5 Best Password Managers Built for Teams in 2024 (Free & Paid) – Source: www.techrepublic.com

• Best overall password manager for teams: Dashlane
• Best enterprise password manager: Keeper
• Best password manager for small teams: 1Password
• Best open source password manager: Bitwarden
• Best for third-party cloud storage: Enpass

According to Verizon’s 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, 74% of all breaches include the human element—stolen credentials as a result of poor password management, for example.

In addition to the convenience of password storage and autofill, password managers generate complex and lengthy passwords to prevent bad actors from gaining access to proprietary data and confidential information. There are password managers designed for individual and family use, and there are enterprise password managers that enable teams of users to access and share resources securely.

SEE: Brute Force and Dictionary Attacks: A Guide for IT Leaders (TechRepublic Premium)

For businesses wanting to enhance security and minimize the risk of data breaches, this comparison of password managers will help you decide which is best for your team.

Password managers for teams: Comparison table

On the surface, enterprise password managers share similar features. They all use encryption, have built-in password generators, support most of the same platforms and browser extensions and allow password sharing among teams, auto filling of web forms and multi-factor authentication (MFA). However, there are nuances that buyers must pay attention to if they wish to pick the right product for their environment. The five products selected below work well in teams, small or large.

Dashlane: Best overall password manager for teams

Figure A

Dashlane can work well as a password manager for individuals, families and small teams, but is probably best for business use. It offers a host of capabilities, including secure sharing, audit logs, provisioning of apps and free access for up to ten friends and family for those buying the business tier.

Additional features not found in most of the others include dark web monitoring for exposed credentials and a built-in VPN for public Wi-Fi protection. Pay attention to the different tiers, as the business tier offers by far the widest range of premium features. These include the ability to remotely remove enterprise credentials, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) single sign-on (SSO), directory integration, policy-based management and employee password and login monitoring. Those trying to save money by opting for lower tiers will miss out on many features and security safeguards.

Why we chose Dashlane

We chose Dashlane for its intuitive user interface that can accommodate all types of people, be it beginners or tech-savvy users. This is coupled with Dashlane’s top-notch encryption and team-centric features like group sharing, password access controls and password health dashboards.

Dashlane’s versatility makes it a good pick for larger organizations with hundreds of employees with varying backgrounds. It’s also one of the few password managers that bundles a VPN with their service, adding more value for your investment.

In our hands-on review, Dashlane received a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5. Check out the full Daslane review here.

Pricing

• There are a lot of pricing tiers, beginning with a personal tier at $4.99 per month and a family tier at $7.49 per month for up to 10 users that might work for very small teams that don’t need business-class features.
• The professional tier has a business plan at $8 per month for larger teams.

Features

• Centralized password management to generate, store, autofill and share passwords.
• Passkey support for easy login and customization of password generation criteria.
• 256-bit AES encryption and two-factor authentication.
• Password health reporting dashboard.
• Sharing of passwords with individuals or groups (options for full or limited access).
• Group sharing for starter, team and business plans.
• Dark web monitoring that spots compromised identities and credentials.

Pros

• Easy to use interface and dashboard.
• Additional dark web monitoring.
• VPN included for public Wi-Fi security.
• Self-hosted authenticator.
• Phone support for business and enterprise plans.

Cons

• Does not support a desktop app (access via a web app only).
• Lack of flexibility and customization.
• Costlier than other plans.

Read our comparison guide on Dashlane vs. 1Password to learn more.

Keeper: Best enterprise password manager

Figure B

Keeper Security offers password management across a wide range of mobile apps as well as affordable pricing for smaller teams. Policy management, MFA, free family plans for users, a variety of protection and security features, solid administrative controls (add, edit, delete and import passwords), emergency access, plenty of space for storage and random password generation.

In addition, those electing to use the business and enterprise tiers gain such things as delegated administration, administrative control of sharing, more advanced MFA, SAML-based SSO, automated team management, Active Directory and LDAP integration and secrets management. An offline vault capability is attractive to those who want to address password administration at times when they lack online connectivity.

Why we chose Keeper

Keeper made this list as our go-to recommendation for enterprise password management. Its enterprise solution brings a variety of advanced features like Azure integration, developer APIs, SSO authentication and SCIM and Command Line provisioning. It also includes event logging and reporting capabilities, to accurately monitor password data across an organization.

In our hands-on review, Keeper received a rating of 4.4 stars out of 5. Check out the full Keeper review here.

Pricing

• Keeper has a free version for a single user on one mobile device, as well as a personal plan at $2.92 per month and a family plan at $6.25 per month for up to five users.
• For small teams, Keeper has a business starter plan at $2.00 per user per month, for a minimum of five users and a maximum of ten.
• For small-to-midsized businesses, Keeper has a business option priced at $3.75/user per month, with more advanced features such as delegated administration and a more complex organizational structure architecture.
• There’s also an enterprise option with curated pricing that includes SSO authentication, automated team management and Active Directory synchronization.

