The best password managers for businesses in 2025: Expert tested

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The best password managers for businesses in 2025: Expert tested

Businesses face mounting pressure to secure their networks, infrastructure, and data, and the best foundation for defense is locking down employee credentials, made possible through an effective password manager.

Cybercriminals often target employees through phishing scams to obtain sensitive data, including username and password combinations. Threat actors can also purchase initial access through the Dark Web or take advantage of leaked login information to enter a target system without detection.

Also: The best password managers: Expert tested

Security measures designed to stop unauthorized access vary from company to company, but one solid solution is to use an enterprise-ready password manager. By doing so, organizations can streamline credential management, enforce password refreshes, and stop the use of weak or compromised passwords.

Password management systems can reduce the risk of compromise and improve the overall security posture of businesses, making them essential for multi-layered approaches to defense.

What is the best password manager for business right now?

If you’re looking for a password manager suitable for your business, our top pick is 1Password. 1Password offers a range of features suitable for consumers and businesses alike at a reasonable price.

ZDNET experts have used password managers for years, and we keep a finger on the pulse of the market to stay aware of any product changes, upgrades, or security incidents. We try out and test software to provide recommendations for the best password managers for businesses today.

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The best password manager for business in 2025

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With a vast customer base and positive reviews, 1Password is our top choice as a business password manager.

We’ve reviewed 1Password and consider this password manager to be a robust solution that does the basics well, but it also goes beyond with advanced features, like Watchtower, which alerts you to data breaches. 1Password also monitors the “health” of passwords in use and warns users of weak combinations or leaked credentials. Its central dashboard provides visibility into all identities, apps, and devices.

Review: 1Password

1Password packages include features like single sign-on, integration into authenticators including Okta, as well as onboarding, phone assistance, and training.

There are two standard business plans available: a Teams Starter pack for up to 10 seats, priced at $19.95 per month, or a Business plan for $8 per seat. Enterprise users can request a quote. You can also purchase 1Password through the Amazon Web Services (AWS) marketplace.

Many business users consider the service smooth, secure, and useful for productivity, although some think the monitoring services could be improved. This month, 1Password rolled out its Enterprise Password Manager service (MSP Edition) to all Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

1Password is also ZDNET’s pick for the best password managers for families in 2025.

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Keeper is an excellent option if you want a security-first solution with many additional features.

Keeper’s password manager includes what you expect for credential management: a user-friendly dashboard, password/passphrase generation and sharing, multi-factor authentication, and user access controls.

Review: Keeper

The service provides many more advanced enterprise options, including automated team management, Azure integration, single sign-on (SSO), developer APIs, remote access, a risk management dashboard, and automatic password rotation.

We also like the self-destructing one-time sharing function, which allows time-limited, secure sharing of records. Businesses may also be interested in KeeperPAM Privileged Access Manager, which consolidates enterprise password and secrets management on a zero-trust architecture.

You can customize your plan depending on what security features are important to you. The basic plan, Business Starter, begins at $2 per month per seat, and you can have between five and 10 seats with this package. Keeper’s premium tiers, Business Password Manager and Enterprise Manager, start at $3.75 per month per seat with a minimum of 10 seats.

You will have to pay extra for bolt-ons, including CI/CD integration, advanced reports, automated password rotation, and remote browser isolation, but a free trial is available.

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Customers appreciate Keeper’s approach to security and its clean user interface, although some consider the expense associated with add-ons a downside.

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Bitwarden has amassed thousands of positive customer reviews, and we can see why.

Based on open-source technologies, each plan comes with unlimited device support, SSO integration, secure team password sharing, offline access, and corporate reporting tools. The Bitwarden encrypted vault can also securely store company credit card details and other sensitive datasets.

Review: Bitwarden

For further convenience, businesses can manage credential storage and sharing through folders, collections, and roles Users can be managed through a centralized administration hub. Bitwarden has recently improved its native mobile apps for iOS and Android with performance upgrades, and a secure shell management (SSH) agent has also been made available for simplifying the authentication process and reinforcing security policies.

This password manager can also be self-hosted if that is your preference.

Bitwarden is one of the most consistently priced and affordable password managers out there, with Teams packages starting at $4 per seat annually. If you need a plan with all premium features, SSO, and enterprise policy controls, opt for the $6 per month per seat Enterprise plan. A free business trial is available.

