RoboForm review 2024

RoboForm, one of the oldest password managers dating back to the late 90s, offers robust security features, including strong encryption, a reliable password-filling service, and a secure vault for storing login details. It supports multi-platform syncing, dark web monitoring, and multi-factor authentication, making it a comprehensive tool for safeguarding your data across all devices​.

However, RoboForm could improve by adding features such as more detailed breach monitoring and advanced options like USB token support, which some competitors offer. Despite these areas for improvement, RoboForm's form-filling capabilities are among the best in the market, making it a strong contender in the password management space.

Is the RoboForm password manager safe? In this detailed review, I will explore its security measures, pricing, ease of use, and overall effectiveness to help you decide​.

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RoboForm review – key takeaways

RoboForm is a password manager that originated in the United States and has evolved to meet the demands of digital security. It offers a comprehensive suite of features for secure password storage and management. Known for its robust encryption and intuitive interface, RoboForm is a reliable choice for users seeking strong security and ease of use.

Here is a quick overview of the RoboForm password manager:

• Security. RoboForm employs AES-256-bit encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256 to protect your data. Its zero-knowledge architecture ensures that only you can decrypt your information, keeping it private even from RoboForm. Multi-factor authentication and breach alerts further enhance security by notifying you if any of your passwords are compromised.
• Ease of use. Installing and setting up RoboForm is straightforward, with a quick installation process and simple account creation. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to access saved passwords, secure notes, and form templates. Despite minor hiccups in autofill accuracy and credential saving, RoboForm generally provides a smooth user experience.
• Features. RoboForm offers essential features like a password generator, autofill, and cloud-based syncing across devices. Its advanced capabilities include secure sharing, dark web monitoring, and support for multiple platforms, making it versatile and efficient.
• Plans and pricing. Roboform has personal/family and team/business plans. The Free Plan offers a basic introduction to the service with fundamental password management features. The Premium Plan, priced at 0.99/month, includes additional advanced features like secure sharing and priority 24/7 support. The Family Plan is available for families at $1.59/month and covers up to five users, making it an economical option.

Is RoboForm safe?

Yes, RoboForm is a highly secure password manager to use in 2024. It uses AES-256 encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256, ensuring that all encryption and decryption happen locally on your device. This zero-knowledge architecture means only you can decrypt your data, keeping it private even from RoboForm itself.

RoboForm also includes multi-factor authentication and breach alerts, enhancing your account security by notifying you if any of your passwords are compromised. The multi-factor authentication can be set up via email, SMS, or a TOTP-based app like Google Authenticator.

In May 2023, RoboForm underwent an independent audit by Secfault Security, confirming its security measures' effectiveness across all platforms. With robust encryption and proactive security features, RoboForm stands out as a reliable choice for password management.

Expert comment

Šarūnas Karbauskas

Security advocate and senior tech writer

In today's world, a password manager is essential due to the increasing number of online accounts and the need for strong, unique passwords to protect against cyber threats. RoboForm is a dependable password manager with robust security and user-friendly features. It excels with its strong password generator, secure sharing, and Security Center for assessing password strength.

RoboForm’s AES-256 encryption and zero-knowledge architecture provide solid data protection, though it has some minor drawbacks, like occasional autofill issues and limited support for free users.

Overall, RoboForm is a trustworthy choice for password management, offering strong security and ease of use. While not perfect, its benefits outweigh the drawbacks, making it a worthwhile investment for your digital security.

RoboForm security features

RoboForm offers a wide range of security features, including multi-factor authentication, breach alerts, secure sharing, a TOTP authenticator, emergency access, secure application logins, and a password generator. These features ensure comprehensive protection, flexibility, and convenience for users. Together, they create a secure and user-friendly environment for managing passwords and sensitive information.

Down below I’ll explore each feature in detail, discussing its purpose, functionality, and how it enhances your password management experience.

Security Centre

The Security Centre monitors your passwords and tells you how vulnerable they are. RoboForm calculates the security of your password in terms of the following features: how many times the password was reused, the number of duplicated passwords, and the strength of an individual entry. This is really reassuring as you know it’s constantly monitoring your passwords and will flag up any potential issues.

Two-factor authentication

2FA is a feature that adds an extra layer of security and makes it all but impossible for a threat actor to access your account. So, to login, you'll have to use a one-time password or other authentication methods so that the service knows that it's really you. RoboForm supports this feature with all of its plans.

