NordPass review: is NordPass premium worth considering?

NordPass is one of the best and most popular password managers on the market. This tool was specifically created to safely store your passwords in one place, and to secure your connections to online spaces, like stores, social media, and other. NordPass quickly shot to the top of the consumer’s favorite password managers list ever since it entered the market in 2019.

The popularity of this password manager isn’t surprising, considering the tool was created by NordSec – the people behind the popular (and quite awesome) NordVPN service. Security, privacy, and ease of use are in this company's DNA, and NordPass does absolutely great in each of these areas.

In this NordPass review, we shall delve deeper into this password manager to see whether the premium plan is that much superior to the free one, and why it’s better to invest in the paid subscription.

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NordPass pros and cons

NordPass has a lot of interesting features that make it a very intriguing password manager option. Here are some of the main things you should know about it:

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NordPass Premium vs Free: quick review

NordPass offers free and premium password manager options. So let’s take a quick look to see how exactly these two plans differentiate and why the premium option is the superior one.

Both options cover the basis of securely storing unlimited passwords. But the paid subscription offers additional various features, like password sharing, the option to give access to passwords in case of an emergency, web scans for data leaks, and identifies weak, old, and reused passwords. If these features interest you, you can safely try out the premium subscription with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

How to download and install NordPass?

1. Step 1: Go to the NordPass website and click the get personal plan button.
2. Step 2: Select the plan you want to use (free, premium, or family). Fill in the necessary checkout information for paid plans.
3. Step 3: Download the NordPass setup file.
4. Step 4: Launch the file after download and wait for the installation process to finish.
5. Step 5: Open the app and login or create your account.
6. Step 6: Start saving the passwords or import them from a browser, or other password manager.
   

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Is NordPass safe?

Yes, NordPass is completely safe to use. With NordPass roots being in online security (as a product of NordSec) – we’ve challenged their safety and our research has concluded that no one unauthorized can access your passwords.

Here’s a quick look at how NordPass ensures your password and data security, without impacting the user experience:

• Encryption. NordPass employs the modern XChaCha20 encryption algorithm that is also used by other well-known companies, like Google. Plus, it has a zero-knowledge architecture meaning that the only person who can access your data is you.
• Independent audit. Just recently, NordPass has successfully undergone an independent SOC 2 Type 1 audit on June 21, 2022. The auditing process examined five main criterias: security, availability, process integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
• Master password. For NordPass login, you must set up a unique and strong master password. It’s encrypted and inaccessible even for the service staff, so you’re the only one who knows it.
• Multi-factor authentication. This password manager supports multi-factor authentication for maximum protection of your data. That includes U2F security keys, an OTP generator, a bluetooth device, a USB stick, and others.
• Automatic back-ups. With NordPass, your most private details are secure even if you lose your phone or computer. First, it encrypts the data so that no one could access it, and then uploads it to the cloud.
• Biometric authentication. This password manager also allows you to set up fingerprint or face ID authentication on supported devices. This way, chances of outsiders accessing your data are close to zero.

Stay secure with NordPass

NordPass encryption

Rather than using the industry standard AES-256 encryption, like Keeper, RoboForm, or Dashlane, NordPass has opted for the more modern XChaCha20 encryption. Not only is this a newer encryption model, but also up to three times faster on devices that don’t have built-in AES accelerated hardware. Also, it’s more secure, since XChaCha20 implements two different lengths of keys, including 256-bit encryption. That’s a very important point for a password manager and exactly why NordPass takes the top spot in our best password managers list. It’s not hard to see why so many Silicon Valley companies are switching.

Because all passwords are end-to-end encrypted, even NordPass staff can’t access your login details.

Independent audit

Independent audits are a great way to spot any vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them. Also, third-party audit results are proof that the application you're using offers a high level of security.

In 2020, NordPass underwent an independent third-party audit by Cure53. This includes their desktop, Android, and iOS apps, as well as their browser extensions. In 2021, NordPass Business was also externally audited by Cure53 and no security-related risks were found.

More recently, NordPass went over another independent SOC 2 Type 1 audit on June 21, 2022. The examination process followed a well-known Trusted Service Criteria framework that incorporates the evaluation of security, availability, processing, integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

And the newest development has been that NordPass announced that they’re already in the process of SOC 2 Type 2 audit. The Type 2 report differentiates from Type 1 by assessing how effective the tested controls are over time by observing them for six months. To ensure the integrity and longevity of the security provider.

