Password Managers are one of those categories of tools that provoke fierce debate among us nerd folk. Personally now that I've figured out how to remember a different password for every web site I log into, I've needed one less than I used to but the recent move to a monthly billing plan for 1 Password just plain made me furious. Not only is that ridiculous but 1 Password, at least in my experience, doesn't work worth a damn. I spent the time and money to buy it for my wife and myself about a year ago and we had nothing but problems.

The task that flipped my need for a password manager was actually traveling to the recent Elixir Conf and realizing at the airport that I don't know my TSA Pre number:

  • And even if I knew it where in the rabbit's maze of tiny text files that surround my daily life would it go?
  • And then would I really pull out a whole laptop at the airport just to get it?
  • And then even if it was in a text file how would I get it onto my phone?

Clearly a way to store information securely was needed. A discussion on Hacker News of the 1 Password billing changes led me to Enpass and I tried it. And it worked. Not only did it give me a way to store away my passwords but it nicely solved the TSA Pre number storage needs. Their business model is that desktop is free they only charge for mobile when you need to sync beyond either 10 or 20 passwords. They charge on a lifetime model which is likely a mistake and will definitely cause them business model issues over time but it is a great little product.

Oh and I recently tested out their support and got an answer all the way from India where it is written in about a half hour which is fantastic considering the time zone. And the answer was right.

Here's an endorsement if anyone over at Enpass wants a quote for their website:

Enpass is a fantastic product. It is the first password manager that not only works but works consistently well. I'm now using it across my laptop, iPhone and iPad and am just delighted with it. And they have great support. Recommended