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Ask HN: What password manager do you recommend to friends and family?

17 points by october_sky 7y ago

I realize those of us working in tech have our own tastes or specialized tools for password managers. But what do you recommend for friends and family to use?

yrezgui 7y ago
I got relatives who use 1password (https://1password.com https://1password.com) and are happy with. Dashlane (https://www.dashlane.com https://www.dashlane.com) would be the other one I have in mind.
mariejones 7y ago
I would prefer LastPass
- highhedgehog 7y ago
  Last pass MUST be avoided. It is closed sourced and has been exposed to hacks before
  - majortennis 7y ago
    I mean open source ftw but it being closed source doesn't mean you should avoid it. What hacks I've heard nothing of the sort
    - kaushikt 7y ago
      This - https://www.darknet.org.uk/2017/03/lastpass-chrome-extension-leaking-passwords/ https://www.darknet.org.uk/2017/03/lastpass-chrome-extension... Although, they weren't completely hacked it seems. They were fixing a major vulnerability.
    - highhedgehog 7y ago
      AFAIK in the security world, closed source is considered really bad.
treycopeland 7y ago
Been a Dashlane user for three years and would highly recommend it.
- surds 7y ago
  Finally! Someone besides me here who would recommend Dashlane. For some reason, it is always missing from these threads on HN. Been a user for 3-4 years now, and would definitely recommend it.
mstibbard 7y ago
KeePass. It's on every platform and is free.
BjoernKW 7y ago
1Password. Secure, good UX, syncs effortlessly on all my devices.
sabarasaba 7y ago
Bitwarden, pretty much my whole family and circle of friends uses it. Great UX, mobile apps, security, and not expensive at all.
camhenlin 7y ago
For most users in the Apple ecosystem, iCloud keychain is an excellent, extremely well-integrated solution. I recommend it to all of my friends and family.
icarusfowl 7y ago
Keeper
notlukesky 7y ago
SAASPASS (https://saaspass.com https://saaspass.com) is the password manager for the more security minded.
mirrortits 7y ago
Bitwarden for its open source approach, security review, apps for ALL platforms and it’s crazy cheap. Has been my daily driver for the past 2 years.
- peterbozso 7y ago
  I wanted to write almost the exact same list. :) Such an awesome product, highly recommended!
h4waii 7y ago
Bitwarden. Personally, I use KeePass with Syncthing but pay for a Bitwarden Family account for my spouse and family members. I migrated from LastPass, to Enpass, and finally to KeePass. Bitwarden basically checks all the boxes for me, but I prefer to control my own data without having to run and maintain the Bitwarden server for the rest.
- a_lifters_life 7y ago
  +1
- highhedgehog 7y ago
  Bitwarden also has an option to install it on your own server
ghani 7y ago
Password Safe (https://www.pwsafe.org/ https://www.pwsafe.org/) is an offline password manager.
vr46 7y ago
1Password, no contest.
taf2 7y ago
Chromes builtin password manager. I trust that google has smart people who will do a good job of securing my passwords and my families. It has its problems but with its auto generated passwords and almost all services I use having two factor , I feel it’s a good choice
softwareplumber 7y ago
I don't trust cloud based password stores. So I use pass which uses gpg encryption for your passwords. https://www.passwordstore.org https://www.passwordstore.org GitHub has a good tutorial on generating your own gpg key: https://help.github.com/en/articles/generating-a-new-gpg-key https://help.github.com/en/articles/generating-a-new-gpg-key Using this you can encrypt your files. I store my gpg files in on a git forge. This way, I load my gpg key, clone the repo into ~/.password-store and voila! I can use my asswords/secrets across devices. It even has a utility for Android. Besides that, I use Emacs a lot so I use helm-pass package to streamline my password discovery and copy-to-clipboard actions without exposing the password in plain view.
- wishinghand 7y ago
  I wish I had your friends and family’s comfort with using GPG keys.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
katzeilla 7y ago
KeePass It's cross-platform/FOSS and does not relay on cloud.
- NikkiA 7y ago
  Combining it with Keepass Tusk increases the usability for non-techs too.
highhedgehog 7y ago
Bitwarden all the way.
GreenJelloShot 7y ago
Enpass (https://www.enpass.io/ https://www.enpass.io/) It is easy enough for my extremely non-technical wife to use on both her laptop and phone.
kaushikt 7y ago
I am using 1Password for my family. I am the only "tech" guy. Others had a hard time getting onboarded and learning to use.
logari 7y ago
I do not recommend any in particular because we are all different. All I can say is that I enjoyed using Authy.
alireza94 7y ago
I’ve used 1Password for the last 3 years and it works like a charm.
cujic9 7y ago
The discussion here is somewhat relevant: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20026297 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20026297 I typically say: 1. Anything is better than nothing. 2. 1Password is pretty good. 3. Keepass is the best if you are ultra paranoid.
elvecinodeabajo 7y ago
I really love KeePass. I don't feel comfortable with 3rd party cloud services. There are also apps for Android and iOS to work with KeePass databases. It's everything easy.
- barefootcoder 7y ago
  I love the keepass ecosystem, but would never recommend it to family who isn't very computer literate, and the iOS offerings are poor, with kypass being the only full functioning one, and it's closed source and a little buggy. I worry a little bit about using it to manage my passwords.
  - elvecinodeabajo 7y ago
    Isn't an irony to worry about 'closed source' in Apple's iOS?

