Yes, some password keepers are better than others.
Expectedly, virtually identical apps are offered in most arenas that emulate market leaders. It would be true to say there are always other options, often very similar to the ranking apps. Despite these similarities, personal preference will always keep these contenders coming. We’re ranking the top keepers for iPhone, but never forget that your personal ease of use is the second most important consideration.
Of course, the prime consideration is if your keeper works effectively, and can both generate and secure your passwords. If it performs its intended purpose, how it performs becomes a matter of personal preference.
Is there a baseline expectation and a baseline service level with iOS password keepers?
Yes, and the best apps establish and maintain that quality. Password keepers need to meet known expectations. The jingles and bells they add to that baseline performance determines whether they “work†for you or not.
If you’re unsure of what level of security you might need, those lucky enough to work for companies employing the services of an IT support provider have a virtual encyclopaedia at their disposal. Ask your IT guy or gal, and all shall become clear. Tech pros can tell you down to the last detail why this keeper performs better than another, along with other useful cybersecurity tips.
If you’ve been left alone to figure password managers out for your iPhone, you won’t do better than choosing from the following apps.
- 1Password
A well known and beloved keeper in the Apple community, 1Password is a voluminous keeper. You can store credit card details, mail addresses, passwords and more. Utilising AES 256 encryption, this keeper allows users to employ Touch ID and Face ID to unlock the app. Perhaps the best feature – and a component of all great password keepers – is the ability to generate custom passwords you never need to remember.
Creating complex passwords you don’t need to remember is an addictive experience. The app is synced across platforms and has a level of intuition that’s made it a popular option for iPhones. Additionally, the keeper features Apple Watch support and enables closed team password sharing, a handy reality in families and working teams. If you want to test it out first a free trial period is available, although the benchmark version costs around $10.
Both novices and old hands tend to stick with 1Pass once it’s installed, as its comprehensive and seldom outdone by others.
- Enpass
Enpass is a keeper that’s also a desktop app. It employs your cloud computing facility (iCloud/Dropbox/Google Drive) to sync across devices. Whether you want to store locally or airborne is your choice. As expected, it can also display on the Apple Watch. You’ll be limited to a maximum of 20 entries with the free version, but the top option gives you unlimited volume for around $10.
Very much like 1Password, Enpass will also store your personal or financial information. It comes with template choices that make light work of entering specific information on stored sites. It will auto-fill from deep within the vault, thus doing away with cutting and pasting login details. Touch ID is a welcome feature, and the intuitive capabilities of Enpass make for a tough decision when compared against 1Password.
- mSecure
mSecure’s paid option is a bit more expensive than the previous two contenders, priced at $30 for a one-time upgrade. That said, the upgrade comes with extensive tweaking of features and icons. Thankfully, the free version still comes fairly loaded and won’t disappoint. Built for security and speed, mSecure sports more than a dozen templates, with quick and easy login a given standard.
User reviews most often point to the ability to customise tagged favourites and lists with the app. You can sort data by various determinants – date, type, whatever you like. The pro version allows for wholesale customisation of templates. Backing up, restoring, and syncing are a cinch with this highly intuitive keeper. It features Face and Touch ID, as well as being seamless with Apple Watch. Highly secure encryption and a smart intuition is making mSecure a joy to use – and thus a growing favourite – among iPhone users. A comprehensive keeper, this app allows for tremendous personalisation without compromising security.
Many users prefer autonomous control over where and how their passwords get stored in a customised vault. As an iPhone password keeper, it feels very similar to 1Password and, again, the choice between them is a tough one!