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True Key
- Free forever plan
- iOS and Android app
- Simple and secure
- Multi-factor authentication
- No credential sharing
- No password health check
McAfee True Key is a limited-feature password manager with a free version and excellent AES 256 encryption. Although free and low-cost pricing is attractive, True Key lacks critical features commonly found in comparable password managers.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.
SMB Guide’s Verdict for McAfee True Key
We rated True Key 7 out of 10. While it offers basic features for a low price, it’s not the most feature-rich password manager available.
Missing features, like password sharing and password breach monitoring plus customer complaints about poor service lowered the rating.
| Factor | Rating (out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Pricing & Plans | 8.5 |
| Multi-factor Security & Authentication | 8 |
| One-time Passwords | 9.5 |
| Password Capture & Generation | 7 |
| Password Sharing | 0 |
| User Interface and User Experience | 8 |
| Integrations and Compatibility | 7.5 |
| Customer Support | 8.5 |
| SMB Guide Rating | 7 |
In this True Key review, I’ve followed SMB Guide’s detailed criteria for evaluating password managers.
Pricing & Plans
True Key is included in McAfee’s suite of security tools and both the free and paid version can be downloaded as standalone programs by anyone.
Free
Anyone can add True Key to Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge browsers on any device, and to Safari on mobile devices (not desktop). However, the free version is limited to managing 15 passwords.
Price
- $0
Features
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Secure online vault you can access from any device
- Generates secure, unique passwords for each login
- Sync passwords across all devices
- Multiple ways to log in
- Saves credit cards for autofill
Who it’s for: Free solution for anyone who needs to save only a few logins.
Premium
The True Key premium plan offers the same features as the free plan, but for unlimited logins.
Price
- $19/year
Features
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Secure online vault you can access from any device
- Generates secure, unique passwords for each login
- Sync passwords across all devices
- Multiple ways to log in
- Saves credit cards for autofill
Who it’s for: Low-cost solution for anyone who needs an unlimited password manager.
Multi-factor Security & Authentication
True Key offers secure password storage with 256-bit AES encryption and end-to-end encryption. AES encryption is high-level security used by government organizations, banks, and big tech companies to protect sensitive data.
Even if the data is breached, hackers cannot decode the stolen information. It can only be decrypted using your master password or other form of access you set up.
McAfee has a zero-knowledge policy, which means employees can’t decrypt your information either.
True Key allows you to add multiple layers of protection to access your Launchpad password vault, including:
- 2nd Device authentication – send a text to a mobile device for verification
- Trusted device – remembers devices you previously verified as yours
- Master Password – set a password that is never stored
One-time Passwords
If you lose your master password, you can use the “Forgot Password” feature to reset it.
- Open the True Key dashboard on your browser or app.
- Enter your True Key email address.
- Click “Forgot your Master Password” to generate a reset email sent to your account email address.
- Open the email from True Key and follow the steps to reset your Master Password.
Note: Choose a master password that’s easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. Avoid obvious choices like birthdays and pet’s names.
Password phrases such as a line from your favorite show or book coupled with a number work well because the possibilities are endless.
Password Capture and Generation
It’s relatively easy to import your existing passwords into True Key.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Access the dashboard of your True Key Launchpad vault.
- Click the Settings icon at the top right.
- Click the Import button from the menu.
- Choose the app or browser where your existing passwords are stored: Dashlane, True Key, or Chrome.
- Import passwords.
If your browser or app isn’t listed, you’ll need to export your passwords from your browser or app into a .CSV file. Click any option to open a box then drag and drop your .CSV file into the box.
When you generate a password and login for a new website, True Key’s password generator defaults to 16 characters but you can choose a different length.
Toggles allow you to choose configuration. Choose some combination of numbers, upper and lower case letters, and special characters for an unbreakable password.
Next you’ll type in a username or your email address. Once that’s done, you’ll see a pop-up confirming that the login has been saved to your vault.
Password Sharing
True Key has no password sharing option and no emergency access feature that enables a trusted person you designate to access your vault if you can’t.
User Interface and User Experience
True Key’s password vault, Launchpad, is where your passwords are generated, stored, and organized.
The vault dashboard provides shortcuts to websites you frequently visit and allows you to easily add new logins and generate strong passwords.
