Last updated: October 2026
Disclosure: WavesRank is reader-supported. Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. This comparison is based on research (vendor documentation, published pricing and feature lists), not hands-on testing of every plan. See our Affiliate Disclosure and Editorial Policy.
Most small businesses still share passwords in spreadsheets, sticky notes or WhatsApp. It works until someone leaves the company, a laptop is stolen, or one reused password unlocks your email, your accounting software and your bank. A business password manager fixes that for a few dollars per person per month.
This guide compares the five business password managers that small teams most often shortlist (1Password, Bitwarden, NordPass, Keeper and Dashlane) on price, admin features and fit for different team sizes.
Quick answer
- Best overall for most small teams: 1Password Business. Polished apps, strong admin controls, and a free family account for every employee. The Teams Starter Pack covers up to 10 people at a flat price.
- Best value: Bitwarden Teams. Open source, independently audited, and one of the cheapest paid business plans with directory sync and SCIM.
- Cheapest for very small teams: NordPass Teams or Keeper Business Starter. Both cost around $2 per user per month for teams of up to 10.
- Best for compliance and audit reporting: Keeper Business. SSO, SCIM and compliance reports at a mid-range price.
- Best for phishing protection: Dashlane. Strong focus on credential risk and phishing detection, but one of the more expensive options.
Comparison table
Prices are per user per month with annual billing, as published in October 2026, unless noted. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on their site before you buy.
| Password manager | Small-team plan | Main business plan | SSO | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Password | Teams Starter Pack: $19.95/month flat for up to 10 users | Business: $7.99 | Business (with Okta, Entra ID, Google and others) | Free Families account for each user; 14-day free trial |
| Bitwarden | Teams: $4 | Enterprise: $6 | Enterprise | Open source; self-hosting option; SCIM and directory sync from Teams |
| NordPass | Teams: about $1.99 (up to 10 users) | Business: about $3.99 | Google Workspace SSO from Teams | Breach scanner and password health on Business |
| Keeper | Business Starter: $2 (5–10 users) | Business: $3.75 | Business (SAML 2.0) and SCIM | BreachWatch dark-web monitoring is a paid add-on |
| Dashlane | — | Password Management: $8 | Yes, with SCIM | No VPN in business plans; phishing detection in Credential Protection plan |
How we compared
We looked at the things that matter to a small business without a full-time IT person:
- Price for 5, 10 and 25 users, including whether there is a flat-price plan for small teams.
- Admin control: can you remove someone’s access in one click when they leave, and see who can open which passwords?
- Sign-in integration: SSO with Microsoft 365 / Entra ID or Google Workspace, and automatic user provisioning (SCIM) as you grow.
- Security model: end-to-end encryption, independent audits, and the vendor’s breach history.
- Ease of rollout: browser extensions, mobile apps, and how easy it is for non-technical staff.
Sources were each vendor’s documentation and published pricing, plus independent price trackers. We did not run our own lab tests.
1Password Business: best overall
Best for: teams of 5–50 who want something staff will actually use.
1Password’s Teams Starter Pack is a simple flat price for up to 10 people, which suits a small office. The Business plan adds the controls you want as you grow: directory integrations with Entra ID, Okta, Google and others; role-based vault sharing; Watchtower security alerts; up to 20 guest accounts for contractors; and a free 1Password Families account for every employee, which helps staff build good habits at home too.
Pros
- Very polished apps and browser extensions, so staff adoption tends to be high
- Strong admin console and reporting on the Business plan
- Free family accounts for employees on Business
Cons
- One of the more expensive options at $7.99 per user
- No SSO on the Teams Starter Pack
- No permanent free plan (14-day trial only)
Bitwarden Teams: best value
Best for: cost-conscious teams, and businesses that prefer open-source software.
Bitwarden is open source and independently audited. At $4 per user per month, the Teams plan already includes event logs, directory sync, SCIM provisioning and unlimited sharing. Step up to Enterprise ($6) for SSO, custom roles, admin account recovery and enterprise policies. Bitwarden can also be self-hosted if you have a reason to keep data on your own servers.
Pros
- Excellent value for the features
- Open source and audited
- Self-hosting option
Cons
- Interface is functional rather than polished
- SSO requires the Enterprise plan
NordPass: cheapest for tiny teams
Best for: teams of up to 10 that want something simple and inexpensive.
