The 5 Best Password Managers for CPAs

When you work with sensitive data, it’s in your best interest to take all precautions necessary to protect your accounts—especially when it comes to creating strong and unique passwords. Of course, remembering multiple complex passwords can be a logistical nightmare. Thankfully, there are password managers that can remember your complicated login credentials so you don’t have to.

Below, we’ve listed our five favorite password management tools that have the best features for CPAs.

From its simple interface to its cross-platform compatibility, variety of features, and price point, it’s no wonder why LastPass is consistently ranked by tech journalists as the best password manager available today.

Price: Free – $48 per year

Why it’s good for CPAs: LastPass is a fantastic option for firms with various computer competency levels. Its options as both a browser plug-in and mobile app make it not only available on multiple platforms but also incredibly easy to use, while still offering plenty of advanced features for more tech-savvy CPAs.

Website: lastpass.com

Nearly as lauded as LastPass, Dashlane has a user-friendly design and is regularly updated with new features. One of the stand-out features of Dashlane is its ability to change passwords on hundreds of your managed accounts at once without needing to leave the application or plug-in.

Price: Free – $48 per year

Why it’s good for CPAs: CPAs who enjoy all-in-one solutions will find Dashlane appealing. Going beyond just passwords, it can also safely store credit card numbers, scanned identification cards, billing addresses, and many other forms of personal information.

Website: dashlane.com

1Password is ideal for users or teams who use several different types of devices. If you like your solutions to be easy to use and available on practically every device and operating system you can think of, 1Password may be your best pick.

Price: 30-day free trial - $7.99 per user per month.

Why it’s good for CPAs: Auditors, large-firm CPAs, or any accounting professional who travels frequently may appreciate 1Password’s Travel Mode feature. This mode allows you to quickly delete sensitive data from your device on the fly, and restore it with a press of a button, protecting your data from potentially insecure Wi-Fi connections you may use on the go.

Website: 1password.com

Keeper Security is one of the oldest and most widely used password management tools on the market. In fact, there’s a chance you might already have a copy of it. Many of the latest laptops, desktops, and smartphones have the free version of the software pre-loaded and ready to use.

Price: Free – $59.99 per year

Why it’s good for CPAs: Arguably, Keeper is the most secure cloud-based password manager on the market. It avoids providing the more convenient features of its competitors, such as one-click password changes or PIN logins, viewing such conveniences as unsafe. CPAs who want security above all else should choose Keeper.

Website: keepersecurity.com

If you’re looking for password management on a budget, you can’t go wrong with BitWarden, which offers a feature-rich solution for free and additional features for less than $10 a month. Plus, its lightweight and flexible design means it won't be taking up too much real estate on your device.

Price: Free – $5 per month

Why it’s good for CPAs: BitWarden is a fantastic choice for small to midsize firms who need to quickly and cheaply equip their machines with password storage and protection. BitWarden also offers password sharing features, allowing employees to securely share login credentials with one another.

Website: bitwarden.com

For a handy one-sheet of our top eight dos and don’ts for password management, download our Password Management Quick Reference for CPAs.