Master password

As with other password managers, NordPass requires you to set a master password to unlock your account. So it’s really important that you set a secure password. And by that, we mean one that’s at least 15 characters long and made up of a seemingly random selection of symbols, digits, and uppercase and lowercase letters.

Of course, because all passwords on NordPass are encrypted, you’ll need to remember this one. In case you forget it, not even the customer service team would be able to decrypt your password and share it with you, so you must be responsible with it.

In fact, the only way to recover your account is by using the recovery code which will appear on the screen when you first sign up. You must save this code and keep it somewhere really secure. As we said, NordPass won’t be able to re-share this code with you if you lose it.

Multi-factor authentication

NordPass supports several multiple-factor authentication methods. In fact, using multi-factor authentication (MFA) is mandatory so this feature is available for both free and premium users of the platform.

Two of the many MFA options include confirmations via email or authenticator app. With the first method, you use a randomly generated code that you receive by email. Meanwhile, the authenticator app continuously generates codes that you can type in when logging in.

You can use popular authenticator apps, including the following:

• Google Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator
• Authy, and many others

Additionally, another way is using security keys for MFA. The security code will be generated on a separate device outside of your phone or email. Essentially, this makes it hack-proof, because only with the physical object will you be able to confirm your identity. Here are some examples:

• Yubikey
• iePass
• MultiPass
• ePass
• BioPass, and others

Even though using this type of authentication for the NordPass login process might take a little longer, it allows you to be extra safe. Security keys are not in any way tied to your identity and are the most secure 2FA authentication options.

Secure backup and sync

NordPass stores all your passwords in the cloud to make sure you don’t lose them, even if your phone or laptop breaks. But it encrypts them first to keep them secure. So they’re so safe that not even the people who work for NordPass can decipher them.

Additionally, all your information is updated automatically, so you can access it from an app or browser extension and see the same passwords and other data you’ve imputed.

Biometric authentication

One of our favorite features of NordPass is that it lets you use your fingerprint or face to unlock your account. It’s so much quicker and easier than entering a long master password.

Naturally, this only works on devices that have biometric security features, like fingerprint scanners or Face ID built-in. On a Macbook with Touch ID and an iPhone with Face ID, it was a seamless experience all around.

Most phones out there have some sort of biometric authentication, so it won't be a problem if you're using an Android device. For many PCs, however, you’ll still need to type in your master password to login.

NordPass Features

NordPass has all the main features you’d expect from a password manager, and I loved using it. There's a lot the lightweight desktop and mobile apps can do.

Here’s what NordPass offers:

• A password generator
• Password health checker
• Data breach scanner
• Real-time breach monitoring
• Simple password imports
• Autofill
• Safe sharing of login details
• Secure data sharing solution
• Sync across devices
• Credit cards info storage
• Arranging information into folders
• Live text scanning
• Web vault
• Emergency access
• Secure notes

Overall, it was perhaps the best suite of features out of all password managers.

Password generator

If you struggle to come up with secure passwords, NordPass will do it for you. The NordPass online password generator is really useful as it lets you choose how long you want your password to be, as well as whether you want it to include numbers, symbols, and uppercase and lowercase letters.

With NordPass password generator, you can also choose words mode, which generates not only a random string of symbols. It creates password phrases that would be easier to memorize, so it wouldn’t be impossible even without the password manager if you remember it.

Secure passwords with NordPass

Password health checker

This is a NordPass premium subscription feature that informs you about the state of your passwords. This tool scans all the passwords that you’ve saved for weak spots in your security. Then the results are grouped into weak, reused, and old passwords.

This is what each of them means:

• Weak passwords – the passwords in this category are not long enough and don’t contain enough different combinations of numbers, capital and lowercase letters, and symbols.
• Reused passwords – this tab shows the passwords that you’ve repeated for different accounts. And reusing the same password multiple times raises the chances of losing more of your data in case of a hack.
• Old passwords – here you’ll see any password that hasn’t been changed for more than 90 days.

Passwords falling under any of these categories are considered weak and a point of vulnerability in your security. Therefore, you should check this tab regularly to keep up with your data safety.

Data Breach Scanner

NordPass has an in-built feature to check whether your passwords or other sensitive information have ever been leaked available with Premium plans. It’s called a Data Breach Scanner and it automatically compares items saved in your vault with information found on leaked databases.

The scannings are not limited to your account credentials, but banking information as well. For instance, the scanner checks for leaked credit card data that matches your last name and final four digits. So that you can avoid unauthorized logins to your account and heavy financial losses.

