Codebook Review 2024: Is It Good Enough?

Codebook is a simple password manager and data vault for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Its clean interface, strong security features, and ease of use make it a decent choice for everyday users.

While testing the macOS and Android apps, I found them highly intuitive. Creating entries, organizing them into folders, and accessing my password history was straightforward. I particularly like the option to add favorite entries and how easy it is to import data from other password managers using a basic CSV file (on Windows and macOS only).

Though I like Codebook, I have a couple of gripes. First, I couldn’t get auto-fill to work on my Android (though it works flawlessly on my Mac), and it doesn’t offer many extras. Finally, I didn’t find the Windows app as intuitive as the macOS and Android ones, and I don’t like its dated design.

Overall, Codebook is a good choice for a simple and secure app. It’s easy to create categories to organize everything neatly, and you can use Codebook to securely store all kinds of data, not just passwords.  The free app is excellent as an offline password and data manager, — especially if you only need it on 1 device. You can manually sync stored items to other devices with Dropbox, desktop Wi-Fi, and Google Drive, or you can get automatic background sync with Codebook Cloud, the paid plan that can be purchased at a reasonable price and comes with a 30-day free trial.

TRY CODEBOOK NOW

Codebook Full Review — A Simple, Intuitive & Secure Data Vault

Codebook is a no-frills password manager for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It offers biometric login, auto-fill, secure data storage (for notes, emails, dates, PINs, usernames, websites, and more), password auditing, password breach monitoring, and easy organization with folders and labels.

Codebook is a solid choice if you want a reliable password and data storage without too many features but with solid security and cross-platform availability.

Codebook Plans & Pricing — Free for Life (But Paid Cloud Syncing)

Codebook is free on any Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS device — but without automatic syncing. If you want to sync data across your devices, you have 2 options: you can either manually sync your vaults using Dropbox, Google Drive, desktop Wi-Fi, or local folder sync or subscribe to Codebook Cloud to get automatic background sync (eliminates the need to remember to sync yourself).

If you opt for the latter, you can choose between a yearly or monthly subscription. The monthly plan costs $7.00, while the annual plan is priced at $60.00, billed annually.

I honestly find this pricing reasonable as it’s about equal to most top password managers on the market. Of course, you can use the free manual syncing services instead, but the process is relatively complex.

Codebook Security Features — Powerful Encryption to Keep Your Data Safe

Codebook uses 256-bit AES encryption, the same secure standard trusted by banks and the military. While this type of encryption is common among top password managers like 1Password and Dashlane, Codebook stands out by using SQLCipher. This unique, open-source encryption engine adds extra protection against brute force attacks (which are among the most common password-cracking methods) and side-channel attacks. However, Codebook lacks additional features beyond biometric login (like multi-factor authentication), which other password managers offer for more comprehensive security.

Codebook operates on a zero-knowledge architecture, meaning it doesn’t have access to your data — only you do. Even when syncing via Google Drive, Dropbox, or local Wi-Fi, your data remains encrypted, ensuring that no one — including Codebook — can see or access your information.

I like using Codebook’s password generator. It creates 12-character passwords, the maximum length being 32 characters (which is pretty modest compared to RoboForm’s 512 characters). It combines upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, but you can also customize the type, choosing from options like Random, AlphaNumeric, Numbers Only, Diceware (passphrase), or Website Rules to meet common password requirements. Additionally, you can exclude easily confused characters like “1”, “0”, “l”, “o”, “O”, and others.

The password auto-fill feature is intended to automatically fill in your usernames and passwords on websites and apps, saving you from manually typing them. This speeds up the login process and minimizes the risk of keylogging attacks. In my tests, it worked well on Mac, but not on Android. Moreover, there’s no auto-save feature, which is disappointing.

Secret Agent is a form-filling tool available on both macOS and Windows. It lets you auto-fill forms by pulling data directly from Codebook using a simple keyboard shortcut, so you don’t need to open the main Codebook window. With Secret Agent, you can fill in single fields, automatically enter your username and password, or set up custom actions for more complex forms. However, Secret Agent isn’t available on mobile devices like iOS or Android. What’s more, password managers like RoboForm, Keeper, and many others can automatically recognize and fill out forms for you (without the use of shortcuts), so I wouldn’t exactly call this Codebook’s feature groundbreaking, although it is useful.

