Norton Password Manager Pros and Cons
A team I managed previously had to use security tokens that contained one-time passwords that changed every 10 minutes, and it was costly when several people lost them (about $100 each). A password manager would have made all the difference. Here are some of the key pros and cons we found when testing the password manager Norton offers:
Pros
- Offers a free-forever plan
- Mass updates passwords
- Offers accurate password-strength analysis
- Syncs with all of your devices
- Has AES-256 encryption and a zero-knowledge policy
Cons
- Slow loading speeds when connected to a VPN
- You lose access if you fail to set a recovery option and forget your vault password
What is Norton Password Manager?
Norton Password Manager is primarily a software tool designed to help you keep your passwords secure. You can use it as a standalone service or part of Norton’s suite of antivirus offerings, which is perhaps why some refer to it as “Norton 360 Password Manager.”
A password manager (PM), like Norton, serves as a digital vault. It securely stores your passwords for every website you use. Instead of remembering dozens or even hundreds of complex passwords, you only need to remember one master password.
Note that Norton is web-based, so it stores passwords on its own cloud servers. But that’s not all password managers are good for. These tools help create strong, unique passwords for each site you visit.
That way, if one account gets compromised, the others aren’t at risk – a crucial step in securing your online presence.
Read More:
Is Norton Password Manager Safe?
Yes, Norton is safe. Doubts are normal, given that password managers rely on the cloud for their storage, and breaches aren’t completely unheard of.
However, here are some of the many reasons why Norton is even among the best business password managers, thanks to its security measures:
- Track Record — Originally a suite that boosted system performance, Norton AntiVirus™ has evolved into an online security suite that includes VPN and password management services.
- Zero-Knowledge Design — Norton encrypts your data before it leaves your device and decrypts it using the unique master password. Nobody but you can view your data.
- AES-256 Encryption — Norton’s AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption key endures 14 rounds of encryption before logging you in, making passwords difficult to compromise.
- Safeguarded Data Storage — Norton only keeps its data on its servers and syncs that data to the device where you use its password manager.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) — For an extra layer of security, a code is sent to another device that you insert to gain access to your Norton account.
- Brute Force Attacks — Norton has a Captcha system to verify human interaction, deterring brute force attacks, where attackers try multiple password combinations to hack your accounts.
Norton Password Manager Key Features
As we found during our Norton password manager review, it offers everything you need to easily and safely manage your online account credentials. Here are the main features we found most noteworthy:
Safety Dashboard
When I added two sets of account credentials to Norton Password Manager, this was the first detail I wanted to check. I initially believed it would be difficult for hackers to guess my passwords, but I was wrong.
To my surprise, the Security Dashboard detected and alerted us of any weak, duplicate, or old passwords. We changed the passwords and made sure they were unique. After doing so, mine looked like this:
Once satisfied, I clicked on one of the passwords. Norton rated the password’s strength and the time it would hypothetically take to crack it. Another exciting feature in its Beta version is the Autochange function.
With this, Norton can automatically log into websites (of your choice), generate strong passwords, and change the passwords for you. The new ones are then saved to your vault. Note that this feature works best on MacOS.
We found that users on other operating systems may not experience the same level of success with the automatic password change.
Web Interface
Norton’s web interface is its most comprehensive and user-friendly version. With a larger screen, we easily navigated through all of the settings and features.
Within the interface, you have the option to securely store various types of information, including:
- Logins like account names, emails, and passwords.
- Private information, documents, and notes
- Your card and banking details
- Postal and physical addresses
During our Norton password manager review, we found that when connected to Wi-Fi, the Norton PW manager webpage took around seven seconds to load. If you encounter the same, make sure you’re connected via LAN for quicker load times.
We also found that if you switch tabs on your computer and return to Norton Password Manager, it’ll prompt you to re-enter your vault password – a reassuring security feature that ensures your data stays protected even if you momentarily step away from your computer.
Browser Extension
The Norton Password Manager browser extension offers easy access and simplified functionality. It’s like a mini version, providing basic features for managing Favorites, Logins, Notes, Wallets, and Addresses.
However, adjustments are limited to Autofill settings; for more complex changes, you’ll need to navigate back to the web version.
Storage and Form-Filling
After a regular log-in process, the Norton password manager asked us whether we wanted to save the credentials to our vault. This is when we started to test the tool’s storage and form-filling functions.
We cleared our PC cookies and internet history and then logged off our devices. To test whether these features work together with the device-sync function, we installed Norton’s PW manager on our mobile phones and turned our PCs on again.
Next, we had to log back into our Norton Accounts. As we visited the same websites that our vaults had the credentials to, all we had to do was click on the Norton logo inside the forms, and it automatically filled them with the correct credentials.
Overall, the login process took around 4.67 seconds.
Password Generator
Are you tired of thinking about what to put in your password? Norton’s Password Generator is a nifty tool that creates intricate passwords that are difficult for cybercriminals to crack.
Also, our tests showed impressive accuracy in its estimated cracking time. Using various password-strength checkers, we found it could take centuries to break the generated codes.
We were able to adjust the password length and the types of characters to include. Meanwhile, the regeneration feature allowed quick remakes based on the same filters that we set.
Overall, these features easily make paid options like Norton way more comprehensive than the default password managers of Google and Android.
Norton Password Manager Pricing – Is it Affordable?
Norton offers a free plan that includes the vault, dashboard, and password generator. Even better, the plan lets you store unlimited passwords.