Additionally, NordPass Data Breach Scanner provides you with information on what type of data was compromised as well as where and when the leak occurred. Based on these findings, you will get recommendations on how to secure affected accounts.

However, it’s important to mention that you must manually enable the instant scanning process on the desktop or mobile device. Luckily, NordPass is about to update this feature to continuously monitor leaked databases without the need for manual intervention.

Secure yourself with NordPass

Real-time Data Breach Monitoring

This premium feature is an addition to the Data Breach Scanner. The real-time Data Breach Monitoring feature scans the internet 24/7 to find any new breaches of your email address. On the other hand, the Data Breach Scanner manually checks for more of your data, like passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.

If this tool finds the client’s email address in a newfound data breach, they are informed instantly in-app and via email to change their password.

So you’ll always be up to date with the security of your email address and won’t need to manually check the status of its security.

Emergency Access

For Premium users, NordPass offers Emergency Access. It's a feature that gives your closest contacts read-only access to your passwords. Should something happen to you, your personal data will still be accessible.

Emergency Access can also be a useful feature in case you forget or lose your Master Password – think of it as a last resort access solution. While not major, it's still an important addition to a solid NordPass package.

Importing existing passwords

We were impressed by how easy it is to import your existing passwords across to NordPass. Firstly, you can import them in bulk using a CSV file or add them manually by following the step-by-step instructions in the settings. Also, there’s an option to easily import passwords from another tool.

Currently, NordPass supports imports from the following password managers:

• LastPass
• Dashlane (both new and old format)
• 1Password
• Keeper
• RememBear
• RoboForm and others

Additionally, if you’ve previously used to save passwords on your browser, NordPass allows importing from most popular browsers as well:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari
• Opera
• Brave

Either way, it takes a matter of seconds and it’s really simple to do. After that, you’ll find navigating NordPass really straightforward – everything will require no additional manual tinkering.

Auto-saving and auto-filling

As with all good password managers, NordPass lets you save all your passwords automatically. Whenever you log in to an online account for the first time, NordPass will prompt you to save your password.

Then, anytime you go back to that online account, NordPass will auto-fill your saved credentials and log you in by default. So you don’t have to go to the effort of remembering passwords or filling them in. And because you don’t have to remember them anymore, you can choose passwords that are much more secure, thereby making your accounts much safer.

Sharing login details

Whether you share an online subscription with your partner or you need to give your work colleague access to a shared account, there are bound to be times when you’ll need to give a password to a trusted contact.

And when you do, the NordPass Premium account not only makes it simple but also really secure. You can select whichever password you want to share, type in the recipient’s email address and it’ll encrypt the password before sending it so that no one but that person will be able to use it.

When you share your password via NordPass, you can pick whether you’ll provide the recipient with limited or full access. This means that if you provide full access, then the recipient can edit the data you’ve shared with them.

On the other hand, the limited option will only allow the recipient to use the provided data and make no changes to it. So be careful with how much control over your passwords, credit card information, or secure notes you give with this sharing feature.

Secure data sharing solution

With NordPass you can share not only your passwords with the closest circle of people but also other important data securely. This password manager tool has developed a free tool with end-to-end encryption to safely share information, like passwords, passport details, or secret messages between anyone.

In the app’s message box, you’ll be able to type in any of the information you wish to send out, generate a shareable link to the message, and then send the link to the message receiver. The link expiration time is 24 hours, or right after the recipient reads the message.

The content in the message is encrypted, so only the sender and the recipient are aware of what content was shared. So, your information stays secure and safe from cyber threats.

Syncing with other devices

You can add your NordPass account to up to 6 different devices. And, to make this experience seamless, it automatically syncs between your devices and backs up to the cloud without you having to remember to do it.

This means that, whenever you add a new password, you’ll find it automatically added to all of your devices. And when we tested this out, it seemed to work pretty well instantly.

Having said that, it’s worth noting that the free version of NordPass only lets you use NordPass on 1 device at a time. So if you go from using it on your desktop to your mobile, for example, it’ll log you out on your desktop.

Now the Premium plan also covers 1 user account only but provides the full scope of features. If you wish to use the NordPass app on multiple devices and not be logged out constantly – the Family plan covers 6 user accounts and still costs very little for the features and security it provides.

Credit cards information storage

NordPass has this very neat credit card storage feature, where you can securely store your bank card information. And next time you’re doing some online shopping, it takes just a few clicks and all the needed information is automatically filled out. Just like your passwords with NordPass.

