Best free tier for encryption

The privacy-focused Swiss cloud-storage specialist — pCloud gives up to 10 GB free (2 GB on signup + bonus tasks) with cross-platform sync, file sharing, and built-in file versioning, plus optional client-side encrypted pCloud Crypto folders. Uniquely offers one-time lifetime plans (e.g. 2 TB lifetime) instead of monthly billing, and unmetered download bandwidth with no per-GB egress. Paid Premium from ~$4.99/mo (500 GB) or lifetime pricing.

Bandwidth

included

Requests

up to 10 GB storage free forever

Paid from

$5/mo

The open-source consensus best free password manager — Bitwarden Free gives unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, cross-platform syncing, a password generator, secure notes, and basic 2FA (TOTP) free forever, with end-to-end AES-256 + Argon2 encryption and public third-party audits. Premium is just $10/year for TOTP storage, Bitwarden Authenticator, file attachments, emergency access, and priority support. Fully self-hostable via Bitwarden Server or the community Vaultwarden (Rust) server — your vault, your hardware.

Bandwidth

n/a

Requests

Unlimited passwords + devices + syncing free forever

Paid from

$1/mo

The privacy-first free password manager from the Proton Mail team — Proton Pass Free gives unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, unlimited email aliases (hide-your-email via SimpleLogin), built-in 2FA (TOTP), passkeys, and secure notes free forever, with end-to-end encryption and Proton's Swiss privacy pedigree. The clients are open-source and audited. Plus from ~$1.99/mo (billed annually) adds unlimited aliases, custom domains for aliases, dark-web monitoring, and Proton Sentinel. No self-hosting.

Bandwidth

n/a

Requests

Unlimited passwords + devices + aliases free forever

Paid from

$2/mo

The polished enterprise + consumer password-manager default — 1Password stores unlimited passwords, passkeys, 2FA codes, and secure notes behind one master password, with Watchtower breach alerts, Travel Mode, shared vaults, and a polished app on every platform. No forever-free tier: a 14-day trial then Individual from ~$2.99/mo (billed annually), Families ~$4.99/mo for 5 people, and Business plans from ~$7.99/seat/mo with SSO + reporting.

Bandwidth

n/a

Requests

14-day free trial, then paid — no forever-free tier

Paid from

$3/mo

A polished consumer password manager with a strong autofill engine, dark-web monitoring, and a built-in VPN on Premium — Dashlane retired its old free tier (50 passwords on 1 device) in November 2023, so there is now no forever-free plan: a 14-day Premium trial then Advanced from ~$2.75/mo (billed annually) or ~$4.99/mo monthly, Premium ~$4.99/mo with the VPN. Good UX, but no free tier and a higher paid floor than 1Password.

Bandwidth

n/a

Requests

14-day Premium trial, then paid — no forever-free tier

Paid from

$3/mo