Alternatives to Google Password Manager

Saving passwords in your browser or in your Google account is undeniably convenient. But it means handing over the keys to your entire digital life to a company whose business model is built on collecting data. If your Google account is ever compromised, whoever gets in has access to everything: email, documents, photos — and every single password you've saved.

A dedicated password manager solves this problem. It generates strong, unique passwords for every site, stores them in an encrypted vault, and fills them in automatically when you need them. Some of these tools are completely open source, so you can verify exactly how they work. Others also let you host your vault on your own server.

Alongside password managers, you'll also find two-factor authentication apps here, which add an extra layer of security to your accounts. Instead of relying on Google Authenticator — which offers no encrypted backup and ties you to the Google ecosystem — open-source alternatives protect your codes with encryption and let you export them freely.

Using a good password manager is probably the single most useful thing you can do for your online security. If you don't have one yet, now is the time to start.