These handy one-time passwords can be sent via email or SMS. Depending on your phone type, you can also set face and fingerprint recognition. In addition to this, RoboForm supports all the main authentication apps, including Google Authenticator, Authy, and Microsoft Authenticator. However, keep in mind that RoboForm doesn't work with Yubikey.

Unlimited Logins

RoboForm offers the ability to store an unlimited number of passwords on its system. Whether you enjoy binge-watching shows on Amazon or Netflix, or you prefer a bit of retail therapy, your account password can be stored easily with just one click.

Just enter your details into the login fields, and then click Save when the option appears. From then on, the programme will provide those details when you visit that site.

Password and login credentials can also be entered manually on the RoboForm mobile apps. More on them a bit further down.

Password assessment

RoboForm’s Security Centre tracks the strength of passwords currently in use. It also notes whether duplicated and reused passwords are on file.

The center indicates whether a password is weak, medium, or strong. However, while it happily recommends using the Generator, there does not appear to be any visible guidance explaining what makes a password vulnerable.

There is extra information provided on the company website but not in the program itself.

Extra advice about using capital letters, symbols, and numbers in passwords may prove useful for the fresh-faced user just starting to understand the importance of their account security.

On the other hand, the Security Centre will tell you whether any of your passwords have been leaked onto the Dark Web. Simply go to the Compromised tab and you'll be easily able to change all the passwords that are currently unsafe (with the help of RoboForm's password generator). You might not see the tab if none of your information is leaked. As of today, the feature is available for Windows and Mac users.

Fill web forms

This provides a similar function to that of the password filler but for forms instead, which can save you a lot of time.

RoboForm offers a range of templates, including personal information such as name, email and phone number and passport details, as well as a form for your car’s information.

You can also do this for credit card details as well. Just head to the RoboForm web app, choose your template, fill it in, and then select the info on the required website.

Securely send logins

These days, sharing details like a Netflix password has become commonplace. And RoboForm seeks to accommodate this need by allowing you to share credentials with others.

There is, however, a caveat. The recipient in question must also have a RoboForm account to access the credentials. This is a free process, but if your colleagues, friends, and family aren’t using RoboForm, it’s probably not much use to you.

On a brighter note, it is quite easy to import your existing passwords to your RoboForm account from other password managers.

Receive emergency access

Free account holders are able to be granted emergency access to another person’s account. If an Premium account holder deems it necessary, then their chosen candidate effectively has the same rights as the original user.

This may come in handy for those that want to hand off their digital legacy after they leave a job or they just need an extra pair of trusted hands.

Password Generator and Passkeys

Password Generator is a really useful feature that generates strong passwords, which can consist of numbers, capital letters, and symbols. You can also specify the length of the passcode, in addition to choosing to exclude similar characters. In this way, you never again have to try to think up a hard-to-guess password.

Additionally, RoboForm's Password Generator allows you to produce extremely long passwords — up to 512 characters — and generate passphrases with up to 8 words.

Recently, RoboForm introduced the option to store passkeys (passwordless authentication) in their apps. With RoboForm, you can use the passkeys on any device you have RoboForm installed, not just the device on which the passkey was created. To save the newly-generated passkey in the RoboForm app, ensure that the Auto-save option is enabled. The passkey storage option is currently available on desktop apps and the browser extensions, with iOS and Android updates coming soon.

Manage Bookmarks

This handy feature allows a favourite site to be stored. Given that most browsers offer this function, you probably won’t need it.

It’s also not as intuitive as one would hope, requiring more clicks than Google Chrome’s own bookmark service and may lead to confusion. You can simply add a bookmark by clicking Save forms for the current page.

This is as opposed to the much more straightforward sounding Create new Bookmark. It’s a small inconvenience, but it’s one that will likely see it ignored, as you’re probably better off using your browser’s bookmarks instead.

TOTP authenticator

From now on, RoboForm offers a feature that's truly unique among password managers - you can use your RoboForm account for TOTP (time-based one-time password) 2-factor authentication. In other words, you won't need additional apps like Google Authenticator. This will allow you to log into your various accounts more quickly, as RoboForm will simply autofill the needed field for you.

At the moment, the feature is available for Windows and macOS users on the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, and Brave. However, it will soon be available for mobile users as well.

RoboForm plans and pricing

RoboForm offers four main pricing plans to accommodate different user needs: Free, Premium, Family and Team & Business.

The Free plan includes essential features like unlimited passwords on a single device and multi-factor authentication. The Premium plan offers additional benefits such as secure sharing, cloud backup, and priority support, catering to individual users who need more advanced features. The Family plan is designed for households, providing coverage for up to five users with all the Premium plan features.