Codebook offers both local and cloud data storage, giving you complete control over your data while allowing for convenient syncing across multiple devices. This means you can use Codebook as an offline password manager or sync data manually or automatically across all of your devices (the latter option is available only if you sign up for a Codebook Cloud plan).

Speaking of storage, Codebook allows you to securely store a wide range of information beyond passwords. You can add entries with various fields, including 2-step codes, account numbers, dates, email addresses, phone numbers, PINs, images, and PDFs, which allows you to save items like ID cards and more. File size is limited to 10 MB, while the amount of storage you get with Codebook Cloud is 5 GB.

Finally, Codebook also offers password auditing and breach monitoring, alerting you to any weak passwords in your vault (but not to reused passwords) or those that have been involved in a data breach (the latter is only available on Apple devices).

Ease of Use & Setup — Clean & User-Friendly Interface (For the Most Part!)

Codebook is generally easy to download and set up across devices, and its clean interface makes navigating the app straightforward.

You can create custom labels or fields to suit your specific needs, offering a level of personalization that many password managers don’t provide. Combined with its folder-based system for organizing entries, Codebook’s data storage features give you complete control over how you manage and categorize your information.

The only glitch I experienced using Codebook was when I tried to use the auto-fill feature on Android — out of dozens of attempts, it only worked once. This is a considerable drawback for anyone who needs a password manager on their Android phone. That said, it worked great on my Mac.

If you forget your master password, your options are limited. If you use the same master password on several of your devices, there’s a way to retrieve the password from any of your devices. However, if you don’t use the same master password and haven’t written it anywhere, there’s no way to recover your account.

Codebook is also available for Android and iOS. The apps are nearly identical, with the only difference being the “Password Review” feature (via HaveIBeenPwned.com), which is available only on iOS. In addition, both mobile apps lack some features found on the desktop version, like data importing, exporting, and local folder syncing.

Codebook Customer Support — Efficient, Professional & Friendly

Customer support is primarily available via email, but there are a few other options if you need assistance. You can check out the discussion forum or contact the sales team for any inquiries. There’s also an FAQ section, though it redirects you to the forum. The discussion forum seems quite active, with new posts appearing almost daily.

I decided to try email support to see how responsive it is. I asked about their money-back guarantee (which Codebook doesn’t offer), and the team replied in about 24 hours — a pretty standard response time.

The reply was professional, helpful, and friendly, so I had no issues with the support overall. The only downside is the lack of live chat or phone support, which would be nice given that Codebook has a paid plan. But overall, the email support does a solid job.

So, Is Codebook a Solid Cross-Platform Password Manager and Data Vault?

Codebook is a reliable password manager and data vault for users who value simplicity and robust security. Its core features, including 256-bit AES encryption and SQLCipher, ensure your sensitive information is well-protected across iOS, macOS, Windows, and Android.

The app’s interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy to organize and manage your data. Biometric login provides convenient and secure access on mobile. However, the auto-fill feature doesn’t always work as intended, the syncing process is a bit complex, and the lack of multi-factor authentication (beyond biometric login) leaves room for improvement in its security offerings.

I think it’s best suited for those seeking a straightforward, no-frills password manager. Though it lacks some advanced features and extras found in competitors, like the ability to create shared vaults, securely share passwords, generate virtual cards and masked emails, etc., and even some basic ones, like auto-save, Codebook offers solid functionality for those who prioritize security and ease of use.

Frequently Asked Questions

How secure is Codebook?

Codebook is highly secure, using 256-bit AES encryption with SQLCipher to safeguard your sensitive data. Zetetic LLC, the company behind Codebook, developed SQLCipher, a widely trusted encryption library. It’s used by major companies and organizations like Samsung, Xerox, and even NASA, which speaks to the strong security SQLCipher provides. With Codebook, you’re getting the same level of encryption trusted by these well-known entities.

Is Codebook free?

Yes and no. Codebook is completely free without automatic background data syncing — but if you want the auto-sync, you’ll need to purchase a subscription. Subscriptions do come with a 30-day free trial of Codebook Cloud, which is used for cross-device syncing. After the trial, you’re welcome to subscribe to the monthly or annual plans.

How reliable is a password manager?

A password manager like Codebook is highly reliable for storing and managing passwords. It keeps your credentials organized and encrypts your data to ensure your sensitive information is safe from unauthorized access. In addition to storing passwords, password managers securely store other important data like credit card details and notes. As long as you use a master password that is strong and unique, a password manager is one of the most dependable tools for protecting your online accounts.