Alternatively, personal packages are less than $1 per month.

For the consumer market, we consider Bitwarden an extremely affordable, trustworthy password manager that comes with a free plan as a bonus. Many users also applaud Bitwarden’s customer support team and rapid assistance but note that some of its features could be more intuitive.

Bitwarden is also ZDNET’s pick for the best password managers for iPhone.

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NordPass is a great password manager for consumers and businesses alike. If you’re a smaller company, it might be the best option for you.

Developed by the firm behind NordVPN, NordPass provides a secure vault for password storage and management, data imports and syncing, user group management, integrations, and access rights control. NordPass has also been designed with ISO 27001 compliance in mind.

Review: NordPass

In our review, we found NordPass to be excellent for users who are new to password management suites. We also appreciate the additional security features on offer, including its autofill options, software integrations, and secure credential sharing between employees.

NordPass also includes a data breach scanner, which alerts users if stored passwords have been compromised in a third-party security incident.

There are three business plans available. On two-year plans, Teams is the equivalent of $1.79 per month per seat, but you must agree to at least 10 seats. Alternatively, on a two-year plan, you can pay $3.59 per month per seat for five seats minimum. If you want NordPass’ full range of features, opt for Enterprise at $5.39 per month per seat, which also requires a minimum of five seats.

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If you are looking for a password manager solution suitable for enterprise purposes, Dashlane’s proactive credential management functionality should be on your radar.

While this feature only comes with Dashlane’s top-tier plan, if you need a solution that includes real-time credential management and monitoring, enhanced visibility, employee alerts to weak or compromised passwords, phishing alerts, security information and event management (SIEM) integration, and a host of access tools, this service could be the best choice.

Also: The best password managers for Android: Expert tested

A word of warning: Dashlane does not come cheap. If you are running a growing business, the Dashlane fixed plan of $20 per month, with 10 seats charged annually, may suit you. Alternatively, user-based group, sharing, and access controls are priced at $8 per user. The firm’s enterprise plan, Business Plus, is $5 per seat per month, requiring 100 seats. Dashlane is now available on AWS Marketplace.

Customers say that Dashlane’s security offerings are of great quality but note the high price point and the occasional cross-platform problem.

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Our top pick is 1Password as a one-size-fits-most password manager for business. However, if you are yet to decide, consider the important factors below on each of our recommendations.

Password manager for business	Price	TrustPilot rating	2FA/MFA?	Weak password alerts?	SSO?
1Password	$8+	4.6	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keeper	$2/seat	3.6	Yes	Yes	Some plans
Bitwarden	$1-$4+	4.5	Yes	Yes	Some plans
NordPass	$1.79/seat	4.3	Yes	Yes	Some plans
Dashlane	$8/month / $5/month (100 seats)	4.2	Yes	Yes	Yes

Choose this password manager for business…	If you want…
1Password	The best password manager for business overall. 1Password is a one-stop-shop for small businesses and enterprises alike, including SSO and credential management.
Keeper	A wide array of security features. Keeper goes beyond a basic password manager and provides add-ons like browser isolation and automated password rotation.
Bitwarden	A consistently affordable option for businesses of any size. Bitwarden provides plans for growing companies and enterprises alike for a robust, secure password manager.
NordPass	A password manager that is great for small businesses. While you must agree to 10 seats, it’s $1.79 per seat pricing is affordable and the manager itself is a secure, effective solution.
Dashlane	An enterprise-ready solution. Dashlane’s proactive credential monitoring services alert users to compromised passwords and phishing threats.

Businesses have different needs and requirements compared to consumers when it comes to password managers. When you are looking for a business-ready password manager, consider the following factors:

Security: Security is the top priority when it comes to password managers, especially if they are going to help protect your company. The most secure password managers offer advanced encryption and use robust encryption protocols, and the best may also offer centralized credential management.
Frequent updates: It is imperative for businesses that their password manager frequently releases patches, security fixes, and software updates. Vendors need to be quick to resolve emerging security issues to protect their customers and so they should have a proven track record of rapid response.
Storage: Another important consideration is storage capacity. While some password managers limit the number of passwords you can store, others offer unlimited space. You may also need a password manager able to handle different types of corporate authentication records.
Compatibility: It’s also essential to check if a password manager you’re interested in is compatible with the devices and ecosystem your business is built upon. The best options offer cross-platform compatibility, allowing you to access your data from multiple devices, including your computer, tablet, and mobile device.
Accounts: Some password managers may be priced per seat, so consider roughly how many accounts you will need to protect.
Features: You may need secure vault, autofill and passwordless options, or the ability for employees to share passwords. If the additional features of password managers interest you, ensure the password manager you’re looking at caters to business users.
Scalability: The best password managers for businesses should offer plans that scale up with your business. Whether you need a solution for 10 seats or 5,000, there should be options available to you as your business grows.