Its paid package plans are on par with those of antivirus rivals like TrendMicro. Besides being affordable, it offers ample plans to cater to varying needs and budgets:
However, you might want to take advantage of Norton’s other offerings for malware and ransomware protection, cloud backups, a VPN, parental control, and multi-logins.
To use these features with your password manager, let’s have a quick rundown of the paid plans offered by Norton, all of which you can trial for free for 14 days.
Is it hard to cancel a Norton subscription? Definitely not. However, it is worth noting that if you sign up for a trial, you’ll be billed when it ends unless you cancel.
Subscriptions also renew automatically, but they can be canceled before billing to avoid charges. If you’re on an annual plan, you’ll receive an email with renewal prices. Cancellations within 14 days (monthly) or 60 days (annual) from purchase are fully refundable.
Norton Password Manager Interface
During our Norton Password Manager review, we found that it’s on par with the easy and simple interfaces of RoboForm and 1Password.
As for me, the reason why they said so is that the extension, web, and mobile versions of Norton PM look similar. This similarity is convenient simply because users will always be familiar with the interface no matter what device they use.
We found the interface a delight to use. The white space, fonts, and buttons all help with the navigation we needed to do during testing. You can also use your mobile phone’s biometrics to log on to your password vault and manage vault-access recovery.
The best thing about having a password manager you can securely access via a browser like Norton’s is that whether you use Safari, Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Linux Mint, you won’t have to worry about losing access to your vault.
Norton Password Manager vs Other Password Managers
There’s a wide variety of options, including built-in and default password managers from Android and Google. This makes choosing a password manager difficult. To help, here are the market’s best Norton password manager alternatives so you can see how they compare and make an informed decision:
| Password Manager | Top Choice For | Starting Paid Plan(/month) | Top Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norton | A free PW manager + Businesses | $24.99/year | – Norton Password Gen – Security dashboard – Automatic password updates |
| 1Password | Families and travelers | $35.88/year | – Travel mode – Password alerts – Item sharing |
| Dashlane | Password manager and VPN combo | $59.88/month | – Password history – Built-in authenticator – File sharing |
| Keeper | Mac and iOS users | $24.49/year | – Private messaging app – File storage – Offline mode |
| RoboForm | Autofill needs | $23.88/month | – Dark-web monitoring – Password audits – Access control for trusted contacts |
Only Norton and RoboForm have free plans, but our series of tests proved Norton to be the best password manager for businesses due to its ease of setup and use.
If you want to see a more in-depth review of the solutions listed above, including others not mentioned, feel free to check out our review and comparison of the best password managers in 2024.
Norton Password Manager Reviews – What Are People Saying?
In addition to our own testing, we scoured reputable review sites to see what others had to say. For starters, Norton’s PW manager is rated 4.2/5 on G2 and 4.4 on Trustpilot, with many praising the platform for its easy setup process, simple interface, and great web extension.
I can relate to this Trustpilot user, as I forgot my Norton Account password when I had to attend a quick meeting. Luckily, I remembered my vault/master password. According to Norton Support, this password cannot be recovered once it’s forgotten.
We agree that there has to be a way to recover Norton vault passwords, as it brings us back to the same hassle of writing down a password. It’s fortunate that for Norton, you’ll only have to write down one.
Other TechReport Password Manager Guides
Norton may not be the perfect fit for you, your family, or your business. If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect password manager, you may find one of our other guides useful:
Why You Can Trust Our Norton Password Manager Review
We at TechReport take serious pride in our testing methodology. We ensure an unbiased overview of what you, our readers, can expect from the platform and only recommend the best tools for the job.
Besides testing the platform’s interface and functionality across devices and operating systems, we also factor in third-party experiences to ensure we’re offering complete insight into the platform.
We put the service through its paces, from the account creation down to password generation and storage, 2FA, and even account recovery.
Combined with our experience with other leading password managers, we’re able to offer accurate insight into where a platform shines or falls short when compared to rivals, helping you make an informed decision.
How to Use Norton Password Manager
It takes just a few minutes to set up and use Norton Password Manager. Here’s a quick guide on how you can get started:
1. Sign Up for a Norton Account
On Norton’s website, click on “Sign in,” and there, you can create an account by using an email address or via Google or Apple ID.
As a security measure, Norton doesn’t let you copy and paste details into their forms. Also, to avoid any hassle, click on the “Show password” button to ensure you’ve created the account password you intend to use.
2. Set Up Your PW Manager
Upon signing up, you can directly access your Norton account. However, it’s still safer to verify your account using the email address you entered earlier. This is to ensure that account recovery is easier. A successful signup will lead you to the page below:
Click on “Subscription Options,” which will bring you to the page that contains Norton’s plans. Scroll down to find the Password Manager and click on “Learn more.” This will lead you to this:
Since it’s a new account, no existing vaults will be available. Click on “Create vault” to create a vault/master password.
After this, the webpage will prompt you to write a hint. When you type your hint, make sure not to enter a word or a set of characters that are also used in your vault password, as Norton won’t allow you to proceed.
Final Thoughts
Norton PW manager is a solid choice if you’re after security, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. I found Norton’s capabilities as a security suite impressive, and its user-friendly across devices.
The zero-knowledge design, encryption method, and enhanced protection against brute-force attacks are already freemium security features. That said, we recommend a paid plan. Even the lowest-paid plan includes a VPN, backup memory allowance, and virus protection.
Overall, it’s a solid password management solution with added security perks.
