KeePassXC Password Manager Review: New and Improved? – News Block

KeePassXC is a free and open source password manager that takes the ball out of older software with a similar name and works with it. It is praised on many online forums, but how good is it really? Can you stand up to the competition?

All in all, KeePassXC definitely earns a mention among the best password managers, although it does come with some considerable asterisks. The biggest one is that, as an open source product, it may be free, but it also lacks the polish of many industry leaders. As such, it’s not for everyone, although anyone who likes old-school cool will love it.

What is the difference between KeePass and KeePassXC?

Before I go any further though, I should make it clear that the password manager I reviewed is KeePassXC, not KeePassX (so no “C”) or even the old KeePass. KeePassXC is a fork of these previous versions and has made some pretty big changes. The biggest of these is probably the interface and the fact that KeePassXC doesn’t make the same liberal use of plugins.

If you have any experience with KeePass, you’ll probably agree that it could have worked with an update; It was probably one of the biggest knocks against it when I compared KeePass to Bitwarden. Booting it up was a real blast from the past, with an interface that was straight out of the last century.

KeePassXC is much better in this regard. While not as slick as some of the professionally built programs, it strikes a nice balance between modern ease of use and early 2000s flexibility. In fact, compared to other password managers who like to use old school (Bitwarden is a good example), I actually like KeePassXC a little better simply because it gives you so much more options.

However, the usefulness of the other big change could be up for debate. For many users, plugins are the heart and soul of KeePass, giving the program unparalleled flexibility and utility. Although the base version of KeePass can even charitably be described as a bit clunky, the plugins allow you to change almost every aspect: the interface, autocomplete, security protocols, just about everything.

If you’re a big fan of this aspect of KeePass, I have a feeling you won’t be crazy about KeePassXC simply because it’s probably not the way you would have modified the program. However, for quieter users who don’t like to game, and I include myself in that group, KeePassXC is an improvement in almost every way.

Is KeePassXC easy to use?

However, just because it’s an improvement over a previous version doesn’t necessarily make KeePassXC good. Overall, it’s not that bad, but if you compare it to the ease of use of Dashlane, for example, it can be a bit difficult. Although you’ll eventually figure things out, KeePassXC takes some getting used to.

For this review, I used KeePassXC for Linux, but there are also versions for Windows and Mac. Currently, KeePassXC does not have apps for Android or iPhone/iPad. Instead, the community recommends some alternatives that will work with your KeePassXC files.

They’re officially outside the scope of this review, but I played around with a few of these mobile apps and they all seemed relatively easy to use, albeit a far cry from the ease of use offered by their paid counterparts. If you are a heavy smartphone user, KeePassXC may not be the best option for you.

Getting started with KeePassXC

The fact that this is a very different password manager is clear from the start, even the download page has some strange instructions. However, the main download for each operating system will work out of the box without too much tweaking.

Once installed, you can choose to start a new database or open an existing one. Think of a database as a repository for a specific set of passwords, each of which is encrypted and password protected. This means that KeePassXC can be used in different environments.

For example, you can have a personal database and another that you share with your spouse or colleagues without risking account information spilling into the other. Although having to unlock each database separately is a bit cumbersome, it does fix some issues with sharing permissions.

If you start a new database, you will be asked to give it a name and adjust some settings. This may be too complicated for those who are not security fanatics, so you may want to stick with the defaults. Still, I like the control that KeePassXC gives you, whether you know what to do with it or not.

add passwords

This same level of control extends to all aspects of KeepassXC, including the details you can add to entries. I have to say that while it works pretty well overall, adding new entries can feel a bit clunky after 1Password’s stripped-down interface, especially since you can’t really categorize entries, only tag them.

I like the overview you get and the details you can add, but other services do just as good or even better job. Dashlane, for example, allows you to do all of this and more, though of course you have to pay for the privilege. In essence, you can add almost anything to KeePassXC, but the default is passwords. To add things like credit card details and the like, you need to create custom fields.

Autocomplete and browser extension

Saving passwords is only part of the equation, of course. Another important aspect of password managers is their ability to autofill. I was surprised at how well KeePassXC works in this regard, although getting it to work feels a bit like trying to solve an esoteric mystery.

Like all password managers, you need the web extension to autofill any passwords it finds, which in this case means you have to install it, then manually sync it with your KeePassXC client, and then enter your password. In between these steps you have to refresh your browser a lot but then like magic it works.

Unlike most other password managers, the browser extension isn’t a mini control room—there’s really nothing in there. All you really get is a small KeePassXC logo in the input field of each site you have credentials for. Then all you need to do is click, and it works perfectly.

I love this autocomplete feature – no popups, confirmations, nothing. Just click and go. Of all the password managers I’ve reviewed, KeePassXC does it the best, hands down.

Is KeePassXC free?

Another great benefit of KeePassXC is that it is completely free. Not only can you download and use it without spending a penny, but there are also no upgrades or modules that need to be paid for. It’s also free for commercial use, so businesses that want a company-wide password manager have a pretty solid option that won’t cost a penny.

That being said, you can get a password manager like Bitwarden for just $10 per year and get the same functionality as KeePassXC but with a much sleeker interface. 1Password and Dashlane also offer packages for less than $35 per year, which means that for a relatively small amount of money, you can get a program that does the same thing but is a bit easier to use.

However, for the cost (or lack thereof), KeePassXC is probably one of the best password managers out there. Only Bitwarden comes close to what its free version can do.

Can you trust KeePassXC?

KeePassXC seems reliable, although it does have a major drawback compared to many other security-focused programs in that it has not undergone third-party auditing. However, you could argue that they are not foolproof either (and I have that in my article on whether you should trust your VPN).

Instead of third-party auditing, KeePassXC offers something else that could arguably be better, namely continuous development. As a community-driven open source project, its code is under continuous review by volunteers. While audits usually only take a snapshot of the code, the method used by projects like KeePassXC means that every time a change is made, multiple people will be watching to make sure it works as intended.

Still, I can’t argue with anyone who would rather use a more professional tool that has the seal of approval from a large company and professional audit. At the same time, the biggest password manager scandal involved LastPass, which had all of that, while KeePassXC has so far worked without a problem.

Should you use KeePassXC?

KeePassXC is the best password manager that is also hard to recommend for those who want a polished user experience. While there’s a lot to like here, and I considered using it as my own personal password manager for a hot minute, it does have a few drawbacks, all of which are in the interface – even though you can’t add payment cards by default it’s annoying.

While I like that KeePassXC is free, the reasonable cost of most password managers (most are less than $35 per year) is well worth it for the improved interface you’ll get every time. That said, if you don’t mind fiddling with buttons and like your software open source and community-made, KeePassXC may be one of the best options out there.