Comparison
Password managers are essential security tools. But if you're relying on them for your digital legacy plan, you're only solving part of the problem—and potentially creating new ones.
Let's start with the obvious: everyone should use a password manager. They solve critical problems:
No more reusing passwords. Every site gets a unique, strong password.
Your passwords are encrypted, not sitting in a text file or your browser's insecure storage.
No need to remember or type passwords. The manager handles it.
Share specific passwords with family members without exposing your full vault.
If you're not using a password manager yet, stop reading this and go set one up. 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane—they're all good choices. This is non-negotiable for basic security.
Here's the critical insight most people miss: having the password doesn't mean you have access. Modern account security has evolved far beyond passwords, and your family faces challenges a password list doesn't solve.
Your family has the password, but the 2FA code goes to your phone. If they don't have your phone or can't unlock it, they're still locked out.
This blocks access to most important accounts: email, banking, social media.
What was your first pet's name? Your mother's maiden name? Your family might know the answers, but they might not—and getting them wrong can trigger lockouts.
Often used as a recovery fallback, making them critical but rarely documented.
Most services give you backup codes when you enable 2FA. Where are they? Are they in the password manager? A separate file? Your desk drawer?
Without these, account recovery may require identity verification—which is hard for someone who isn't you.
Apple, Google, and others are moving toward passkeys and biometric-only authentication. Your fingerprint or face can't be inherited.
Passwordless auth is more secure for you, but potentially devastating for inheritance.
Even if we ignore the access issues above, password managers are designed to store credentials, not the broader context your family needs:
Where's the safe? The safety deposit box key? The original will?
Who's your attorney? Financial advisor? Insurance agent? Employer HR?
What accounts should be closed vs. memorialized? What's valuable vs. deletable?
Messages for loved ones, funeral preferences, charitable intentions.
Location and access instructions for wills, trusts, powers of attorney.
Bills that need paying, subscriptions to cancel, people to notify immediately.
Sure, you can stuff notes into password manager entries. But that's not what they're designed for, and it quickly becomes unmanageable.
Here's another critical gap: how does your family actually get access to your password manager when you die?
The fundamental tension: you want the password secure during your lifetime but accessible after. Most password managers aren't designed to solve this specific problem elegantly.
Password managers excel at daily credential management—generating unique passwords, autofilling login forms, syncing across devices. Keep using yours.
EstateHelm is your household's brain. Yes, it can store passwords (shared household credentials, personal digital identities with 2FA backup codes), but that's one small part of organizing your entire life—properties, vehicles, pets, documents, subscriptions, maintenance history—with built-in continuity planning for when something happens to you.
| Capability | Password Manager | EstateHelm |
|---|---|---|
| Browser autofill & password generation | ||
| Store passwords & credentials | ||
| Zero-knowledge encryption | ||
| 2FA codes, security questions, backup codes | Limited | |
| Household sharing (WiFi, streaming, smart home) | Awkward | |
| Track properties, vehicles, pets, documents | ||
| Maintenance history & service records | ||
| Automatic release to beneficiaries | Rare | |
| Works offline indefinitely (Continuity Capsule) | Varies |
You can use EstateHelm alone (it stores passwords just fine), use a password manager alone (but lose the broader context), or use both together. Here's what we recommend:
Browser autofill and password generation are genuinely useful for day-to-day security. No reason to give that up.
Your household's properties, vehicles, pets, documents, subscriptions, contacts—plus shared credentials like WiFi and streaming services that the whole family needs.
Include how to access your password manager (master password location, recovery codes) so your family can get to everything else.
Configure automatic release to beneficiaries after inactivity. Your family gets access when they need it, without needing to guess your master password or hire a lawyer.
EstateHelm organizes your entire life—not just passwords. Everything your family needs to know, in one secure place, with automatic release when something happens to you:
Password managers: Essential for daily browsing. Browser autofill, password generation, cross-device sync. Keep using yours.
EstateHelm: Your household's brain. Passwords are one piece—along with properties, vehicles, pets, documents, subscriptions, and everything else your family needs to know. Zero-knowledge encryption. Automatic continuity planning.
Together: Your password manager handles daily convenience. EstateHelm handles the complete picture—including how to access your password manager when you can't.