Offline password managers: 5 free apps that protect 🔒

Storing your passwords in the cloud is never completely secure. LastPass has suffered two data breaches in the last decade. Security vulnerabilities have also emerged in 1Password, Dashlane, Keeper, and Norton LifeLock. If you really want to keep your sensitive credentials safe, a local password manager is always a safer option. 🔒

Why are password managers better offline?

An offline password manager works just like a cloud-based one, except your sensitive data never leaves your device—be it your computer, your phone, or even an external drive. No one but you has access to it. 👤

In 2022, attackers gained access to LastPass personal vaults simply by installing a keylogger on a LastPass employee's computer. With an on-premises password manager, you don't have to worry about such attacks. You don't have the risk of server hacks or cloud breaches. 🌧️

You can create your own backups and never rely on a company's policy to recover your passwords. This way, you won't be locked into a provider, as you can use the same backup file on different platforms. Plus, you'll save about five dollars a month on the subscription fee. 💰

I've tested and used five free password managers for Android that I confidently recommend. Some of them are cross-platform, too. 📱💻

Before switching apps, I suggest exporting your password database from the manager you're currently using. Google Password Manager and many others export in CSV format. You can use this exported file to bring all your saved passwords to your new app of choice with a single click. 😉

Buttercup—Amazing cross-platform support

Buttercup It's a FOSS Award winner. It's open source and works on all platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Buttercup for desktop also supports extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Edge. It's the most comprehensive free password management solution I've found. It also supports exports from BitWarden, LastPass, and 1Password. 🏆

You can create a vault in Buttercup and use it in four simple steps. I'll show you how. 👇

First, download Buttercup from the Play Store or the App Store and open it.

The panel should have an "Add Vault" button. Tap it. Then select "Local" as the vault type.

Buttercup will show you a warning that you are responsible for your own backup. Read it and tap "Next."

The app allows you to create multiple password vaults and store them in a single directory. If you plan to create multiple vaults, tap "New Directory," give it a name, and add your first vault to it. Most people only need one vault, so let's tap "New Vault" and give it a name.

Tap "Set New Vault." A new vault should appear in .bcup format. Keep it selected and tap "Next." The final step is to set a master password for this vault. Here's a good guide to creating and remembering a strong password.

There you have it. A new vault has been created in Buttercup where you can securely store credit card information, logins, or notes. You can add new entries to the General folder by tapping the hamburger menu and selecting "Add Entry."

Once you've saved some passwords, you can configure Buttercup to autofill your logins. Alternatively, you can also import a backup file into Buttercup. It supports virtually all password managers.

Go to the Settings tab and turn on the “Enable autofill of login forms using this vault” switch.

For quick access to your vault, you can also enable a biometric lock here. 🔐

To use the autofill service, you need to change the default Google Passwords option to Buttercup. You'll need to go into your device's settings to do this. You can switch to any provider using these steps, so this will be useful later on as well.

Open Settings and search for “autofill” or find the tile in “User & Account” settings.

Tap the default autofill service button and select "Buttercup Autofill Service." With autofill enabled, your Buttercup setup is ready to use. 🎉

You can then move the .bcup file to your desktop to use the same vault on different platforms, if you wish.

KeePass—For PC and Android

KeePass is a classic that never goes out of style. It's also open source and has several forks, all compatible with each other and the original Windows application. You can install KeePass2Android either KeePassDX, both available for free on the Play Store. The first one is more popular, so that's the one I've been using. 📲

The interface is a bit dated and unattractive, but the app works well. When you open KeePass2Android for the first time, it will ask you to import an existing file or create a new vault. These vaults are in the KDBX format, and any password manager that supports this format (many do) should allow you to import them.

Click "Create New Database" and enter a master password. These vaults are offline by default, and you can see where they're saved. 💾

KeePass will guide you through setting up a biometric lock for your vault and enabling autofill. It doesn't allow you to take screenshots within the app, so I can't show you the process. But it only takes two taps for each one. ✋

Once setup is complete, you're ready to add new entries to the vault. You can save credit cards, emails, IDs, Wi-Fi passwords, notes, and regular logins for websites and apps. Choose the standard entry for website logins.

This is what KeePass2Android looks like when it offers you to save or autofill passwords.

If you want to bring this vault to your computer, you'll need to download KeePass for Windows and send the KBDX file from your phone to your PC. However, I haven't found an easy way to sync vaults between the two platforms. Apparently, the only way to use the same vaults between two devices is to manually move the files back and forth. 🔄

Passy—Sync passwords locally and easily

If you only plan to use the password manager across multiple platforms, Passy is another great tool. You can install it on Windows, Linux, Android, or your desktop browser. 🌐

Instead of creating a separate database file, Passy lets you create an offline account (with a username and password). You can use that login to access your passwords and sync across platforms. 🔑

Passy is not available on the Google Play Store, but you can download it via F-Droid and of the official GitHub repository.

Once installed, open the app and set a username and password to access Passy.

Passy lets you save passwords, payment cards, notes, and IDs. Just tap the corresponding tile to create a new entry. It has a handy built-in QR scanner to quickly capture login credentials. 📸

Alternatively, you can import KBDX or CSV databases to populate the vault. Passy also allows you to export in the same formats. Go to the Settings tab and tap "Import & Export" to do so. ⬇️

One feature that sets Passy apart is its local sync. You can install Passy on Windows, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Linux, then open a randomly generated port and scan a QR code to quickly sync your entire vault. Both devices must be connected to the same network. It's much more convenient than moving files between PCs and Androids. Of course, the data is encrypted and only accessible with the master password. 🔏

You can set up a biometric lock to make it easier to lock and unlock Passy. Tap "Security" and then "Biometric Authentication" to configure it.

This password manager also makes it easy to enable the autofill feature. Just tap "Enable Autofill" and select Passy from the list. It also offers to save passwords when you try a new login. 🖥️

Vault—Simple Password Management

Some people just need a basic, no-fuss password vault, which is why I'm including Vault on this list. It's a simple app for Android that does one thing and does it well: save passwords. 📝

It doesn't offer cross-platform support or offline synchronization. It doesn't even have an autofill feature. However, Vault allows you to import existing password databases. It reads and exports KDBX files, so anything that supports the KeePass format should work with Vault.

To fill in passwords, just tap the plus icon and fill in your login details.

I love its built-in password generator. You can use it to create unbreakable random passwords of any length with a single tap. Very handy. 👍

You can install Vault via F-droid.

KeyGo—Modern and feature-rich

If you don't mind cross-platform support and just need a modern offline password manager, try KeyGo. available on the Google Play Store.

It's built on the Material UI theme and features a robust built-in password generator. The password generator lets you specify the length and character types that will appear in your password. You can also generate strong passphrases, which are much easier to remember. These aren't found in most password generators. 🛠️

You can import and export KeePass-compatible password files or CSV files (generated by Google Password Manager). 📊

KeyGo also lets you fill in your saved passwords with a single tap, and prompts you to save them, regardless of the app or browser you're using. To enable it, simply go to the settings tab and toggle the AutoFill Service switch. Then, choose KeyGo from the available selection. 🔑

With an offline password manager, you can rest assured that your sensitive logins won't be leaked in a massive data breach or accessible to anyone but you. The apps on this list will make the switch easier. 🛡️