Features

• Zero Trust security, adding constant verification via multiple security layers.
• MFA via biometrics, authenticator codes and push notifications.
• SOC2 and ISO27001 certification.
• 256-bit AES encryption at multiple levels.
• Add-on option called BreachWatch to alert on stolen usernames and passwords.
• Role-based access control via Secrets Manager.
• Integrations with Ansible, Docker, Github Actions, Jenkins, PowerShell and Terraform.
• Automation of password changes on AWS, AD, Azure and Windows.
• Privileged access management in the enterprise tier.
• Offline vault access to retrieve data and manage accounts and passwords despite poor network conditions.

Pros

• Width of business features.
• User-friendly.
• Wide range of client devices and formats, including desktop, mobile, browser and command line.
• Multiple layers of security.
• Dark web monitoring.
• Offline vault access.

Cons

• Some key features like advanced MFA and SAML SSO are not available in Business Starter and Business plans.
• Administrators can’t turn off the password manager for specific sites.

Read our comparison guide on Keeper vs. LastPass to learn more.

1Password: Best password manager for small teams

Figure C

1Password offers individual, team, business and enterprise tiers. It also offers standard features found in password managers, such as centralized password management encryption, password health reporting, MFA, passkey support for easy login and randomized passwords. In addition, 1Password features a Secret Key encryption system and a secure vault system for password sharing that is accessible to all members of a team.

1Password Watchtower monitoring is an add-on option that provides alerts about passwords appearing in other data breaches. It also alerts about weak or duplicate passwords. Detailed reporting options include reports for individuals, vaults, teams and the enterprise as a whole.

The business and enterprise tiers offer features such as a management console, policy-based security, centralized reporting, analytics, threat reporting, Splunk integration, IAM integration (Okta, Azure AD, OneLogin), automated provisioning and secrets automation. Those choosing these higher tiers for their teams can monitor who accesses company resources and on what devices.

Why we chose 1Password

1Password carved its name on this list for being a great password management solution for smaller teams and businesses. In particular, its Teams plan comes with unlimited shared vaults, permission management for shared vaults and 24/7 customer support.

It also has a nifty Travel Mode feature that safeguards data when you’re traveling. This can come in handy for businesses or teams that regularly go overseas for business trips or research.

In our hands-on review, 1Password received a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5. Check out the full 1Password review here.

Pricing

• Tiers include individual at $2.99 per month, family at $4.99 per month for up to five people, a small team pack at $19.95 per month for up to 10 and business at $7.99 per month.

Features

• Admins can create rules to allow or deny sign-in attempts from certain locations, websites or countries.
• Travel Mode hides vault entries except those deemed safe for travel.
• Includes an automatic data recovery feature.
• The Watchtower dashboard provides password monitoring and alerts of potential breaches or weak/compromised passwords.

Pros

• Travel Mode helps safeguard sensitive data when users are overseas without completely denying them access to team resources.
• Users can open guest accounts that restrict access to specific areas.
• Offers a desktop app.
• Good balance of security features and affordability for small teams.

Cons

• Complex interface can be hard to learn.
• SSO is not available in the Business Starter tier.

Read our comparison guide on 1Password vs. Bitwarden to learn more.

Bitwarden: Best open source password manager

Figure D

Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that installs natively on Linux. It contains the usual features, such as a random password generator, cloud synchronization, fields for customization, support for multiple accounts, encryption and password sharing. Teams can access password vaulting, secure sharing, MFA and Bitwarden Authenticator. The Enterprise version adds SCIM-based provisioning, custom roles, advanced security policies, SSO integration and free access for families.

Why we chose Bitwarden

Bitwarden was chosen for being one of the best open source password managers available today. It has a generous free tier, operates on zero-knowledge encryption and is well-regarded for its clean reputation and commitment to transparency.

Privacy enthusiasts will appreciate the fact that Bitwarden’s source code is available for public review. It also has an impressive portfolio of third party security audits, undergoing a network security assessment almost every year since 2018.

In our hands-on review, Bitwarden received a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5. Check out the full Bitwarden review here.

Pricing

• There is a free tier for up to two users, a personal plan at less than $1 per month per user, a family tier at $3.33 per month for up to six users.
• There’s also a business plan for teams that costs $4 per user per month and enterprise at $6 per month.

Features

• Self-hosting is available, as well as cloud service.
• A collections feature enables sharing of specific passwords or groups of passwords with certain teams or individuals.
• The interface is user-friendly.
• All components available on GitHub.
• Sharing of multiple vaults with different teams.
• Random password and username generator.

