The 8 best privacy and security apps in 2026
Our pick: The best privacy and security app in 2026 is 1Password (9.2/10), followed by Bitwarden and Proton VPN.
Security apps are only worth installing if you can trust the company behind them. We rank password managers, VPNs, encrypted email and authenticator apps on their security model and audits, ease of use, speed, price and how much they know about you.
1PasswordPolished password manager for families and teams
9.2
Best free
Bitwarden9.1 overall
Most private
Mullvad VPN8.8 overall
The full ranking
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1
1Password9.2
Polished password manager for families and teams 9.20 -
2
Bitwarden9.1
Open-source password manager with a generous free plan 9.10 -
3
Proton VPN9.0
Audited no-logs VPN with a truly unlimited free plan 9.00 -
4
Ente Auth8.9
Free, open-source 2FA codes with encrypted backup 8.90 -
5
Mullvad VPN8.8
Anonymous VPN with no email sign-up and one flat price 8.80 -
6
Proton Mail8.7
End-to-end encrypted email from Switzerland 8.70 -
7
NordVPN8.6
Fast, feature-packed VPN with a huge server network 8.60 -
8
Malwarebytes7.9
Malware scanning and scam protection for every device 7.90
Votes don't change our scores. They show whether readers agree with the order — sort by Most upvoted to see theirs.
Head to head
Guides for privacy & security
Questions
What is the best privacy and security app in 2026?
1Password is our top pick, with an overall score of 9.2 out of 10. 1Password is the most polished password manager you can buy. Autofill is reliable across apps and browsers, Watchtower flags weak and breached logins, and passkeys, Travel Mode and shared vaults are built in. Its Secret Key design adds a strong extra layer of protection to your account password. The catch: there's no free plan. Get it for a family or team that needs something everyone will use.
What is the best free privacy and security app?
Bitwarden is the highest-ranked privacy and security app you can use meaningfully without paying, scoring 9.1 overall.
Which privacy and security app is best for privacy?
Mullvad VPN has the highest privacy score in this category at 9.9 out of 10.