Most people reuse a handful of passwords across dozens of sites, and one leak then opens all of them. A password manager fixes that: it creates a long, unique password for every account, remembers it, and fills it in for you. This guide explains what to look for, compares well-known options for personal and business use, and shows how to protect your Domain India account with one.
Pick a password manager with end-to-end encryption, apps for every device you use, two-factor protection for the vault itself, and passkey support. Bitwarden, 1Password, Proton Pass, Keeper and Zoho Vault suit most people and teams; KeePassXC and Passbolt suit those who want to keep the vault on their own device or server. Set a strong master password, turn on 2FA, then replace your reused passwords, starting with email, banking and your hosting account.
1. What a password manager does
A password manager is an encrypted vault for your logins. You remember one strong master password; the manager remembers everything else. Good ones also:
- generate random passwords, such as
t7#Qv9!mZr2&Lx, so no two accounts share one; - fill logins in your browser and phone apps, and refuse to fill on a look-alike phishing site;
- warn you about weak, reused or leaked passwords;
- share selected logins with family or staff without showing the password in chat or email;
- store other secrets: card details, Wi-Fi keys, recovery codes and secure notes.
2. What to look for
3. Password managers worth considering
Features and prices change often, so check each provider's current plans before you buy. All of these offer end-to-end encryption.
| Manager | Good for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Bitwarden | Individuals and teams on a budget | Open source, generous free plan, can be self-hosted |
| 1Password | Families and businesses | Polished apps, shared vaults, Travel Mode hides vaults when crossing borders; no free plan |
| Proton Pass | Privacy-focused users | From the makers of Proton Mail; includes email aliases to hide your real address |
| Keeper | Businesses with compliance needs | Strong admin controls and optional dark-web monitoring |
| Zoho Vault | Indian businesses already on Zoho | Team sharing and user management, integrates with Zoho apps |
| Dashlane | Individuals wanting extras | Breach monitoring; mainly paid plans |
| NordPass | Simple personal use | Clean apps, breach scanner |
| RoboForm | Heavy form filling | Long-standing form-fill features |
| KeePassXC | Offline, do-it-yourself users | Free, open source; the vault is a file you store and back up yourself |
| Passbolt | Developer teams | Open source and self-hosted, built for sharing credentials within a team |
Your phone and browser also have one built in: Google Password Manager in Chrome and Android, and the Passwords app on Apple devices. They are free and fine for one person on one ecosystem, but weaker for sharing and for mixing Windows, Android and Apple devices.
In 2022 attackers copied LastPass customer vault backups. The vaults were encrypted, but weak master passwords can be cracked offline. If you stored passwords in LastPass at that time, change the important ones, whichever manager you use now.
4. Personal or business: what changes
| Need | Personal | Business |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds the vault | You, plus family members you invite | Every staff member, managed by an admin |
| Sharing | A shared family folder | Shared folders by team, with view-only options |
| When someone leaves | Not an issue | Admin removes access in one step; change shared passwords they could see |
| Recovery | Emergency access or a printed recovery kit | Admin-assisted account recovery |
| Good fits | Bitwarden, Proton Pass, 1Password, built-in managers | 1Password, Bitwarden, Keeper, Zoho Vault, Passbolt |
For a small business, the most valuable feature is simple: when a staff member leaves, you remove their access and know exactly which shared passwords to change.
5. Set one up in an afternoon
- Choose a managerfrom the list above that runs on all your devices.
- Create a strong master password.Use four or five random words, such as
copper-lantern-mango-river-42. Never use it anywhere else, and don't store it in the manager. - Turn on two-factor authenticationfor the vault, with an authenticator app or a security key.
- Save the recovery kitor emergency access details on paper, somewhere safe.
- Install the browser extension and phone app,and switch off your browser's own password saving so you have one source of truth.
- Import saved passwordsfrom your browser, then delete them from the browser.
- Fix the important accounts first:email, banking, UPI and payment apps, your domain and hosting account, and social media. Give each a new generated password.
- Work through the restas you log in to each site over the next few weeks.
6. Passkeys: where passwords are heading
A passkey is a login that uses a cryptographic key stored on your device or in your password manager, unlocked with your fingerprint, face or PIN. There is no password to steal or phish. Google, Apple, Microsoft, many banks and more sites support passkeys each year. Most password managers above can store passkeys and sync them across your devices, so choosing one with passkey support prepares you for sites that drop passwords altogether.
7. Using a password manager with Domain India
Your Domain India client area controls your domains, hosting, invoices and support tickets, so give it the strongest protection you can:
- Store your client area login in your password manager with a unique generated password.
- Turn on two-factor authentication under Account › Security in the client area. Save the ten recovery codes it shows in your password manager or on paper. The steps are in How to enable two-factor authentication.
- Keep hosting passwords separate. Save your cPanel, DirectAdmin or Webuzo login and each mailbox password as their own entries. To change them, see How can I change my hosting account password.
- Update every device after a change. A phone mail app still trying an old mailbox password is the most common reason our server firewall blocks an office's IP address. See Resolving temporary IP blocks due to failed login attempts.
- Never send passwords to support. Our team does not need your password to help you; send the domain and a description of the problem through a ticket or live chat.
Many password managers can also generate 2FA codes. It's convenient, but if one vault holds both the password and the code, it becomes a single point of failure. For your most important accounts, keep 2FA codes in a separate authenticator app. See popular 2FA apps.
Is it safe to keep all my passwords in one password manager?
Yes, if the manager uses end-to-end encryption and you protect it with a strong, unique master password and two-factor authentication. It is far safer than reusing a few passwords across many sites.
What is the best free password manager?
Bitwarden and Proton Pass both offer free plans that cover unlimited passwords on all your devices. KeePassXC is free and offline, and the managers built into Chrome, Android and Apple devices are free for personal use.
Which password manager is best for a small business?
Choose one with shared folders, admin controls and easy removal of staff who leave, such as 1Password, Bitwarden, Keeper or Zoho Vault. Teams that want to host it themselves can use Passbolt or self-hosted Bitwarden.
What happens if I forget my master password?
With end-to-end encryption the provider cannot reset it for you. Set up the manager's recovery option, such as a recovery kit or emergency access, when you create the vault, and store it on paper somewhere safe.
Should I store my Domain India password in a password manager?
Yes. Use a unique generated password for your client area, turn on two-factor authentication under Account, Security, and keep the recovery codes safe. Store control panel and mailbox passwords as separate entries.
What is a passkey?
A passkey is a login stored on your device or in your password manager and unlocked with your fingerprint, face or PIN. It cannot be phished or reused, and most modern password managers can store and sync passkeys.
Ready to lock down your account? Turn on two-factor authentication in your client area security settings, then follow How to enable two-factor authentication for the details.
Add a six-digit code from an authenticator app to every sign-in, so a stolen password alone can't open your account.
Turn on 2FA