Table of Contents
Are you using the same password everywhere? Are you constantly forgetting your password? Are you fed up with passwords yet? If so, you can automate your login process with a password manager browser extension. But which one? That's where PCMag comes in. We have a 30-year history of testing and reviewing online privacy and security tools. Each year, we test the most popular password managers across several categories, focusing on security features, ease of use, and pricing options.
Editors' Choice winner Bitwarden and excellent paid password manager Dashlane offer the best browser extensions for Google Chrome. In addition to a full-featured free password manager, Bitwarden's paid tiers are inexpensive and include advanced features such as password inheritance tools, dark web monitoring, password hygiene analysis, and credential-sharing options. If you have a lot of devices, check out Dashlane for its comprehensive Friends and Family subscription tier, which includes VPN connectivity, anti-phishing tools, and data breach monitoring, all for up to 10 users.
Read on for the top-rated password manager browser extensions for Google Chrome and our reasons for recommending them.
Our Top Tested Picks
1Password
Dashlane
NordPass
RoboForm
Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault
LogMeOnce
Bitwarden
Enpass Password Manager
Best Vault Organization
1Password
- Intuitive password organization
- Alerts for password hygiene
- Smooth credential capture and replay
- Lacks free password management tier
- Not-so-seamless importing system
- Missing true password inheritance features
- Watchtower lacks data breach monitor
We love 1Password's helpful tutorials for new users. Also of interest are the app's excellent password organization systems and the data breach and password hygiene monitoring features included in its Watchtower section. In testing, the Chrome browser extension easily captured and replayed our credentials for various websites.
New users will appreciate 1Password's tutorials and well-organized credential management system. In addition to desktop and mobile apps, 1Password offers browser extensions for Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari.
Best for Family Password Management
Dashlane
- Includes VPN and phishing alerts
- Scans for compromised accounts
- Retains full password history
- Offers file storage
- Expensive
- Very restrictive free tier
- Awkward emergency access procedure
Dashlane is expensive, but the high-quality security features will justify the price for many. As part of its paid subscription, Dashlane offers anti-phishing alerts, data breach monitoring, and even a VPN. Those are the kinds of features found in security suites, not password managers. Plus, the Dashlane Chrome browser extension looks great and worked well in testing.
If you have a big family, Dashlane is a great option. Its Friends & Family plan includes licenses for up to 10 users. Dashlane offers apps for Android and iOS, as well as the extra security features mentioned above. Its browser extension supports Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Chromium-based browsers.
Best for Business Users
NordPass
- Slick, well-organized apps
- Offers email alias creation and storage
- Detailed data breach reports
- Password hygiene alerts
- Emergency access options available
- Limited free tier
NordPass' browser extension for Google Chrome flags weak passwords as you enter them around the web. We know that pop-ups can be annoying, but not getting hacked because you secured your account with a weak or reused password is well worth any irritation. In testing, the NordPass browser extension worked as expected.
Business users will especially appreciate NordPass' affordable and comprehensive password management plans. In addition to apps for desktop and mobile, NordPass offers browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera.
Best for Storing Personal Information
RoboForm
- Diverse form-filling options
- Smooth password capture and replay
- Offers emergency access
- Very limited free plan
- Limited credential-sharing options
- Few extra features
RoboForm's browser extension for Google Chrome is particularly easy to use, which is something we look for when we test password managers. The Chrome browser extension didn't have any trouble filling in our data during the latest round of testing.
People who need to fill in a lot of forms will appreciate RoboForm. Also, like 1Password, RoboForm offers new users helpful tutorials for mastering password management. RoboForm offers browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, along with apps for desktop and mobile devices.
Best Customization Settings
Keeper Password Manager & Digital Vault
- Secure password-sharing, password hygiene, and emergency access options
- Attractive apps and browser extensions
- Retains app access and credential history
- Very restrictive free tier
- Some desirable features are paid add-ons
- Importing credentials could be smoother
Keeper's browser extension for Google Chrome worked as expected in testing, but the real standout factors are its appearance customization settings. We really like that the color theme setting syncs across the desktop and browser extension platforms.
New password manager users will appreciate Keeper's extensive onboarding system. The module guides you through every step of the setup process and even helps create the first credential and encourages multi-factor authentication. Keeper offers desktop and mobile apps, plus browser extensions for Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Safari.
Best Pricing Options
LogMeOnce
- Free
- Diverse MFA options
- Unique emergency access tool
- High-quality onboarding tutorial
- Credential filling didn't work with the Android app in testing
- Awkward password-importing process
- Cluttered web vault interface
The LogMeOnce Chrome browser extension has a well-organized user interface. In testing, password capture and replay was smooth. We are particularly impressed by the app's emergency access portal and its detailed password security reports.
