2FA, U2F, Yubikey, etc.)
• Secure random generator for complex passwords

All of the password managers listed below are compatible with all of the latest versions of Android, and also Windows10, MacOS, iOS, some even support ChromeOS and various Linux systems. But, it’s important to keep in mind, password managers for other systems may differ from what’s described in this article.

Now, let’s get to the details already!

1. Dashlane — Best Overall

Dashlane covers all the main features of password management incredibly well. Dashlane sets itself apart from the competition by incorporating identity fraud security features, VPN access, and the patented Dashlane Password Changer. Also, Dashlane was the first password manager to support YubiKeys and adopt U2F — the innovative two-factor authentication standard introduced by Yubico and Google.

The mobile app includes a superb security dashboard that rates your passwords and advises you on how to make them stronger. Probably its most useful feature, the Password Changer can automatically update passwords for more than 500 websites with one instant action.

Dashlane’s digital wallet can store your payment details to make online transactions safer and easier. It’s also the only password manager that will save snapshots of receipts for all your online purchases.

Dashlane’s servers are hosted on Amazon AWS, where your data will always be available and is protected by the strongest encryption in the industry–AES 256. If this server is somehow hacked, the Master Password to decrypt your data remains safely stored on your local device only.

What if you forget the Master Password? With biometric fingerprint authentication, you can recover your forgotten Master Password with no data loss.

Working with SpyCloud Technology, Dashlane Premium includes Dark Web Monitoring and will automatically alert you if the information is found.

Dashlane was also the first password manager to offer a VPN with no data limits, another premium feature. This is especially helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks. Its premium plus package adds features such as credit score monitoring, identity restoration support, and Identity Theft Insurance.

What I like:

• Includes VPN protection
• Unique identity protection features
• Change hundreds of passwords instantly
• Secure notes and document sharing
• Scan email inbox for missing accounts
• Captures online shopping receipts
• Two-factor authentication using Yubikey or FIDO U2F

What I don’t like:

• No native desktop app for Linux or ChromeOS
• Auto-login with multiple accounts on a single website can be frustrating
• Can’t choose VPN server country

Bottom Line:

There’s no doubt, Dashlane’s super-intuitive UI and extra identity protection features ranks it as the #1 best password manager for Android. It makes getting started easier for new users, offers extra protection options for advanced users, and it takes the hassle out of passwords and online forms for everyone.

2. Keeper Security — Most Robust, Most Versatile

Keeper Security is one of the most robust and versatile password managers for Android. The company features a several business, family, and personal password management solutions, along with a number of premium add-on services.

Keeper’s Business Package provides versatile password management solutions that make it suitable for multi-user businesses, as it allows administrators to inspect each user’s passwords to ensure employees create strong, unique passwords on authorized company devices,

The Keeper admin console offers comprehensive reports and alerts you of any accounts with weak or compromised credentials. It also includes version control functionality, which allows you to replay your account’s entire history of password changes and then restore an older version. Furthermore, any data related to your login credentials is never stored in Keeper’s online servers. Instead, it is encrypted and synced across an unlimited number of your devices.

Now, the best password managers allow you to set up 2FA and use a one-time password (OTP) on your computer by a mobile app instead of via an SMS text message. Keeper builds on this by integrating an OTP generator directly into its mobile app, which automatically fills the OTPs when needed.

What I like:

• Unlimited security scans for all your passwords
• Unique add-ons such as KeeperChat, KeeperDNA, and BreachWatch
• Zero-knowledge password manager
• Multiple multi-factor authentication options
• Option to reset your Master Password
• Retains full history of passwords and files

What I don’t like:

• Each add-on comes with additional costs
• No fully automated password updates
• Limited free features

Bottom Line:

Although it’s not as user-friendly as Dashlane on the Android front, it’s close. Keeper is the most robust password manager for Android, and is perfect for those looking for a full suite of password safeguards. Its powerful set of advanced tools might make up for its less-intuitive mobile experience.

3. Bitwarden — Best open-source, Most secure

Started by 8bit Solutions, Bitwarden launched in 2016 and has since become the best free and open source password manager on the market. Bitwarden’s fully open source code is available on Github — those with the know-how are free to view, audit, and contribute to the software. Unlike its competitor’s free plans, using Bitwarden’s free password manager isn’t much of a difference from its premium package.

Not only is it free and open-source software, you can self-host Bitwarden on unlimited devices. Alternatively, Bitwarden’s Premium Cloud service offers 1 GB of encrypted cloud storage, additional two-factor authentication options, and more password health reports than any other manager.