Pros

• Self hosting.
• Attractive pricing for large teams.
• Team members have access to many business and enterprise features, including Bitwarden APIs, Command-Line Interface and directory connector.

Cons

• Security sharing is limited.
• Those not familiar with open source software may find implementation challenging.
• Limited auto-fill functionality.

Read our comparison guide on Bitwarden vs. LastPass to learn more.

Enpass: Best for third-party cloud storage

Figure E

Enpass is a unique password manager in that it allows users to keep all their password data on their cloud storage service of choice. This means that you can store your business’ password data on popular services like Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox and OneDrive.

You also have the choice of keeping your vault data synced via Wi-Fi or having it stored locally and completely offline. Fortunately, your data is safe whatever choice you make since Enpass utilizes 256-bit AES encryption — the gold standard algorithm in the security industry.

Why we chose Enpass

We selected Enpass for being one of the few password managers that lets users choose where to store their data. It’s especially convenient for businesses that already have well-established integrations with Dropbox or Google Drive in their specific workflows.

In our hands-on review, Enpass received a rating of 4.0 stars out of 5. Check out the full Enpass review here.

Pricing

• For regular consumers:
  • Enpass offers a premium plan at $1.99 per month and family plan at $2.99 per month for up to six members.
  • Enpass also has a one-time plan priced at $99.99 for a lifetime license.
• For teams, Enpass has a starter plan pegged at $9.99 per month for up to 10 users.
• For businesses, there’s a standard plan at $2.99 per month with unlimited vaults.
• For enterprises, Enpass’ enterprise tier is priced at $3.99 per user, per month, which bundles in a free family plan as well.

Features

• Integrates with users’ cloud service of choice.
• Offline password manager.
• Password audit and health dashboard.

Pros

• Can store data on third-party cloud storage service.
• Fully free desktop version.
• Affordable individual plan.

Cons

• Availability of two-factor authentication depends on the cloud service provider.
• Cloud integration requires extra steps.

Read our comparison guide on Enpass vs. 1Password to learn more.

Key features of password managers

Password management software has been around for many years, and most have similar features. The core capabilities of password management are found in all the candidates in this list and they are an integral part of modern security.

That said, there are differences that buyers should pay attention to when choosing a password manager:

Single sign-on

Single sign-on (SSO) is one of several security technologies aimed at streamlining and keeping login information and processes secure. SSO makes it feasible for one login to be enough for a group of related sites and applications. It is often implemented along with MFA, wherein more than one factor of authentication is needed to authenticate the user. As well as a password, the user needs a pin, a physical token or key, a code sent to a smartphone or some kind of biometric input. Thus, SSO is a key companion technology to a password manager. Some vendors have integrated SSO, while some offer optional SSO for an additional fee. Some support SAML-based SSO, and others have more limited offerings.

Added security

Passwords need to be supported by features such as MFA, threat analytics, dark web monitoring, strong encryption, VPNs, SIEM and malware detection. Each vendor takes a different approach to the security features they include within their products as well as how they integrate with other elements within the security arsenal.

Zero Trust

Zero Trust eliminates the principle of implicit trust from inside and outside a network perimeter by assuming a breach may have occurred and never trusting a device or user without proof via additional authentication measures. As a result, even if an attacker compromises credentials, lateral movement within the business is minimized.

Free plan

Free offerings vary considerably from vendor to vendor. Some offer a free plan for one user or device, some for two. Some are more generous with their free plans. But pay attention to feature sets. Some free plans may be good enough for small teams, whereas others may be secure enough for individual users.

Pricing

Pricing appears to be similar for most products. But pay attention to the details. Some low-ball the initial offering and load up deals with necessary add-ons. Others charge a little more but include more in the initial package. Further, there are differences in pricing tiers that may suit teams of different sizes. Some consumer-oriented packages may be good enough for small teams. Others place too many limits on the number of users, and key features are not included unless you upgrade to a business tier.

How to choose a good password manager for your team

Choosing a password manager for your team should involve understanding how the prospective tool will align with your business operations, security standards and budget.

Find out what features are vital, those that may only be desirable and those that are unwanted. Why pay for SSO within a password manager if you already have it within the business?

Align your needs with the feature, team size and pricing tiers available. Narrow solutions down to a couple of candidates, and then use free trials to test them in your environment.

Methodology

Our buyer’s guides and recommendations are born out of extensive research, real-world testing and expert analysis. Each password manager on this list was tested by our team to gain first-hand experience and was evaluated on key factors like price, password manager features and customer support.

Each provider was also evaluated in terms of use case and how their specific feature set can benefit specific types of businesses or individuals.

If you’re interested in learning more about how we evaluate password managers, you can read our full Review Methodology for Password Managers here.

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