You can store several of your cards in this tab. To add a bank card, you can either do it manually by filling out all the necessary fields. Or you can use the nifty option of OCR scanning and import all the needed information by swiftly scanning the card.

This is both a secure way to keep your card information and a time saver when you no longer have to look for your wallet to finish your online purchases.

Unlimited password storage

You no longer have to fear having too many different passwords – the NordPass password vault has unlimited storage for all of them. All the data you’ve input onto this password manager is encrypted and stored on the cloud, so it can’t be accessed by anyone that isn’t you.

This unlimited storage can keep all your secure notes, many different credit cards, or passwords. It doesn’t matter, you will never run out of space. So you can securely trust your bank account and credit card info, passwords, and social media accounts without the worry of losing your personal data.

Folders

If you have a lot of passwords you need to store, like we do, it’s actually really useful to be able to organize them into folders. So you can have one for work, one for social media accounts, one for shopping apps, and so on.

Although it’s not the most important factor when choosing a password manager, it’s a nice little feature. And it’s yet another reason why NordPass is the most user-friendly option we’ve tested.

OCR scanning

This might not be the kind of feature you should base your decision on but OCR scanning is another of those useful extras that show NordPass has really thought about ways to make things easy for its customers. You can make a scan of information on anything – from written documents to images and credit cards. So you can save important data without having to type it in.

We tested it and it was excellent for business and credit cards with fully-printed information. Handwritten notes didn't do as well: OCR scanning struggled with cursive and did somewhat well with block letters.

Web vault

A web vault allows NordPass users to access all of their info on any browser, anywhere – without having to download additional software. It's an excellent option when using someone else's device.

Essentially, it acts as a web version of an existing NordPass app: with all the documents, credit card data, and features in one place, protected under the same master password.

Secure notes

A solution that will stop you from using paper notes and then scattering them around carelessly – NordPass secure notes. This isn’t the most important thing a password manager has to have, but it's a really useful and smart addition.

No more careless note-taking, you can write down the important information and secure it with NordPass password manager. The notes are only going to be accessible to you, it’s protected under a master password, and you can even group them into different folders.

This is a perfect tool to keep track of security codes that shouldn’t fall into a stranger's hands, or even for mundane things like someone’s birthday, or a personal reminder. This is a great addition that NordPass offers in both free and paid versions of the password manager.

NordPass pricing

Get the best NordPass deal

NordPass allows you to select between a free version and two paid options – the Premium and the Family plans. Naturally, the NordPass free version doesn’t cost anything. However, the price of the paid plans depends on the duration of your subscription.

So how does NordPass work in terms of its pricing structure? It’s simple, the longest subscription gives you the biggest savings. For example, the 2-year Premium plan costs only $1.84/month compared to $2.69/month for 1-year and $4.99 for 1-month periods.

The same pricing structure applies to the Family plan. Thus, if you want to get the best NordPass deal whether for yourself or your closest ones, opt for 2-year subscriptions.

NordPass plan comparison

NordPass has three plans and each of them includes a different number of features. Even though all options are great, every single one of them caters to users with different needs.

Putting all things together, the NordPass Free version is actually pretty good, as long as you only require it to keep your passwords in one location. But if you seek higher security and a way to share your passwords safely, then the Premium plan is where it’s at.

And for your security – all paid NordPass plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try out the premium features for yourself before committing fully to a free or paid plan.

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NordPass Free vs NordPass Premium

To see which plan option is the most worthy of your attention, we’ll provide you with a quick breakdown to help you select the best one for your needs.

The Free plan is an excellent option if you require only the basics that a password manager can offer for you. This option covers 1 user account and offers these features:

• Unlimited passwords
• Autosave and autofill
• Password import and export
• Safe notes
• Credit card information storage
• Personal information forms
• Password generator
• Auto sync
• Multi-factor authentication

The Premium account, while also covering 1 user account, shines with more security features, that not only store your data but check for leaks of it and possible weak spots. With Premium you’ll get all the features from the Free option, and then these as an addition:

• Emergency access
• Sharing items
• Identification of old, weak, and reused passwords
• Data leak scanner
• Trusted contacts

So, as you can see, the Premium plan works more than just a secure vault to keep your passwords, it actively seeks to strengthen your data security, protect you from hacks, and scans the wide internet for any leaks of your information. This additional security is already the point that should push you towards the paid subscription.