Furthermore, paying customers get access to several reports aimed at fixing various password problems, including:

• Reused Passwords Report
• Exposed Passwords Report
• Weak Passwords Report
• Data Breach Report
• Unsecured Websites Report

Bitwarden partners with Duo Security to offer two-step login with Duo Push, SMS, phone call, and FIDO U2F security keys. Additionally, YubiKey NEO is supported on Android mobile devices that have NFC capabilities.

What I like:

• End-to-end encryption (e2ee) of passwords
• 100% open source
• Bitwarden is totally free, with no limit on the number of devices used or passwords stored
• The only open source software that competes with commercial proprietary password managers
• Can import passwords from Dashlane, Keeper, and more than 30 other password managers
• Cross-platform apps for all major platforms
• Generates TOTP codes for 2FA-supporting sites
• Command-line tools (CLI) to write and execute scripts on your Bitwarden vault

What I don’t like:

• No 3rd party security audit
• No local storage
• Full-scale secure sharing costs extra
• Limited customer support options

Bottom Line:

Bitwarden is a free and open-source password manager that can go head-to-head with any of its proprietary rivals. It’s powerful, looks great, is super-intuitive, and syncs seamlessly across all your devices. It goes beyond the basics of password management, and eases the switch from many other products. If you’re shopping around for a free password manager or prefer an open-source self-hosted solution, try Bitwarden.

4. LastPass — Most Free Features

LastPass includes most features available in the free version, including multi-device synchronization. The LastPass UI and UX are as good as it gets for password managers on Android. However, the LastPass paid plan adds application autofill, priority support, and secure file sharing; other than that, Lastpass Premium is somewhat disappointing when compared to others.

LastPass has a secure architecture and ensures that your Master Password is stored only on your device. However, some personal data is encrypted and stored server-side using a Hardware Security Module (HSM).

There’s a couple reasons LastPass is not ranked higher on this list:

1. The company behind LastPass, LogMeOnce, lumps its tech support in with other products and business subscribers get priority support — including a detailed knowledge-base of advanced topics.
2. In 2015, LastPass servers were breached. Only encrypted data was stolen, however; no passwords or user data in plaintext were uncovered.
3. LastPass’s private data center has a bad reputation for repeated downtimes. Other than that, it’s a wonderful password manager, especially if you want the best value at zero cost.

What I like:

• Enhanced multi-factor authentication choices
• Manages application passwords
• Flawless autofill feature
• No ads

What I don’t like:

• Limited free support options
• Data breach on record
• Stores personal data on LastPass servers
• No refund policy

Bottom Line:

There are bugs in all software, and security software is no exception. While keeping these vulnerabilities in perspective is important, the most important consideration is how quickly and efficiently the company responds to vulnerability. LastPass has proven it is able to pass this test. So, if you need a free password manager with most bells and whistles, then you can’t go wrong with LastPass for Android.

5. Roboform — Best Basic Password Manager

RoboForm’s free and paid versions allow you to save unlimited passwords, autofill web forms, audit passwords, securely send passwords and get emergency access to another RoboForm user’s account. Paid accounts can also synchronize information across multiple devices, back up data to the cloud, create secure shared folders, and it’s the only password manager offering live phone support, live chat, and 24/7 email.

RoboForm offers a family-specific version of its software, enabling you to create separate identities, and multiple users can use the autofill feature on a single device. The app allows you to assign an central admin to decide which users have access to what information whilst individual users can also create private entries.

The Security Center scores all of your saved passwords and notifies you of any reused or duplicated passwords. However, the UI felt a little outdated, and it took some extra time to find the features I was looking for. Also, the folder organization system is not very intuitive like other password managers on this list.

It just doesn’t seem like there is enough happening in the app to justify its complexity. For example, to save a password, you need to login to each website for the credentials to save; there’s no way to manually enter the data directly into the Roboform app. This can be frustrating for users who want to add several logins at once.

What I like:

• Syncs across many device types and browsers
• Includes digital inheritance and secure sharing
• Manages application passwords

What I don’t like:

• Limited two-factor authentication
• Limited import capability
• User interface can be confusing
• Password generator defaults aren’t optimal

Bottom Line:

RoboForm began almost two decades ago as a form-filling program, and eventually expanded into a password manager. It is loved and supported by a longstanding, extremely loyal customer base. The mobile app offers all the basic functions of password managers, which is good if you’re looking for a basic password manager and not a robust web security app or identity protection service.

I hope that I was able to help. Thanks for reading!