Best Password Manager for Mac in 2026: Safari Autofill, Native Apps and Open-Source Options

The best password manager for Mac depends on where you want your vault to live. Apple Passwords is built into macOS and suits people who stay on Apple devices, 1Password and Bitwarden are the cross-platform choices with a Mac app and a Safari extension, and Strongbox is the pick for Mac users who would rather keep an open KeePass file than a vendor account.

Enlisted's catalogue has few password managers built only for the Mac, so most picks here are cross-platform tools, and Mac details such as Safari support or biometric unlock are stated only where the vendor's own pages confirm them. Where a page is silent, the entry says so. Picks are grouped by job: built in, cross-platform with Safari, native KeePass clients, local-only vaults and self-hosting.

What should a Mac user check before choosing a password manager?

Two requirements decide most Mac choices, and a feature list will not tell you either one.

The first is how the manager fills logins in your browser. If Safari is your main browser, look for a Safari extension on the vendor's own download page. 1Password, Bitwarden and Proton Pass list one. Apple Passwords fills in Safari without an extension, and Apple says other browsers need an extension from their web store. KeePass-file apps vary: KeePassXC's documentation names Firefox and Chrome, Chromium and Vivaldi for its browser extension and does not mention Safari.

The second is how the vault reaches your iPhone. A hosted manager syncs for you. A KeePass file does not, so the app you pick needs a way to reach iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Nextcloud or similar storage on both devices. Also check the macOS version: Apple's Passwords app needs macOS 15 or later, and 1Password's Mac page says it requires macOS 12 or newer.

How we picked

Enlisted started from the password management category and kept tools whose own descriptions name macOS, plus the major cross-platform managers where the vendor's pages confirm a Mac app or Safari extension. Licences are quoted as the catalogue lists them, and open-source projects needed recent commits on GitHub. Security claims are the vendors' own, and nothing here was audited or tested. The method is in how Enlisted ranks tools.

Best built-in password manager for Mac

1. Apple Passwords: best free choice if you only use Apple devices

Apple Passwords is the built-in Apple app for passwords, passkeys and verification codes, and it needs no separate account or download if you already use an Apple Account. It stores website and app credentials, keeps Wi-Fi passwords, syncs across your Apple devices through iCloud Keychain and, on the Mac, also appears in the menu bar.

It flags weak or compromised passwords, shows the change history for an item, shares passwords with one person or a group, and imports or exports credentials. Apple says the app arrives with macOS 15 and later, fills logins in Safari, and lets third-party browsers use extensions. Windows users can reach the same passwords through Apple's iCloud for Windows. The Apple Passwords page has the catalogue entry.

• Best for: Mac and iPhone owners who want a free manager with no extra app to install.
• Watch out for: it is closed source and tied to Apple's ecosystem, and its team and admin features are lighter than those of 1Password or Bitwarden.

Best cross-platform managers with a Mac app and Safari extension

These three keep one vault across Mac, iPhone, Windows and the browser, so they suit households or teams that are not all on Apple hardware.

2. 1Password: best polished cross-platform manager for Mac, families and teams

1Password is a commercial password manager that stores logins in encrypted vaults and lets families and teams share them. Its Mac download page lists a native Mac app, a Safari extension and biometric unlock, and says the app requires macOS 12 or newer. The product also covers passkeys and a Watchtower security view.

It is sold by subscription, and Enlisted's data lists no free plan. The company also sells business products for secrets and access management, which matter more to IT teams than to a single Mac user. See the 1Password listing and the open-source 1Password alternatives if the subscription model is the sticking point.

• Best for: Mac users who want a native app, Safari fill and shared family or team vaults.
• Watch out for: it is closed source with no self-hosted option and no free plan, so you pay to keep using it.

3. Bitwarden: best open-source option with a free plan and a Safari extension

Bitwarden is an open-source password manager with desktop apps for macOS, Windows and Linux, browser extensions that include Safari, a web vault and a command-line client. Its own download page lists all of these, so a Mac user gets an installable app and Safari fill without extra steps.

Enlisted lists a free personal plan and paid tiers for premium, families, teams and enterprise. The server code is public and can be self-hosted with Docker, while the apps themselves are in a separate repository on the Bitwarden clients page. The catalogue lists its licence as "Other", so read the licence terms for the part you care about. The Bitwarden server entry covers the hosting side.

• Best for: people who want open-source code, a free plan and the choice to self-host later.
• Watch out for: running your own server means you handle updates and backups, and the licence is not a single standard one.

4. Proton Pass: best for hide-my-email aliases and a free plan

Proton Pass is a password manager from Proton that stores passwords, passkeys and two-factor codes and creates hide-my-email aliases. Proton lists apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, plus browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge and Brave, a web app and a command-line interface.

Enlisted lists a permanent free plan with unlimited logins and devices and a capped number of aliases, with paid Plus, Family and Unlimited plans above it. Proton describes the product as open source, but Enlisted classifies it as hosted software with no self-hosted option. Read the Proton Pass page for the current listing.

• Best for: Mac users who want a free hosted manager with built-in email aliases.
• Watch out for: it cannot be self-hosted, and heavier alias use needs a paid plan.

Best native KeePass clients for Mac

KeePass is an open database format, so these apps keep your vault in a file that you choose where to store. The trade-off is that you handle sync yourself, and browser fill depends on the app.

5. Strongbox: best native Mac and iPhone app for KeePass files

Strongbox is a native iOS and macOS password manager that opens KeePass and Password Safe databases, so the vault is not locked into a proprietary format. It supports KDBX versions 3.1 and 4, KDB and Password Safe version 3, offers several encryption options and supports YubiKey.

The source code is AGPL-3.0, and the App Store version is supported through a subscription or lifetime licence. Enlisted's description does not state Safari or Touch ID support, so confirm both on the Strongbox site before you move over. The catalogue entry is on the Strongbox page.