NordPass, from the makers of NordVPN, offers a Teams plan for up to 10 users at roughly $1.79–$2.49 per user depending on billing term, with Google Workspace SSO included. The Business plan (about $3.99) adds a data breach scanner and password health reports, which flag weak and reused passwords across the company.
Pros
- Very low price for small teams
- Breach scanner and password health on Business
- Modern encryption (XChaCha20)
Cons
- Teams plan is capped at 10 users
- Fewer advanced admin features than 1Password or Keeper
Keeper Business: best for compliance
Best for: businesses that need audit trails and compliance reporting.
Keeper’s Business Starter ($2 per user, 5–10 users) gives you an admin console and shared folders. Business ($3.75) adds SAML 2.0 SSO, SCIM, audit logs, role-based access and compliance reporting, which is useful if you answer to auditors or customers’ security questionnaires. Each user also gets a Keeper Family plan. Dark-web monitoring (BreachWatch) is a paid add-on.
Pros
- Strong compliance and audit features for the price
- SSO and SCIM on the mid-tier Business plan
Cons
- Key extras such as BreachWatch cost more
- Admin console has a learning curve
Dashlane: best for phishing protection
Best for: teams worried about phishing and credential theft who are happy to pay more.
Dashlane has repositioned around credential security. Its Password Management plan (about $8 per user) includes password and passkey protection, secure sharing, password policies, SSO and SCIM. A separate Credential Protection plan focuses on breach prevention and AI phishing detection in the browser. Note that Dashlane’s business plans do not include a VPN.
Pros
- Strong focus on phishing and credential-risk detection
- SSO and SCIM included
Cons
- Among the most expensive options
- Plan structure has changed several times, so check exactly what is included
What about LastPass?
LastPass is still widely used, but in 2022 it disclosed security incidents in which attackers stole copies of encrypted customer vault backups. Many security professionals now recommend choosing a different provider for new deployments. If you already use LastPass, make sure every user has a strong, unique master password and multi-factor authentication turned on.
Which one should you choose?
| Your situation | Our suggestion |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 people, smallest budget | NordPass Teams or Keeper Business Starter |
| Up to 10 people, want the easiest experience | 1Password Teams Starter Pack |
| 10–50 people, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace | 1Password Business or Bitwarden Teams/Enterprise |
| Tight budget, any size | Bitwarden Teams |
| Auditors or compliance questionnaires | Keeper Business |
| Phishing is your biggest worry | Dashlane |
Features that matter (checklist)
Before you buy, make sure the plan includes:
- End-to-end (zero-knowledge) encryption: the vendor cannot read your passwords.
- Shared vaults or folders: for team logins such as social media, suppliers and the company Wi-Fi.
- One-click offboarding: remove a leaver’s access immediately.
- Admin policies: enforce strong master passwords and multi-factor authentication.
- Reporting: see weak, reused or breached passwords.
- SSO or directory sync: worth having once you pass 15–20 people.
- Browser extensions and mobile apps for every device your staff use.
How to roll out a password manager to your team
- Start with a trial. All five vendors offer a trial or a cheap entry plan. Test with two or three people first.
- Set policies before inviting everyone: require multi-factor authentication and a strong master password.
- Create shared vaults by team or function, for example Finance, Marketing and Admin, and move shared logins into them.
- Invite staff and run a short 15-minute walkthrough: install the browser extension, save a login, and use autofill.
- Ask everyone to change reused passwords, starting with email, banking and Microsoft 365 or Google accounts.
- Add offboarding to your leaver checklist so access is removed the same day someone leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is a business password manager worth it for a team of 3–5 people?
Yes. Even small teams share important logins, and a single compromised password can expose email, banking or customer data. Plans start at around $2 per user per month.
Can I use a free password manager for my business?
Free personal plans usually lack admin controls, shared vaults and offboarding. For a business, a paid team plan is worth the small cost.
What happens if the password manager company is hacked?
With zero-knowledge encryption, your vault is encrypted with your master password before it leaves your device, so stolen vault data should be unreadable without it. That is why a strong, unique master password and multi-factor authentication matter.
Do these work with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace?
Yes. All five support browser autofill for both. For single sign-on or automatic user provisioning, check which plan includes SSO and SCIM in the table above.
Prices and features were checked in October 2026 and change often. Always confirm on the vendor’s website before buying.