Verdict
KeePass is a wonderful free-to-use password supervisor, with tons and many customisation choices and extensive help for third-party apps. The interface could also be slightly too sophisticated for some, whereas the dearth of built-in sharing might flip off customers too. However that is nonetheless nonetheless one of many easiest password supervisor choices out there.
Professionals
- Totally free and open supply
- Extremely customisable
- Wide selection of third-party apps and extensions
- In-app TOTP password era
Cons
- No built-in sharing
- Extra hands-on configuration than most rivals
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SafetyAES-256, ChaCha20 (the latter for reminiscence safety), third-party extensions enable the addition of different algorithms -
Stand-alone purchasersHome windows, Linux, macOS, BSD, Android (Play & F-Droid), iOS -
Browser extensionsChrome, Firefox, IE, Edge Chrome, Opera, Safari
Introduction
KeePass is free, open supply software program to the core, with no paid-for parts or licenses in any respect. It’s each an utility and a normal, with a number of apps that may entry KeePass database (KDBX) recordsdata and deal with their related encryption customary.
My very own setup makes use of KeeWeb on Linux, the first-party KeePass 2 app for Home windows, and AuthPass on Android – all accessing a shared database file that I carry on a safe cloud server that I management, with a hosted internet app model of KeeWeb to supply a web-based vault. For those who undertake the Keepass customary, you possibly can customise the whole lot out of your encryption protocol, to your interface and browser plugin choice, to your second components and passwordless logins.
It’s clearly the proper selection for safety fans, nevertheless it isn’t only for the hardcore, and the barrier for entry isn’t that prime in the event you go for essentially the most user-friendly selections. It’s simply that these aren’t all the time highlighted.
KeePass’s open supply code offers one other profit: neighborhood bug and vulnerability searching. Quite a few vulnerabilities to KeePass’s utility ecosystem have been promptly reported, proved and stuck by its person and developer neighborhood, making this a robustly safe selection, so long as you make sure that you’re maintaining your purchasers up-to-date.
Options
- Official apps have an unfriendly interface
- Helps biometric unlock
KeePass and its cross-platform port, KeePassXC, have an unparalleled vary of options, however can really feel unfriendly to make use of. A few of their options require you to enter code strings in particular areas, and each have interfaces that really feel like one thing out of the early 2000s.
If you wish to get into utilizing the KeePass ecosystem, I like to recommend utilizing a friendlier app. Each KeeWeb and AuthPass help the KDBX database customary, and you’ll activate options corresponding to one-time codes, browser plugins, hooked up recordsdata, and cloud storage help with a click on or two. Though they’ve pleasant interfaces, there’s nonetheless sufficient flexibility so as to add help for non-standard stuff, such because the Steam recreation shopper’s proprietary one-time codes.
Not like most password managers, KeePass delivers full management over the place and the way your database is saved, so that you don’t must belief it to another person’s pc – though standard cloud storage providers are absolutely supported.
The principle supported multi-factor authentication (really multi-factor decryption) choice is safe key recordsdata, and passwordless login is obtainable by way of biometric unlock – relying on app and extension configuration – or a safety key for use as a substitute of your grasp password. Different choices can be found by way of extensions. Beforehand configured biometric unlock additionally offers the one avenue to reset your grasp password in the event you overlook it.
Each apps and browser extensions assist you to autofill and even autosave passwords for the online, however a killer function of all KeePass derivatives is “autotype”, which nearly sorts in your passwords one character at a time, neatly supporting purposes and web sites that disable pasting, in addition to maintaining your password out of the clipboard.
Logout timers depend upon precisely which app you’re utilizing to entry your KeePass database. The primary-party KeePass 2 desktop utility stays logged in indefinitely and requires person configuration, whereas most third-party implementations lock after 5 to fifteen minutes of being inactive, or once they’re minimised.
One factor KeePass isn’t nice at is sharing passwords. If you must share a whole database, you possibly can e-mail the file to somebody, and even put it on-line, sharing the keys with everybody who wants entry over an encrypted messenger corresponding to Sign. Nevertheless, there’s no built-in safe messaging system to share particular person password entries or teams.
Newest offers
Do you have to purchase it?
If you require subtle and customisable safety:
There’s nearly nothing you possibly can’t configure right here, and in the event you discover one thing you possibly can’t, then you possibly can all the time make your personal customized information strings or add extensions.
For those who’re searching for comfort:
Whereas polished apps can be found to take the trouble out of many KeePass features, you’ll all the time have to decide on your storage location. You don’t have to be an professional to make use of a KeePass database successfully, however understanding recordsdata, networks and on-line storage is a plus.
Closing Ideas
High quality-of-life options have been massively improved on account of current app and extension developments, so you could find an ideal stability between customisability and ease of use.
The one actual function hole is password sharing and group folders – for that, you would possibly need to think about a Bitwarden subscription as a substitute. Take a look at our Finest Password Supervisor information for extra choices.
How we take a look at
We take a look at every password supervisor ourselves on quite a lot of pc and cell working techniques. We stock out comparative function evaluation towards trade requirements and rival merchandise, and take a look at safety and comfort settings corresponding to default logout behaviour and offline entry.,
We used for at the very least per week.
Examined the entire out there options.
FAQs
Whether or not you retailer it on a USB stick, your laborious disk or a cloud storage floor, it’s potential to your password database to be pilfered. Nevertheless, your passwords ought to nonetheless be secure since they’re encrypted. A just lately found vulnerability that might enable grasp passwords to be sniffed out below very particular circumstances was quickly mounted due to the Keepass neighborhood
Sure, KeePass is a free open supply password supervisor.
