Picking the Best Password Manager for You

Tom, this is one subject that we disagree on. In your zeal to promote MacPass, you have grossly denigrated 1Password. It is clearly NOT "an overhyped toy app". It is a professional, top-rated app, as rated by users and reported by lifehacker.com (see below).

I highly recommend 1Password. I've been using it for years now, and have never had any issues. It is well-maintained, having numerous free updates throughout the year, is quick to respond to any new general security issues found in the wild, and provides great new features one a year or so for a modest paid upgrade. However, starting with 1Password 7, they are using a subscription model with a modest price of $3/month for individuals, and $5/month for a family account (5 users).

The same 1Password account and vault (database) work across all my Macs and iOS devices.

I have to strongly disagree with that. There is nothing inherent about open-source apps that make them more secure, and there is nothing inherent about closed-source apps that make them insecure. In fact, AFAIK, there has never been a security issue found with 1Password.

From The Five Best Password Managers -- lifehacker.com

1Password is well-loved and well-regarded for offering a powerful and secure password manager and digital wallet in a really sharp-looking package that shines on every platform it runs on.

  • It’s flexible, easy to use,
  • works seamlessly in just about every web browser, and
  • packs in the same features that you’ve come to expect from a premium password manager and secure document storage tool.
  • 1Password looks great,
  • comes with a strong password generator to help you pick good passwords every time you change one,
  • secure notes for other passwords or notes that you want to keep private,
  • a digital wallet for bank accounts and payment info, and
  • a password “recipe” builder that lets you customize your passwords to your demands instead of just accepting whatever algorithm the password generator spits out at you.

I've never used MacPass, so I can't comment on it, except to say it apparently is a Mac clone of KeePass. Based on the LifeHacker.com article and the MacPass web site, it appears that MacPass and 1Password have a number of differences, both in architecture and UI.

So my suggestion to those that don't have a password manager is to get one ASAP. Do your homework, and pick the one that is well qualified and works best for you.

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