Quick answer
- Best overall for teams: 1Password. Polished apps, a Secret Key on top of your password and a 14-day free trial.
- Best value and open source: Bitwarden. A free plan for individuals and a 14-day free trial of business plans.
- Best free plan from a privacy-focused company: Proton Pass.
- Good if you already use NordVPN: NordPass. Included in NordVPN's Complete plan.
Comparison at a glance
| Password manager | Free option | Business plans | Notable security feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Password | 14-day free trial | Yes | Secret Key plus account password; Watchtower alerts; Travel Mode |
| Bitwarden | Free plan for individuals; 14-day trial of business plans | Teams and Enterprise | Open-source code |
| Proton Pass | Free plan | Yes | End-to-end encryption from a Swiss company |
| NordPass | Check NordPass for current options | Yes | Included with NordVPN Complete |
What a small business needs from a password manager
- Shared vaults: share the logins your team needs, such as social media or supplier portals, without sending passwords by message.
- Admin controls: add and remove people quickly, especially when someone leaves.
- Breach and weak-password alerts: so you know which passwords to change first.
- Apps everywhere: browser extensions and phone apps so it is easier to use than not.
- Recovery: a clear plan for regaining access if someone forgets their master password.
The password managers in detail
Top pick
1 1Password: best overall for teams
1Password is known for well-designed apps across macOS, iOS, Windows, Android and Linux, with browser extensions for the main browsers. It protects your vault with your account password plus a Secret Key, uses end-to-end encryption, and its Watchtower feature flags weak, reused and breached passwords. Travel Mode can hide selected vaults when crossing borders. It offers business plans with admin controls, and its personal plans come with a 14-day free trial. 1Password says it is independently audited by third-party security experts.
Good points
- Polished, easy apps
- Secret Key adds a second layer
- Watchtower alerts
- Business plans with admin controls
Watch out for
- No free plan
- Prices on its site are shown in US dollars
2 Bitwarden: best value and open source
Bitwarden is open source, which means its code is available for anyone to inspect. It has a free plan for individuals, which makes it a great starting point for a sole trader, and Teams and Enterprise plans for businesses, with a 14-day free trial. It also offers free two-factor authentication tools.
Good points
- Free plan for individuals
- Open-source code
- 14-day trial of business plans
- Good value for teams
Watch out for
- Apps are functional rather than polished
- Some features need a paid plan
3 Proton Pass: best free plan from a privacy-focused company
Proton Pass comes from Proton, the Swiss company behind Proton Mail and Proton VPN. It has a free plan with end-to-end encryption, and paid personal and business plans that add more features. It is a natural fit if you already use other Proton services.
Good points
- Free plan
- Privacy-focused Swiss provider
- Works well with other Proton apps
Watch out for
- Business features are newer than rivals'
- Prices shown in your local currency vary
4 NordPass: good if you already use NordVPN
NordPass is the password manager from the company behind NordVPN, with business plans that include admin controls. NordVPN's Complete plan includes a cross-platform password manager, so if you are buying NordVPN anyway it may be worth checking whether the bundle covers your needs.
Good points
- Bundled with NordVPN Complete
- Business plans available
Watch out for
- Check business pricing for your team size
Getting your team set up
- Start with your own account and import passwords from your browser.
- Change your most important passwords first: email, bank, domain registrar, website and accounting software.
- Turn on two-factor authentication everywhere it is offered.
- Create shared vaults by role, not by person, so access is easy to change.
- Agree what happens when someone leaves: remove their access and change shared passwords.
For the full picture, see our small business cyber security checklist.
How we compared
We compared plans, trials and published security features from each provider's official website on 1 November 2026. We have not run our own security assessment of these products. See how we review.
Sources we checked
All checked on 1 November 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm on the provider's site before you buy.