But what sets these plans apart in detail? Let’s explore below:

RoboForm Free

RoboForm has a pretty great free version that is as useful as some paid password managers. This tier comes with all RoboForm’s best features, including unlimited logins, two-factor authentication, form filling, password audit, and a password generator.

To sign up, all you have to do is enter a few basic details for an online account, download the desktop app, and you’re done. And it’s not just a free trial, either. You can use RoboForm’s free version for as long as you like without having to pay a penny.

RoboForm Premium

If the free version is not enough, then RoboForm offers the Premium package.

This provides features such as syncing to ensure that all of your devices have the most up-to-date information or credentials. Premium subscribers also gain access to all devices, local-only mode, accessing services via the web, and priority 24/7 email, live chat, and phone support.

This license is intended for one person and their devices. If it's your family that needs the protection of RoboForm, then the security firm has a solution for you.

Roboform Family plan

The RoboForm Family plan provides the same features in the other two brackets, but with more licences to go around. Five users are welcome to use a single subscription.

As with the individual offer, subscriptions are chosen from a choice of, one, three, and five years.

RoboForm for Business

For the companies that need a more professionally centered solution, the password management service has a corporate focused variant as well.

The list of perks includes:

• Centralized employee onboarding
• Centralized policy deployment
• Secure group sharing
• Role-based access permissions
• Unlimited number of admins
• Additional two-factor authentication
• Active directory integration
• Password audit for users and groups
• Advanced reporting
• Dedicated tech support

The RoboForm for business plan bill will depend on the organization's size. A subscription is charged per user per year. When selecting a single-year package for a single user, a subscription costs $39.95, but the prices decrease with more users.

As an example, if there are 30 people using the licence at the company at the yearly rate, you get the plan for 26-100 users ($34.95 per user), then the total cost comes to $1,048.50. This includes a $150 discount offered by the website. This discount appears to apply to orders of 11 or more. When I entered 11 into the order space, I received a $44 discount.

Further savings can be achieved by taking out a long-term deal. It’s 15% for three years and 25% for five. Additionally, RoboForm offers a 14-day free trial, so take advantage of that also.

Get RoboForm for Business

Subscriptions & refund policy

RoboForm subscriptions are billed annually, with payments processed through major credit cards or PayPal. Users can manage their subscription settings, including canceling auto-renewal, through the RoboForm Online Account portal.

RoboForm offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions. To request a refund within this period, users must contact RoboForm support via email or the support ticket system. Refunds are processed using the original payment method. After 30 days, refunds are generally not provided unless there are special circumstances, such as billing errors or technical issues that prevented the service from being used as intended.

RoboForm provides a 14-day free trial period for new users to test the Premium features before committing to a subscription. This allows users to experience the full functionality without immediate payment.

RoboForm compatibility and ease of use

To put RoboForm to the test, I used iPhone (iOS 15.0), MacBook Air (macOS Sonoma), Samsung (Android 11), and Lenovo ThinkPad (Windows 11) devices. RoboForm is accessible on lots of platforms and devices, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. You can also get an extension for your favorite browser. The browser extensions are available on Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Safari (Mac only). As you can see, the selection is pretty versatile, which means that RoboForm's unlimited connections option will really come in handy.

Keep in mind that, for Windows and Mac users, RoboForm's web application is the main version of the password manager as it gets updated more often than the desktop version, thus looking more modern and running more smoothly.

Installing and setting up RoboForm was easy. The installation process was quick, and account creation required only basic information and a master password. The interface is user-friendly, making it easy to navigate the dashboard and access saved passwords, secure notes, and form templates.

Saving new credentials was usually seamless, but manual intervention was sometimes needed to correctly capture and store login details. Overall, RoboForm is user-friendly, though minor issues with autofill accuracy and saving credentials can occasionally disrupt the smooth operation.

Roboform browser extensions

For me, the RoboForm website experience is the best one that you'll get from this password manager. The slick but simple-looking interface allows you to manage your credentials without much problem. On the other hand, it might be a bit difficult to find certain options.

It was easy to see and edit existing passwords and identities. However, keep in mind that if you want to create a new identity, you need to click on an existing one first.

Identities can only be created through the website, the extension just redirects you to the website when you click on "Create new identity". It is also available after pressing the "+" button when the "all" tab is selected.

The RoboForm browser extension displays the code for TOTP authentication, but you can also view this code in the mobile app and the web app

Working in tandem with each other, the RoboForm website and web extensions is a good offering. Just don't forget that you must have the extension installed if you want to access the web application.