• Best for: Mac and iPhone users who want a native app and an open vault file with no cloud account.
• Watch out for: sync of the database file is your job, and browser autofill is not described in the catalogue data.

6. KeePassXC: best free cross-platform KeePass app with browser integration

KeePassXC is a free, open-source password manager for Windows, macOS and Linux that stores logins, URLs, attachments and notes in an encrypted offline file. It has a built-in password and passphrase generator, groups and search, and supports YubiKey.

Its documentation says Auto-Type works on macOS, and that the KeePassXC-Browser extension is available for Firefox and for Chrome, Chromium and Vivaldi. Safari is not mentioned, so Safari users should look at the KeePassXC docs first. Enlisted lists the licence as "Other". The KeePassXC page has the details.

• Best for: people who want a free offline vault and use Firefox or a Chrome-family browser.
• Watch out for: no Safari extension is documented, and you manage syncing between devices yourself.

7. MacPass: best purely native, open-source KeePass client for Mac

MacPass is a native macOS client for KeePass kdbx databases, written in Objective-C, with auto-type and a signed plugin system. Its author says no other native macOS KeePass client is fully open source.

Enlisted's data describes auto-type as the way it fills credentials, not a browser extension. The README says the maintainer had few updates for a while and hopes to revive the project, and it advises upgrading to version 0.8.2 or later, keeping the default refusal of unsigned plugins and downloading only from the official GitHub page. See the MacPass page for the catalogue entry.

• Best for: Mac-only users who want a purely native KeePass client and are fine with auto-type.
• Watch out for: a smaller, slower-moving project than KeePassXC, with no documented Safari extension.

8. KeePassium: best for sharing a KeePass vault between Mac and iPhone

KeePassium reads and writes KeePass databases on iOS and macOS and syncs them through the system's own storage integration, so it does not ask for your cloud credentials. It works with iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, Nextcloud and SFTP, and supports Face ID or Touch ID, YubiKey and one-time codes.

The project calls itself a commercial open-source app: the paid side funds maintenance, and the code can be audited or built by anyone. Enlisted lists a free tier alongside paid yearly, lifetime and business options. Password AutoFill is listed for iOS, so check the KeePassium page and the vendor's site for browser fill on the Mac.

• Best for: people who already keep a KeePass vault and want it on both Mac and iPhone.
• Watch out for: Enlisted lists the licence as "Other", and AutoFill is described for iOS rather than the Mac.

Best for keeping everything on your Mac

9. Rowel: best offline-first desktop vault with no cloud account

Rowel is a free, open-source desktop password manager that keeps an encrypted vault on your own computer and runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. The project states that no data leaves your machine unless you switch on its optional Google Drive sync, and it adds one-time code support and a strong password generator.

Browser autofill works through the KeePassXC-Browser extension, and passkey support comes through that extension. It is released under GPL-3.0. Because it is a desktop app, it does not cover an iPhone. Details are on the Rowel page.

• Best for: Mac users who want a free, local-only vault and no vendor account.
• Watch out for: moving to another computer means a backup file or the optional Google Drive sync, and there is no phone app described.

10. Codebook: best local vault with optional paid sync

Codebook is a password and data vault from Zetetic, the company behind the open-source SQLCipher encryption engine. It fills logins through system autofill on Android, iOS and macOS, or a global keyboard shortcut on macOS and Windows, and stores other secrets such as financial details.

Codebook is free for personal use, and an optional Codebook Cloud subscription adds automatic sync and secure sharing across devices. The app itself is closed source, even though its encryption layer is open. See the Codebook page for the listing.

• Best for: people who want a local vault on Mac and iPhone and may add paid sync later.
• Watch out for: the app is closed source, and cross-device sync needs the paid cloud option.

Best self-hosted option for a Mac

11. Vaultwarden: best self-hosted server behind the Bitwarden Mac app

Vaultwarden is a lightweight, unofficial Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust that works with the official Bitwarden clients, which means the Mac desktop app and Safari extension described above. It supports personal vaults, organizations with collections and member roles, Send, attachments and several multi-factor options including FIDO2 and YubiKey.

It is released under AGPL-3.0 and is aimed at people who find the official server too heavy to run themselves. The Vaultwarden page lists recent activity.

• Best for: households or small teams who want Bitwarden clients on their Macs with a server they control.
• Watch out for: it is unofficial and not supported by Bitwarden, and you own the backups and updates.

Other managers to check for Mac support

Several well-known hosted managers are in the catalogue, but the data Enlisted holds does not confirm their Mac apps or Safari support, so check the vendor's download page for both. Dashlane is a commercial manager with autofill, passkeys and dark web monitoring. NordPass and Keeper are hosted managers with business options, and Enpass keeps vaults on your devices and syncs through a cloud account you control. For a broader view, the best password managers guide covers all platforms.

If you are leaving LastPass, see the LastPass alternatives guide and the list of LastPass alternatives.

How to choose the best password manager for Mac

• Apple devices only, no extra subscription: Apple Passwords.
• Safari fill, family sharing and a native app: 1Password.
• Open source with a free plan and a Safari extension: Bitwarden.
• Free hosted plan with email aliases: Proton Pass.
• A KeePass file on Mac and iPhone: Strongbox or KeePassium.
• A free KeePass app with browser integration: KeePassXC, if you use Firefox or a Chrome-family browser.
• A purely native, open-source KeePass client: MacPass.
• Everything local, no cloud: Rowel or Codebook.
• Your own server: Vaultwarden with the Bitwarden apps.

Switching later is usually possible because most managers import and export. If more than one person will use it, read the guides on password managers for families and password managers for small business, and if an iPhone is part of the setup, see password managers for iPhone.