Although each case is particular and they do not always have the same needs, both from my own experience and from observation of my surroundings, I have discovered that a password manager is well worth paying for. And then I’ll give you the reasons.
There are very good free options, although not for everyone
Like everything (or almost everything), we find free options to have a password manager without paying a single euro. An example of this is the google password manager. A tool that has also received considerable improvements recently.
This allows you to manage passwords in a simple way from your mobile, being able to go storing all manually or automatically when we log in to a website or app for the first time. In addition, it also offers safety notices if Google detects that the password may have been leaked, if a key is being reused a lot or if it is not very secure.
However, this Google manager might not be enough if you want a more powerful tool and, above all, be multiplatform. Be careful, this also works on iOS and even on Windows and macOS, but not as completely as on Android. In the same way that if a browser other than Chrome is used, it loses effectiveness.
Then we find other free managers that, without wanting to generalize and put everyone in the same bag, we must say that the majority They are usually delicate in the management of our data. It is already known that when something is free, it is that the product is us. Leaving information as sensitive as passwords in the hands of unreliable apps can end up being something we regret.
What a good password manager should offer
There are several requirements that every mobile password manager should meet. However, there eight aspects that we can consider as fundamental and that, at least in the opinion of this server, it should have one that is paid.
Generate strong passwords
The first of them is that it allows generating secure passwords. That is, a generator that allows you to create keys with high security standards. That is to say, of several digits mixing uppercase and lowercase alphanumeric characters and even elements such as question marks or hyphens.
Security system
That it has a good security system behind it that gives us full guarantees that our passwords are safe. A good password manager should not give access to our information even to the developers of the app. Added to this is the imperative need for the manager as such to have a master password with which to access and to which only we have access.
Tracking leaked passwords
Threading with the above, it could also be considered as a basic characteristic that the manager is capable of rTrack password-related security issues. And beyond analyzing whether your password meets the basic security patterns and if it is repeated in several accounts, it is an important plus that it includes a tracker that allows see if your account has been featured in any data breaches so you can change the password immediately.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Having two-factor authentication options is another requirement that, although it is not yet a standard in all managers, is being incorporated more and more. Being able to create a 2FA system is equal to and even more important than a passwordsince one more security barrier is added to prevent them from taking over our accounts.
Make it multiplatform
We cannot ignore the fact that it is multiplatform as basic. And we don’t just mean that it is available on mobile operating systems like iOS and Androidsomething useful if we change mobile, but also on computers with Windows and macOS. In the end, we have passwords in mind throughout our digital environment and having a manager that is relegated to a single platform is tedious to say the least.
Add other data than just passwords
Another section that, perhaps, is more to the consumer’s taste and that in my case is essential, is that other types of data can also be added. For example the number, expiration, security code and PIN of credit/debit cards and even bank accounts. There are managers that even allow you to create secure text notesso the possibilities can be endless.
fair price
Last but not least, that it has a fair price. As we rightly say from the owner of this post, we consider that paying for a password manager is a good investment of money, although everything has a limit. The “fair” price does not really exist or not at least unanimously, so it is always advisable review to what extent a password manager will help us and how much we are willing to pay, since it is not a matter of paying to pay.
Returning to my personal case, and without discrediting managers such as Google or iCloud (Apple) that I have also tried, I must say that for years I have been very aware of having one of these managers. I insist on emphasizing that, if a free option is enough for you, great. But if this is not the case, do not worry about paying because you will surely end up taking advantage of it and gaining peace of mind.