Roboform desktop app

Once I set it up, the RoboForm desktop app's interface looked similar to Windows File Explorer. It's nothing flashy, but it is fairly straightforward to use.

Most of the major options are placed in plain view and it won’t take more than a couple of minutes to figure out the major features.

However, there are a few small issues that hurt the my experience.

I didn't like that options are presented on the left-hand side in a prominent fashion. Logins are presented as the top option. By clicking it, you can see all of your saved passwords. From here you can either single tap the passwords displayed on the left-hand side, or double-tap them on a second interface at the center of the screen. From there, you can edit or copy and paste the info.

It may look unremarkable, but that’s probably a plus when you’re trying to get things done. It’s quite straightforward to see what’s going on and make adjustments.

Filling in forms was nice and simple although it took me a second to adjust. The form filling facility is actually listed under a tab called Identities.

Elsewhere on the menu, you can access the Security Centre, as well as add contacts and Safenotes. The latter is useful for storing things like a locker or lockbox combination.

The setup offers a verdict on the strength of your chosen passwords but the only advice it gives is to use the password generator.

Roboform mobile app

The RoboForm mobile app interface on both Apple and Android is arguably even better than the desktop version.

It’s easy to set up and lets you get on with filling out your identity information straight away. On certain documents like the credit card sheet, there is even the option to scan details in.

The app is clean and tidy, making the experience of getting around a pleasant one. Some may have an issue with the level of security offered to protect the information. Upon initial set up the user must enter only a four-digit code. And if a device has the capability there is also the option to use a fingerprint or face unlock, though these can be skipped on iOS.

Given that the primary function of RoboForm is to keep the most personal details secure, it’s concerning that the default protection is a mere four digit code (you are presented with the PIN setup screen right after logging in with your account).

There is a skip button, which allows you to add biometrics later on, but most users will use whatever option is presented to them first. The only additional option is available in the settings and it allows you to use the master password to log into the app.

Equally disappointing is the password login system. The software struggled to work with other handset apps during my testing.

When I tapped Show all passwords, I was greeted by a No files found message. My attempts with Twitter proved more fruitful though.

I also encountered issues with the RoboForm Apple app. While autofilling worked on iOS, the app did not save credentials. Logging into apps and sites with a password already on file was hit and miss. When it worked, it did so quite smoothly. But when I tried to get RoboForm to capture a fresh password, it was having none of it. Despite typing in email and code character by character, the software didn’t even notice.

RoboForm customer support

Your customer support options will depend on your subscription. If you're a free user, you can contact them via their ticket support system. I tried the system and got an answer in a couple of days. Plus, you can find answers to most of your questions in the RoboForm manual.

Premium users with Roboform Premium subscription are also getting live chat and phone support. The package includes 24/7 support, 365 days a year. They'll also get priority online support and chat support from 9am-5pm EST Monday to Friday.

For those wishing to access phone support, they can, but not in a typical fashion. There is no RoboForm support phone number a user can call. Instead, customers can place a callback request on the customer support web form. From there, a callback time can be scheduled with you.

Roboform video review

Instead of reading, you can also check out our RoboForm review on YouTube. You'll find out all things RoboForm related, including features, security, ease of use, and even differences between the free and premium versions.

Is RoboForm worth it?

RoboForm is a solid password manager with many strengths. It provides robust security with AES-256-bit encryption, ensuring your data is safe. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to generate, store, and autofill passwords across devices. Key features like secure sharing and the Security Center add significant value by helping you effectively manage and strengthen your passwords.

Upgrading to the Premium plan brings even more benefits, such as cloud backup, web access, and 24/7 live chat support, making it a worthwhile investment for those with multiple devices. The autofill feature can sometimes be inconsistent, requiring manual intervention, and the mobile app struggles with compatibility on some apps, although it works well in Chrome. Additionally, the free plan is limited to one device and offers limited customer support, but since it’s free, it’s worth experimenting.

In summary, despite minor issues, RoboForm is a reliable choice for password management, especially with the Premium plan offering strong security, ease of use, and additional features.

How I tested the RoboForm password manager

With the help of the Cybernews team, I tested RoboForm's password manager to understand its pros and cons for each plan and device so you can decide if you want to go with it. The testing procedure went as it always goes for password managers. Initially, the free version of RoboForm was installed on both desktop and mobile devices to assess the core features such as password generator, storage, synchronization, and the installation process. The process continued with an evaluation of the browser extensions, followed by an upgrade to the Premium plan to test advanced features such as Emergency Access, Web access, Secure Shared Folders etc.

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