Passwords are the most private pieces of data anyone possesses. They are the keys to our email, banks, computers, and our digital lives. Hence, the way we handle them is critical. I usually suggest using an offline password manager, like KeePassXC. However, many people have the habit of storing passwords in their preferred browser’s password manager.
The built-in password managers are probably the most convenient option. They seamlessly integrate with your browsing experience and automatically offer to save and autofill your login credentials. However, they’re an option that I wouldn’t recommend as they come with cons that far outweigh the pros.
Browsers are not password managers
Browsers were not designed to be password managers
A browser primarily shows you a web page or search results when you type in a web address or search term. They are built for rendering HTML and managing session cookies, so you don’t have to log in repeatedly when you move from one page to another. Password storage was introduced as a usability convenience rather than a security-first feature. It wasn’t built as a security-first feature.
It’s important to point out this distinction because a security system can only be as strong as its foundation. Dedicated password managers are built around encryption, zero-knowledge technology, and breach-resistant resilience. These are core security architectures. Even though most modern browsers implement strong password encryption, their design doesn’t follow a zero-knowledge model.
Instead of building a separate, highly secure vault for your passwords, browsers just incorporated password saving into their existing systems. This implies that your password becomes another data type to sync rather than the key to your digital world.
However, there’s an even bigger picture here. Your browser binds you more to its ecosystem when it offers to save your password. For instance, you will find it harder to leave Chrome for Firefox if Chrome already holds all your login credentials, because this would mean migrating your saved logins—and even if it takes just a couple of minutes, most people wouldn’t do it.
Browsers know too much
Traditionally, browsers store a lot of data: cookies, browsing history, autofill data, and device information. When you also save your passwords in the browser, you’ve kept all this information in the same ecosystem. You suddenly become more dependent on the browser itself, and the browser is potentially a more valuable target for an attacker. However, a password manager doesn’t need this level of information to function. Its scope is designed only to protect access.
Even though the browser handles autofill for addresses, phone numbers, and payment cards separately from your password, they both exist on the same application, which increases the potential damage in the case of a browser breach. Add to that, browser autofill systems are notoriously prone to errors and may insert data into the wrong fields. There’s no compartmentalization of personal data and credentials.
Ultimately, because personal data and credentials live in a shared ecosystem, your browser password managers blur the lines between access and exposure. It’s convenient, but you sacrifice the level of compartmentalization and security-first design that dedicated password managers provide.
Logins vs. identities
Browsers protect logins; password managers protect identities
Typically, browser password managers only remember your username and password, which helps streamline the login process. But today, our online identity is more than just a few websites. It now spans crypto wallets, bank accounts, and even work accounts.
Dedicated password managers understand how much online identity has grown. They’re much more than password or login storage, but a secure vault for everything you need to protect your identity. They store backup codes for two-factor authentication, Wi-Fi passwords, and even private notes with sensitive information.
It’s more than one holding logins and the other holding entire identities. Implementation is an important distinction. You lose access when your browser’s password store is compromised, but when your dedicated password manager’s vault is stolen, the attacker still has a lot to do. The data is protected by zero-knowledge architectures and end-to-end encryption.
The attacker would need to brute-force their way through mathematical improbability, while with the browser password manager, you would need to take immediate steps to regain control. This distinction is why I don’t recommend ever using a browser password manager.
The dedicated password manager
Password managers earn their keep in ways browsers can’t
The real distinction between a password manager and a browser goes beyond design—it’s in the depth of problems they solve. The traditional password manager integrates across all your devices, as opposed to living inside a single app. You’ll be able to fill in credentials in your browser, desktop apps, and even system prompts.
On top of this, dedicated password managers keep you a step ahead of threats. They perform regular vault scans against known breaches and trigger alerts for your compromised passwords. A modern browser will also perform breach checks, but it’s not as comprehensive. You don’t get detailed audits of weak or reused passwords, password strength analysis, or reports across multiple accounts. This is a proactive approach to security that browsers aren’t designed to take.
If you work with teams, then sharing is a reason you never want to use your browser as your default password manager. Traditional password managers allow teams or families to share specific logins securely without revealing the password. You can give someone access to your Netflix account without sharing your actual password.
So, while browsers make password storage convenient, password managers are more strategic. They don’t just store but manage your entire digital life in ways the browser isn’t built for.
Move your passwords out of the browser
If there’s one piece of advice I can give, it’s never to store passwords in a browser. The browser already has so much information about you, and adding passwords helps complete every piece of the puzzle. It leaves you more vulnerable since all of this valuable information is now in one location.
Finally, the goal is not to use just any dedicated password manager. For instance, after the LastPass data breach, I wouldn’t trust them with my credentials. I typically watch out for these eight must-have features before deciding on a password manager.