In compiling this list of the best password managers for business, we examined third-party reviews and opinions from security experts. Where possible, we’ve also leaned upon our own hands-on experience and assessments of a password manager’s software, approach to security, and customer support.

When selecting the best password managers for business, these are some of the most important factors that determine the best options:

Price: While some password managers are free, others may require a paid subscription to access all features. Business users will likely want the features on offer through subscriptions or custom business packages, and it is important that varied plans are on offer.
Company reputation: As you trust these organizations to manage your and your employees’ credentials securely, we only include reputable vendors that perform frequent security audits and have a transparent approach to patches and security incidents.
Use cases and features: We wanted to include a range of password managers suitable for business use cases and purposes. We like to see features such as credential sharing, secure notes, password generators, encrypted exports, SSO, and Dark Web monitoring.
Security updates: To be included in our recommendation list, password manager services must provide frequent security and usability updates.
Platforms: We expect password managers developed for businesses to offer multi-platform and device support, including Windows, macOS, browsers, and mobile operating systems.
Passwordless, biometric technologies: While often still in the testing stages, in the name of longevity, we like to see services testing out passwordless technologies. Biometrics are useful, too, as are ways to centralize authentication management.
Innovation: It’s important that password manager vendors are interested in improving their products. The best organizations will have product roadmaps and evidence of research or development in new security solutions and features.
Customer reviews: Customer experiences and feedback are very important. If usability is overlooked, it really doesn’t matter how secure or exceptional a password manager is. We consider customer reviews and ease of use to be among our most important criteria.
Support: Password managers we consider must provide various support channels for their customers. Training options for employees are a bonus, too.

Yes, password managers are generally safe, as they use encryption algorithms to secure your login information. Credentials for accessing corporate resources and assets are protected, making it difficult for eavesdroppers and cybercriminals to access — especially without the right passphrase, PIN, or two-factor authentication (2FA) code. Alternatively, passwordless authentication methods may also be used.

However, password managers are software solutions and can be subject to the same security problems as other apps or services. So, it is important that the password manager you select is reputable, doesn’t store master keys on its own servers, and maintains a transparent approach to security.

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The main problem with password managers is that there may be a single point of failure: if you forget or are unable to recover your master password, you may permanently lose access to any information stored within. Many password managers will not store master keys on their servers; in the name of security, they will instead opt for data to be stored only on user devices.

Yes. Alongside warning you if you are using weak, leaked, or reused credentials, password managers often use a randomized system to generate complex passwords on your behalf that cannot easily be guessed or are susceptible to brute-force attacks.

Yes, they often do. Many security experts consider password managers to be one of the best solutions currently available for managing numerous passwords. In a business setting, the services provide greater control over asset and network access. However, password managers are only one piece of the puzzle: Greater security requires a multi-layered approach. This could include multi-factor authentication, behavioral analytics, or physical security keys.

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Businesses, large or small, should use password managers or at least some form of security to manage and protect user credentials. After all, it only takes one successful intrusion caused by weak or stolen username-password combinations, and a password manager can reduce the likelihood of a data breach. Furthermore, they can help streamline the security process by creating and storing complex passwords on your behalf.

Yes, Microsoft does offer password management solutions for businesses. Microsoft Edge Password Manager uses AES encryption standards to locally store credentials and is also suitable for individual use, whereas Microsoft Authenticator is best suited for organizations seeking a more centralized platform for managing authentication and access rights.

The cost of a password manager varies depending on your needs. Many consumers can get away with a free or basic plan that only protects a select number of online services, whereas businesses will need more support. While limited seat numbers may only cost your business a few dollars a month, the cost will increase if you need more seats, identity access management (IAM), or advanced security tools.

Business plans are often cheap per seat but require you to agree to a specific minimum number of seats to sign up. Alternatively, many password managers will offer custom plans.

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