You can also easily update your login information from the dashboard. The Launchpad vault has two view modes. You can choose tiles or a list.
The tile view is a visual display that resembles cards, and clicking them takes you to the site and automatically logs you in.
List view is simpler and shows more saved login information with less scrolling. It also shows the website URLs.
Saved passwords and usernames can be edited or deleted in the dashboard with one click. Editing mode opens a popup where you can change the username or email, password, and URL.
You can also give the website a custom name and add a note if you wish. Password strength is included in the listing. Strength is based on the length and complexity of the password.
The strongest passwords are long strings of random upper and lower case letters, with numbers and special characters.
Integrations and Compatibility
True Key is compatible with Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, but notably not Safari for desktop. It wont work with alternative browsers such as Brave, Vivaldi, and Tor.
One significant drawback was the inability to import existing passwords from most password managers. True Key can only import directly from:
- Dashlane
- Chrome
- McAfee True Key
Customer Support
True Key has several customer support options including McAfee virtual assistant, online community support, a contact form, and social media links.
No premium support is available even with paid accounts. There’s also a knowledge base with articles and videos.
True Key — Unique Features
True Key’s Launchpad dashboard is an inexpensive fairly basic password manager with limited features but it does offer multi-factor authentication.
You can set up several authenticators including Face ID, Touch ID, Android Fingerprint, 2nd Device, Master Password, Email confirmation, and identify Trusted Devices.
What the Experts Say About McAfee True Key
At the time of this writing, True Key had the following ratings and reviews:
- Chrome Web Store rating: 4.7/5 (1,500+ ratings)
- Google Play rating: 4.2/5 (28k+ ratings)
- Capterra rating: 4.6/5 (5+ ratings)
I’ve been using True Key for 5+ years and trust it implicitly. I haven’t had a single issue with the product. It’s fast, reliable, syncs across my devices, and is secure. I wouldn’t use any software for password management other than True Key. I’m a 100% satisfied and devoted customer.
– Zoie Y., Lifestyle Coach – Verified Capterra review
True-Key works well and is easy to use. It has an extension in the browser and you can login easily to all different sites.
– Daniel V., Director – Verified Capterra review
McAfee True Key Alternatives
True Key is easy to use and free or low cost, but it has some drawbacks that might make it less attractive. Here are some alternatives that might be a better fit.
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Primary Rating:
4.5
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4.3
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3.4
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$2.99/mo - $7.99/mo
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Free - $5.39/mo
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Free
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1Password
1Password is a popular password manager designed for personal and business use. Like True Key, 1Password uses end-to-end AES-256 encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), and zero-knowledge architecture to safeguard against insider leaks or data theft.
It also offers a secure password generator, unlimited passwords, autofill for forms, biometric recovery access, and file sharing.
Give 1Password a try for free today!
NordPass
NordPass offers top-notch XChaCha20 encryption, a zero-knowledge company policy, and multiple-factor authentication (MFA) to safeguard your password vault.
While the other features are comparable, the encryption algorithm is superior to True Key’s 256-bit AES encryption. It’s easy to use and offers a very limited free plan and competitive affordable paid plans.
Get started with NordPass for free
Norton Password Manager
Norton Password Manager has the same basic functions offered by True Key, and lacks similar popular features. Both lack secure sharing and password inheritance, but Norton Password Manager has a password checkup feature to identify weak and duplicate passwords, and also offers a one-click password update feature.
Norton Password Manager does not offer multi factor authentication and few options to recover a lost master password.
Instal Norton Password Manager for free
Getting Started with True Key
True Key is a simple low-cost vault to keep your passwords encrypted and safe, and you’re probably familiar with the McAfee brand of security products.
For $19.99/year, it has all the features you need for individual password security and is easy to use.
Download McAfee True Key today for free!
FAQs
Is True Key worth it?
Low cost makes True Key an attractive and secure password manager. However, it lacks features found in other password managers.
How safe is McAfee True Key?
McAfee’s True Key’s multi-factor authentication and end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption is secure, but it lacks password security checking, secure sharing, password inheritance, and other advanced features offered by some competitors.
What are the benefits of True Key?
True Key protects your passwords with end-to-end AES-256 encryption. Even if a hacker breached True Key data, they would only steal gibberish.
Unencrypted info is available only using the authentication you set up.
