Most people have many online accounts, and many of them reuse a few passwords. That is risky. When one site leaks its passwords, attackers try the same email and password on other sites. A unique, random password for every account stops this. A password generator makes those random passwords for you.
There are many free generators, and they look almost the same: pick a length, press a button, get a random string. The real differences are elsewhere. Where is the password made: on your device, or on someone else's server? And after it is made, who keeps it safe for you?
This article compares our own tool at FreeToolPoint with LastPass, 1Password, Norton and Random.org. It also covers two free options people often forget: Bitwarden and the generator built into your web browser. We made FreeToolPoint, so we are not neutral. To be fair, we describe exactly how our tool works and what it cannot do, and we say plainly when another tool is the better choice.
We have not checked the code of the other generators. Their features, free plans and prices change often, so we do not list numbers for them here. Check each company's own website before you rely on it.
First: A Generator Is Not a Password Manager
This matters more than the name of the tool.
- A standalone generator makes a password and shows it to you. That is all. You must copy it and save it somewhere yourself. FreeToolPoint and Random.org are like this. So are the free generator pages on the websites of LastPass, 1Password and Norton.
- A password manager makes the password, saves it in an encrypted vault, and fills it in the next time you log in. LastPass, 1Password, Bitwarden and Norton all make password managers. Web browsers do this too.
For most people, a password manager is the better everyday choice. A random 16-character password is hard to remember. If you have to write it in a note or reuse it, much of its value is lost.
Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | What it is | Saves and fills passwords? | Account needed? | Things to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeToolPoint | Standalone generator. Runs in your browser. | No. You copy it yourself. | No | 4 to 128 characters. One password at a time. No passphrases. |
| LastPass | Password manager, plus a free generator page on its website | Yes, in the password manager | Not for the website generator. Yes for the vault. | Free and paid plans. Reported a security incident in 2022. |
| 1Password | Password manager, plus a free generator page on its website | Yes, in the password manager | Not for the website generator. Yes for the vault. | The password manager is a paid product. See their site. |
| Norton | Security company with a free generator page and a password manager | Yes, in the password manager | Not for the website generator. Yes for the vault. | See their site for what is free. |
| Random.org | Standalone generator. The password is made on their server. | No | No | Uses atmospheric noise. The password travels over the internet to you. |
| Bitwarden | Open-source password manager with a generator | Yes | Yes for the vault | Has a free plan. Can also make passphrases. |
| Your browser | Built-in suggestion when you sign up on a site | Yes, in the browser | Only to sync between devices | Already installed. Works best if you use one browser everywhere. |
The Tools One by One
1. FreeToolPoint Password Generator
Our tool runs in your browser. Each character is picked with a random number from crypto.getRandomValues(), the random number function that browsers provide for security use. It does not use Math.random(). The password is not sent to our server or to anyone else. After the page has loaded, you can switch off your internet connection and it still works.
Here is what it does:
- Length: any length from 4 to 128 characters. The default is 16.
- Character types: four boxes for uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols. With all four ticked, the pool has 88 characters (26 + 26 + 10 + 26 symbols). Every password has at least one character from each ticked box. A 16-character password from that pool has about 103.4 bits of strength.
- Strength bar: shows the estimated bits of entropy (length × log2 of the pool size) and a label from Weak to Very strong. For example, 16 lowercase letters show Good at 75.2 bits.
And here is what it does not do:
- It does not save or fill passwords. It shows one password at a time and forgets it when you make a new one. Copy it before you change any setting.
- No passphrases, no bulk lists, and no option to leave out look-alike characters such as
0andO.
One more honest note. Like every page on our site, the tool page loads Google Analytics and Google ads. The tool itself does not send the password anywhere. But if you want the password to never appear on any web page at all, use the generator inside a password manager app.
2. LastPass
LastPass is a well-known password manager. It also has a free password generator page on its website that you can use without an account. Inside the LastPass app and browser extension, the generator can save the new password to your vault straight away.
In 2022, LastPass reported a security incident in which attackers copied backups of customer vault data. Read LastPass's own reports and news coverage, and decide for yourself. LastPass has a free plan and paid plans. Check their site for the current limits.
3. 1Password
1Password is a password manager sold as a paid subscription. It also has a free generator page on its website that works without an account. Besides random passwords, it can make memorable, word-based passwords. Inside the app, new passwords are saved to your vault.
If you already pay for 1Password, use the generator in the app. Then you do not need to copy the password between tools.
4. Norton
Norton is a security company known for antivirus software. It has a free password generator page on its website with the usual options, such as length and character types. Norton also offers a password manager. Check their site for which parts are free.
The website generator on its own does the same basic job as the other standalone generators here. Its main value is for people who already use Norton products.
5. Random.org
Random.org is different. It makes random numbers from atmospheric noise, picked up by radio receivers. It has many uses, such as drawing names or rolling dice, and it also has a password generator.
For passwords, two things matter. First, the password is made on Random.org's server and sent to your browser. The connection is encrypted, but the server still sees the password. Second, "true" randomness does not make a password stronger in practice. A good random number function in your browser is already strong enough. For passwords, a generator that runs on your device is the safer habit. Random.org is still a good service for its other uses.
Two Free Options People Forget
The generator in your browser
Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge can suggest a strong password when you create an account on a website. They then save it and fill it in next time. You do not need to install anything. The main limit is that it works best if you use the same browser on all your devices.
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager. Open source means anyone can read its code. It has a free plan, and its generator can make both random passwords and passphrases. If you want a free password manager, it is a good place to start. Check their site for what the free plan includes.
How to Choose: A Short Checklist
- Do you already use a password manager? Use its generator. The password is saved at the same moment it is made.
- No password manager yet? Pick one first, such as Bitwarden's free plan or the one built into your browser. This helps more than any generator.
- Need a password outside a manager? For example, a Wi-Fi password or a router login. A standalone generator that runs in your browser, like ours, is fine. Save the result somewhere safe.
- Must you type it from memory? For example, your password manager's master password. Use a passphrase of 5 or 6 random words. Our tool does not make these, but Bitwarden and 1Password can.
- Avoid generators that make the password on a server. A generator that runs on your device keeps the password off the network.
What Makes a Password Strong
- Length matters most. 20 random lowercase letters (about 94 bits) are stronger than 12 random characters of all four types (about 77.5 bits).
- Random, not chosen by you. Words, names, dates and swaps like
P@ssw0rdare easy to guess, even when long. - One password per account. Then a leak on one site does not open your other accounts.
- Brand new, not edited. Changing
Summer2025!toSummer2026!is easy to guess for anyone who saw the old one.
For most accounts, 16 random characters with all four types is plenty. If a site does not allow symbols, use 18 letters and numbers instead.
More Useful Than a Longer Password: 2FA
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for your email, bank and cloud storage. With 2FA, a login needs your password plus a second thing, such as a code from an app on your phone. Then a stolen password alone is not enough. Your email matters most, because it can reset all your other passwords.
A good setup looks like this: a password manager, a strong master passphrase you remember, a unique random password for every site, and 2FA on your important accounts.
Conclusion
All the tools here can make a strong password. The better questions are where the password is made, and who keeps it safe afterwards. For everyday use, a password manager with its own generator is the best fit. For a quick one-off password, a generator that runs in your browser, like FreeToolPoint's, does the job. Just save the result somewhere safe.