(Free?) password management across platforms (iOS, Ubuntu) and browsers

October 22, 2021 5:17 AM

I use an iphone and a laptop that runs Ubuntu and have Firefox and Chrome/Chromium on both, as well as Safari on the iphone. The password syncing between these has been terrible for the past many months--I think Chromium stopped being able to sync with Chrome? and Firefox never seems to autofill on my iphone or sync well. Plz send (free) solutions/suggestions.
posted by needs more cowbell to Technology (15 answers total)

Bitwarden is the best one for open source and free password managers.
For the limited use case described, you don't have to pay for the pro plan which would give sharing priviledges
posted by radsqd at 5:37 AM on October 22, 2021 [3 favorites]

KeePass & compatible clones across devices (i.e. KyPass) - password file is synchronized using OneDrive/Dropbox/Box/etc.

Sorry - I don't trust dedicated, web-based password management vendors - they inevitably get worse, bought-out or merged over time. (Am teh oldster, so... Don't need auto-fill, copy+paste works just fine)
posted by rozcakj at 5:57 AM on October 22, 2021 [3 favorites]

What are you using on the iPhone to sync these? I believe Firefox Lockwise syncs to your Firefox account and can fill in on Safari and many apps that use the standard login method on the iPhone.
posted by advicepig at 6:26 AM on October 22, 2021

Response by poster: My problem with cut and paste/lack of automatic integration is that then I inevitably end up with old/un-updated passwords in some spots.

I've only been using whatever syncing is integrated into Firefox. My iphone, when confronted with a password situation, gives me the option of the (iOS) keychain or something from Chrome, but not Firefox. It seems like Lockwise is a separate app? I sort of prefer Chrome/Chromium overall so if I'm going to add an app to do password management I'm not sure I want to pick a Firefox product, particularly.
posted by needs more cowbell at 6:32 AM on October 22, 2021

I use Bitwarden across Android and MacOS. I much prefer it over the previous apps I used: LastPass and 1Password.
posted by dobbs at 7:01 AM on October 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

Also use Bitwarden on all my devices with no issues whatsoever.
posted by General Malaise at 7:29 AM on October 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

seconding rozcakj's KeePass + cloud sync via Dropbox. Note that Dropbox no longer has a public free tier, but if someone shares a folder with you, you can create a new account with the free 2 GB storage.

Firefox Sync on mobile seems to use a notification method to bring up its pages. If you have most notifications turned off, you can't sync.
posted by scruss at 9:24 AM on October 22, 2021

I used to use KeePass and then once it stopped working on iOS (I got a new phone and went to install and was told that it was no longer supported) I switched to 1Pass, on the suggestion of a friend who builds cloud for a living. I think it's low-cost rather than free, like a couple bucks a month.
posted by bile and syntax at 10:15 AM on October 22, 2021

I used to use KeePass. If you don't sign into 8 gajillion things a day, it works well. That said, all the KeePass/client combos I used were glitchy w/ autofill on various devices, and as a web developer who works w/ lots of clients, I DO sign into 8 gajillion things a day.

So, although I like the KeePass model of no cloud service, I switched to BitWarden and have been very, very happy with it.
posted by nosila at 12:28 PM on October 22, 2021

KeePassXC and the Keepass2Android app work great for me. I use the KeePassXC-Browser Firefox/Chrome add-on to auto-populate login forms.
posted by RGD at 12:31 PM on October 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

I use Bitwarden across Linux, Mac, and Android with no problems.
posted by COD at 2:47 PM on October 22, 2021

Another here who uses KeePassXC and Keepass2Android, but I use Syncthing to keep the password store synchronized between my phone and computer (running Linux).
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol at 8:55 PM on October 22, 2021

I use BitWarden (free variety) across Windows, Linux (Raspberry Pi), an iPhone and an Android tablet. Works well for me. I use Chrome on all of my devices (except for the Pi which uses Chromium). You're correct on the Chrome/Chromium thing. The powers that be at Google blocked the API that allows Chromium to sync with Chrome.
posted by kathrynm at 11:18 AM on October 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

I switched from LastPass to Bitwarden (Android/Ubuntu/Windows - Firefox/Chrome on all those platforms). Autofill works.
posted by gakiko at 10:37 AM on October 24, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks all, currently trying out Bitwarden - I think it’s closest to what I need/want.
posted by needs more cowbell at 7:30 AM on October 25, 2021