Anyone looking for a free password manager with reasonably priced premium tiers will appreciate LogMeOnce's apps and browser extensions. In addition to the Chrome extension, LogMeOnce offers Edge, Firefox, and Safari browser extensions. Other app platforms include Linux, Mac, and Windows, as well as apps for Android and iOS.
Best Free Password Management
Bitwarden
- Free
- Open-source
- Passkey support
- Emergency access option
- Data breach monitoring
- Password hygiene reports
- Relatively expensive business tiers
Bitwarden is the best value for anyone seeking an open-source, third-party password manager. The Bitwarden Chrome browser extension has a simple and easy-to-use interface. Its password capture and replay worked as expected in testing.
Bitwarden's generous free tier and affordable paid subscriptions make it an easy choice for anyone looking to switch to a new password manager. Bitwarden offers native apps for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its browser extension supports Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Safari, as well as less common browsers, such as Brave, Tor, and Vivaldi.
Best Storage Options
Enpass Password Manager
- Free for desktop users
- Offers local storage option
- Includes data breach monitoring
- Cross-device syncing isn't seamless
- Very limited free tier for mobile users
- Lacks digital inheritance options
We really like how little we noticed Enpass' browser extension for Google Chrome while testing the application. The window is small and unobtrusive, and we were able to use it to log in to our accounts while browsing without any trouble.
People who don't trust anyone else with their passwords should consider Enpass. The company gives users total control over their data, which is nice. Enpass doesn't store user data on its own cloud servers; instead, users can store everything on their devices or via third-party cloud storage. Enpass offers apps for desktop and mobile, plus browser extensions for Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Vivaldi.
What Makes a Password Manager Browser Extension Good?
When we test password manager browser extensions, we always examine the following aspects:
Smooth Credential Capture and Replay
When you log in to a website, the password manager asks if you want it to save your username and password. When you return to that site, the password manager asks if you would like it to fill in those credentials. We test each browser extension to ensure the process is quick and seamless.
Complex Password Generation
When you create a new account or update a password, you'll need a new one ready to go. Ideally, the password manager's browser extension will do it for you. In testing, we note whether or not the generator creates strong and unique passwords by default. Passwords that are a least 20 characters long and include all the major character types: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols are the safest bets.
User Interface
No one wants another large, obstructive browser window on their screen while they browse. That's why we comment on the extension's appearance and whether the user interface was easy to use in our password manager reviews.
Simple Tricks to Remember Insanely Secure Passwords
How Does a Password Manager Browser Extension Work?
Whenever you create a new account or update a password, a password manager creates strong and unique passwords and stores them in a vault accessible via app, browser extension, or website. When logging in to an existing account, the app can save your username and password so that when you come back to the site, the credentials fill in automatically. The apps are easy to use and take the guesswork and headaches out of remembering a dozen different passwords.
If you have multiple logins for the same website, the password manager browser extension lists all the options to select the right one and log in. Many browser apps can detect when you change your password on the website and ask you to update the entry stored in your password vault.
What About Passkeys for Browsers?
Passkeys eliminate the need for an email address and password combination. Many of the password managers we've tested let you create passkeys and store them in your vault.
Passkeys are the hot new technology within the cybersecurity industry, and it's too soon to tell whether they're making a significant difference in the wider cybercrime landscape. That said, researchers have told PCMag that widespread passkey adoption could make it harder for criminals to steal users' credentials and accounts since passkeys can't be stolen by hacking into a company's system.
That doesn't mean passkeys are an end-all, be-all solution. Shutting down cybercriminals has long been a game of digital whack-a-mole. So, it's not surprising that criminals have already figured out ways to get around passkeys using cookie-hijacking schemes.
Should You Use Your Browser's Password Manager?
If you don't want to spend any money on new software today, we suggest trying out Google's free password manager. It's baked into the Chrome browser and the Android operating system, so you can access your passwords via your browser or mobile devices. You can use it on iOS, too, by enabling it within Chrome's browser app. We've written about how to use it, so check out our guide to using Google Password Manager.
Once you've gotten familiar with the basics of how a password manager works, you may want to switch to a password manager with a few more bells and whistles. There are capable, totally free password management options that work on other popular browsers, desktops, and mobile devices. LogMeOnce, NordPass, and Proton Pass all offer browser extensions for Google Chrome and free tiers of management in addition to affordable paid plans.
