I have been pretty good at recalling a range of passwords across a large number of systems but as I age my memory ain’t what it used to be.
So this morning I thought I should look for an iPhone and iPad password manager that would also have a local PC application. Sounds like something a lot of folks would be wanting.
Google “iphone pc password manager” and the list was lengthy. So some quick culling was in order.
What did I really want? An application that would securely store passwords with the details of where the password is used. Compatible and transferable / sync’d with iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC.
First up was http://www.logonce.com/toolbar/iphone.htm but I have concerns that it is a browser plugin on the PC or a hosted system. The opportunity for IE to be hacked is pretty high as is the thought of having my passswords stored in the cloud. Hmm… might come back if there’s nothing else.
Second up was eWallet which reads really well but put me off with the $20 price tag plus another $10 to get the iPhone version. Bundle it or something guys! Having looked further it appears that this is around the market price so I’ll keep it in the list for the moment.
Ok, I browsed a bit more and located KeePass and it is opensource, but the iPhone extensions are not made in house and are out of date. Probably good for PC but does not fit the other criteria.
Hmmm.. I think Ascendo DataVault is looking good with both desktop and iPhone iPad but I cannot find the prices. Weird site setup. If you click on Products you get the Blackberry option with a Buy Now and all the variants but no Buy option. You have to go to the home page and select from the right menu to get the correct links. In any case $10 for desktop and $10 for iOS devices.
In a similar style is 1Password which apparently has all the platforms covered. $30 for the Windows version and $15 on iOS which is deader than DataVault.
Another one that will make my short list is Strip. Not yet on all platforms but close and should be classed with the above.
SplashID is another that covers all the platforms that I need. Alongside this is mSeven Password Manager.
Ultimate Password Manager for iPhone and iPad looks like a nice app for those platforms but the only sync process is via DropBox. Not one for me.
Wallet Pro for iPhone (and Windows phones) is one that I would say is still early days but it is another cloud style offering which I do not want.
I did find links via Google and from this review listing at BrightHub but given that the review appeared to have been written by someone not paying any attention to detail I would not rely on it. One of the reviews rates as “Overall, this is a well done password manager app for your iPhone.” Someone is confused as the link and the maker of Skeleton Key have it listed as a GAME for the iPhone!
RoboForm is another one that stores in an online account so that sync’ing takes place across the platforms. Password Touch is another one alongside My Eyes Only which gave me a chuckle with their “Click below to download your 15 day trail.” misspelling (do I want to walk for 15 days on a trail?). Aside from this MEO relies on wifi and Apple Bonjour and another of their own products. This must increase the risk of compatibility issues over time as well as still being cloud oriented.
Another one that will make the list is SafeWallet although I am not impressed with their website, there is an active support forum.
I really want something that does not use the cloud.
Ok, so I have a shortlist in no particular order:
I’ll take this off-line and do a review of features to try and get to a 2 or 3 way trial comparison.
Which did you pick? I have been looking at datavault
Yes, DataVault was the one I went with and have been using for over a year now. Provides the facilities I need across all the platforms.
Wow this research is two years old but it was exactly what I googled and you sent me on the right path. Thanks! good stuff here