NordPass Premium vs NordPass Family

The differences between Premium and Family plans aren’t that obvious and security based. They have the same essential features, just with a Family plan you can manage the members’ accounts.

The main reason to choose the Family account over Premium is if you wish to cover more accounts with your NordPass plan. Premium has 1, while the Family plan has 6. This means that you can be logged into the NordPass app on 6 different devices at once.

Is NordPass included with NordVPN?

There’s a way to get NordPass together with NordVPN now, and it comes for a pretty great deal. If you choose to buy a NordVPN Plus Plan bundle, then NordPass is included in the purchase. And you’ll get it with all the Premium plan features, like a data breach scanner, item sharing, and identification for old, reused, or weak passwords.

NordPass apps: ease of use and installation

Of course, the most important thing before selecting a password manager is to make sure it works on your mobile or desktop device.

Luckily, you can get the NordPass app on all major operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. Additionally, there’s an option to install the NordPass extension on popular browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Edge, and Brave.

So how does NordPass work on desktop, mobile devices, and browsers? Below, you will find our thorough review of its compatibility.

NordPass desktop app

When it comes to desktop applications, NordPass offers support for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The functionality of the app you get greatly depends on the subscription plan you purchase. This means that you’ll unlock the app’s full functionality only with the paid subscription plans.

In any case, you won’t have any problems using your application, as the software is really intuitive. You won’t get overwhelmed by the amount of features because everything is neatly put under corresponding tabs:

• Categories. This section allows you to view all your items or find particular ones based on their category, such as passwords, secure notes, credit cards, and others.
• Folders. In this tab you can individually create folders and later, access them quickly.
• Tools. Here you can find a Password Generator, Password Health feature, a Data Breach Scanner, and Emergency Access.

However, as most desktop devices aren’t able to support biometric authentication methods, you’ll need to use your master password to complete your NordPass login.

Also, it’s important to mention that Emergency Access is not available on macOS.

NordPass mobile apps

The NordPass mobile app is every bit as simple and intuitive as the desktop version. We gave it a spin on both Android and iOS and noticed no discernable differences between the two. So no matter which OS you use, you’ll get the same great experience.

Both Android and iOS are fully featured, including the credit card scanner, the option to add folders, share items, and secure sensitive documents.

Everything on the apps is easily accessible from a simple menu at the bottom:

• Home. This is the main tab where you can see all your saved passwords and add new ones. Also, it includes a search bar to find a particular password quicker.
• Browse. This section categorizes saved items for easier access. You can browse through passwords, secure notes, credit cards, personal information, folders, shared and deleted items.
• Tools. Here you can find all NordPass useful features, including a Password Generator, Password Health, and a Data Breach Scanner.
• Menu. This is the tab where you can access settings, help center, and also switch accounts or lock the NordPass app.

NordPass extension for browsers

You can get the NordPass extension for the most popular browsers like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Brave.

The extensions offer the same functionality as desktop applications. So, for example, if you use Google Chrome and install the NordPass Chrome extension, it will make it really convenient to autofill passwords while browsing.

However, there's one thing worth noting – you can’t use tools or edit information directly through the extensions. Let’s say you’re a Mozilla Firefox user who has the NordPass Firefox extension installed. In this case, if you try to access a password generator through the extension, you’d be prompted to the main desktop app.

NordPass customer support

Although online help centers aren’t always that useful, NordPass has loads of handy how-to guides and a really useful search function that’ll actually answer your questions more often than not.

And if you still need to get in touch with a member of the customer service department, you can email [email protected] and someone will get back to you to help resolve your issue. There's also a live chat option that you can access via their customer support website and get an answer really quickly.

Video review

Should I get NordPass?

Strong security features and low prices make NordPass appealing, but it's the simplicity of the tool that puts it above competitors. The user-friendly design makes this password manager really easy to set up and use, and it works great on both desktop and mobile without any downgrades for different operating systems.

The simplicity of NordPass makes it an ideal choice for users who are just starting to look into password security. It’s particularly great if you’re setting it up on behalf of a friend or relative who struggles with complex apps.

The best NordPass experience comes starting with the Premium subscription plan. While the free option is great as a secure vault to keep your passwords, the paid plans surge forward with their attention to your security and data leak prevention. And the paid plans aren’t even that expensive. So, for the sake of a couple of dollars each month, it’s definitely worth upgrading your NordPass account, especially if you want to have higher security and use it on more than one device.

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