17 points by october_sky 7y ago

I realize those of us working in tech have our own tastes or specialized tools for password managers. But what do you recommend for friends and family to use?

yrezgui 7y ago

I got relatives who use 1password (https://1password.com https://1password.com) and are happy with. Dashlane (https://www.dashlane.com https://www.dashlane.com) would be the other one I have in mind.

mariejones 7y ago

I would prefer LastPass

highhedgehog 7y ago
Last pass MUST be avoided. It is closed sourced and has been exposed to hacks before
- majortennis 7y ago
  I mean open source ftw but it being closed source doesn't mean you should avoid it. What hacks I've heard nothing of the sort
  - kaushikt 7y ago
    This - https://www.darknet.org.uk/2017/03/lastpass-chrome-extension-leaking-passwords/ https://www.darknet.org.uk/2017/03/lastpass-chrome-extension... Although, they weren't completely hacked it seems. They were fixing a major vulnerability.
  - highhedgehog 7y ago
    AFAIK in the security world, closed source is considered really bad.

treycopeland 7y ago

Been a Dashlane user for three years and would highly recommend it.

surds 7y ago
Finally! Someone besides me here who would recommend Dashlane. For some reason, it is always missing from these threads on HN. Been a user for 3-4 years now, and would definitely recommend it.

mstibbard 7y ago

KeePass. It's on every platform and is free.

BjoernKW 7y ago

1Password. Secure, good UX, syncs effortlessly on all my devices.

sabarasaba 7y ago

Bitwarden, pretty much my whole family and circle of friends uses it. Great UX, mobile apps, security, and not expensive at all.

camhenlin 7y ago

For most users in the Apple ecosystem, iCloud keychain is an excellent, extremely well-integrated solution. I recommend it to all of my friends and family.

icarusfowl 7y ago

Keeper

notlukesky 7y ago

SAASPASS (https://saaspass.com https://saaspass.com) is the password manager for the more security minded.

mirrortits 7y ago

Bitwarden for its open source approach, security review, apps for ALL platforms and it’s crazy cheap. Has been my daily driver for the past 2 years.

peterbozso 7y ago
I wanted to write almost the exact same list. :) Such an awesome product, highly recommended!

h4waii 7y ago

Bitwarden. Personally, I use KeePass with Syncthing but pay for a Bitwarden Family account for my spouse and family members. I migrated from LastPass, to Enpass, and finally to KeePass. Bitwarden basically checks all the boxes for me, but I prefer to control my own data without having to run and maintain the Bitwarden server for the rest.

a_lifters_life 7y ago
+1
highhedgehog 7y ago
Bitwarden also has an option to install it on your own server

ghani 7y ago

Password Safe (https://www.pwsafe.org/ https://www.pwsafe.org/) is an offline password manager.

vr46 7y ago

1Password, no contest.

taf2 7y ago

Chromes builtin password manager. I trust that google has smart people who will do a good job of securing my passwords and my families. It has its problems but with its auto generated passwords and almost all services I use having two factor , I feel it’s a good choice

softwareplumber 7y ago

I don't trust cloud based password stores. So I use pass which uses gpg encryption for your passwords. https://www.passwordstore.org https://www.passwordstore.org GitHub has a good tutorial on generating your own gpg key: https://help.github.com/en/articles/generating-a-new-gpg-key https://help.github.com/en/articles/generating-a-new-gpg-key Using this you can encrypt your files. I store my gpg files in on a git forge. This way, I load my gpg key, clone the repo into ~/.password-store and voila! I can use my asswords/secrets across devices. It even has a utility for Android. Besides that, I use Emacs a lot so I use helm-pass package to streamline my password discovery and copy-to-clipboard actions without exposing the password in plain view.

wishinghand 7y ago
I wish I had your friends and family’s comfort with using GPG keys.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

katzeilla 7y ago

KeePass It's cross-platform/FOSS and does not relay on cloud.

NikkiA 7y ago
Combining it with Keepass Tusk increases the usability for non-techs too.

highhedgehog 7y ago

Bitwarden all the way.

GreenJelloShot 7y ago

Enpass (https://www.enpass.io/ https://www.enpass.io/) It is easy enough for my extremely non-technical wife to use on both her laptop and phone.

kaushikt 7y ago

I am using 1Password for my family. I am the only "tech" guy. Others had a hard time getting onboarded and learning to use.

logari 7y ago

I do not recommend any in particular because we are all different. All I can say is that I enjoyed using Authy.

alireza94 7y ago

I’ve used 1Password for the last 3 years and it works like a charm.

cujic9 7y ago

The discussion here is somewhat relevant: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20026297 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20026297 I typically say: 1. Anything is better than nothing. 2. 1Password is pretty good. 3. Keepass is the best if you are ultra paranoid.

elvecinodeabajo 7y ago

I really love KeePass. I don't feel comfortable with 3rd party cloud services. There are also apps for Android and iOS to work with KeePass databases. It's everything easy.

barefootcoder 7y ago
I love the keepass ecosystem, but would never recommend it to family who isn't very computer literate, and the iOS offerings are poor, with kypass being the only full functioning one, and it's closed source and a little buggy. I worry a little bit about using it to manage my passwords.
- elvecinodeabajo 7y ago
  Isn't an irony to worry about 'closed source' in Apple's iOS?