Test your password security instantly. Get detailed analysis, improvement suggestions, and estimated crack time.
Our comprehensive Password Strength Checker provides in-depth security analysis for any password, delivering instant, actionable insights into your password's vulnerability to modern cracking techniques. This advanced password security test evaluates multiple security dimensions including entropy calculation, estimated cracking time, pattern detection, and vulnerability to common attack vectors. Unlike basic password meters, our sophisticated password analyzer examines both the mathematical strength and practical security considerations of your passwords, offering specific recommendations for improvement. All analysis occurs entirely within your browser, ensuring complete privacy—your passwords never leave your device or get transmitted over the internet.
Our password strength meter employs a multi-layered analytical approach that goes far beyond simple character counting. We evaluate passwords across four primary security dimensions that collectively determine resistance to modern password cracking techniques:
Password length represents the single most significant security factor due to its exponential effect on possible combinations. Each additional character multiplies the search space by the character set size. Our password security analyzer demonstrates this mathematically: while an 8-character password with full complexity (95 possible characters per position) creates approximately 6.6 × 10¹⁵ possibilities, a 12-character password creates 5.4 × 10²³ possibilities—over 80 million times more combinations. We emphasize that extending password length provides more security benefit than adding complexity to short passwords.
Character variety expands the "alphabet" attackers must test during brute-force attempts. Our password validator evaluates inclusion across four critical character categories: lowercase letters (26 possibilities), uppercase letters (26), numbers (10), and special symbols (approximately 32). A password using all four categories expands the per-character search space to approximately 94 possibilities versus just 26 for lowercase-only passwords. However, we balance this analysis with the understanding that excessive complexity in short passwords provides minimal actual security benefit compared to increased length.
Our advanced password analyzer identifies multiple vulnerability patterns: dictionary words (in multiple languages), leetspeak substitutions (p@ssw0rd), keyboard walks (qwerty, 1qaz2wsx), sequential characters (abcd1234), repeated patterns, and personal information patterns. We employ sophisticated algorithms that detect even disguised dictionary words and common base terms with appended numbers or symbols. This analysis is crucial because pattern-based passwords fall quickly to dictionary and hybrid attacks regardless of their length or apparent complexity.
While our password security test cannot directly check if you've reused a password elsewhere, we evaluate password characteristics that indicate likely reuse: common base passwords, personal information patterns, and memorability-focused constructions that users tend to recycle. We provide strong warnings about password reuse, which represents one of the most dangerous security practices, enabling credential stuffing attacks where a single breached password compromises multiple accounts across different services.
The estimated time to crack displayed by our password strength checker represents a sophisticated calculation based on multiple technical factors and realistic attack scenarios:
Our password health check evaluates passwords against ten critical security criteria that collectively determine resistance to modern cracking techniques:
Understanding the current password security environment provides critical context for why thorough password safety analysis matters:
Our online password test provides specific, actionable recommendations based on your password's unique vulnerabilities:
Yes, our password strength checker operates with complete security through client-side execution—all analysis occurs within your browser using JavaScript, with zero data transmission to any server. We implement additional security measures including memory clearing after analysis, prevention of browser caching, and explicit warnings about screen visibility. For maximum security when testing highly sensitive passwords, we recommend using private browsing mode and ensuring no screen recording or surveillance software is active.
Our estimates represent worst-case brute-force scenarios against weak hash algorithms. Real-world attacks vary significantly: dictionary attacks can crack vulnerable passwords in seconds, while strong hashing algorithms (bcrypt, Argon2) slow attacks by factors of thousands or millions. The estimates provide valuable relative comparisons—a password with a "centuries" estimate is substantially more secure than one with "minutes" estimate—but actual cracking times depend on specific attack methods and password storage implementations.
Length provides exponentially more security benefit than complexity. Adding one character multiplies the search space by the character set size (typically 70-95), while adding a new character type only increases the per-character possibilities marginally. Our password safety analysis demonstrates this mathematically: a 16-character lowercase-only password has approximately 4.4 × 10²² possibilities, while an 8-character fully complex password has only 6.6 × 10¹⁵ possibilities—the longer password is millions of times more secure despite simpler character composition.
Properly constructed passphrases (4+ randomly selected uncommon words) provide superior security for several reasons: they're longer (20+ characters typically), easier to remember accurately, and resistant to dictionary attacks when truly random words are used. A passphrase like "amethyst-bungalow-quantum-friction" contains approximately 52 bits of entropy versus 44 bits for "Tr0ub4dor&3" despite being easier to remember. Our password health check evaluates passphrases using specialized criteria including word randomness, separator choice, and word length diversity.
Rotation frequency should follow a risk-based model: change financial and primary email passwords every 90 days, important work accounts every 120 days, social media every 180 days, and low-value accounts annually. However, recent NIST guidelines emphasize that frequent rotation of strong passwords provides minimal security benefit and may encourage weaker password practices. Our password security analyzer helps determine when rotation is actually necessary based on password strength and exposure risk factors.
Yes, for the majority of users, reputable password managers provide substantially more security than alternatives. Modern password managers employ zero-knowledge encryption (your master password never leaves your device), regular security audits, and protection against keyloggers through auto-fill functions. While all software carries some risk, the risk of password reuse, weak passwords, and written-down passwords far outweighs properly managed password manager risks. Our tool provides guidance on selecting and securely implementing password managers.
Our sophisticated password validator incorporates dictionary databases for English and 20+ additional languages, including common word variations, leetspeak substitutions (p@ssw0rd), and common appendages (password123). We also detect word fragments, phonetic spellings, and culturally common phrases. This comprehensive approach identifies dictionary-based vulnerabilities that basic checkers miss, providing more accurate security assessments for globally diverse user bases.
Yes, our password strength meter includes specialized passphrase evaluation that considers word randomness (avoiding common phrases), word length diversity, separator effectiveness, and overall entropy calculation. We compare passphrases against traditional passwords using equivalent entropy measurements, helping users understand the security trade-offs. For example, we might show that "tranquil-umbrella-battery-staple" has higher entropy than "M0nkey!Bread#2023" despite being easier to remember.
Account lockout policies significantly impact real-world security but don't affect offline attacks against stolen password databases. Our password security test provides dual estimates: one for online attacks (facing lockouts and rate limits) and one for offline attacks (unrestricted). This distinction is crucial—passwords that might survive online guessing attempts for years could fall in minutes against an offline database, emphasizing why password hash strength and unique passwords matter even with account lockout protections.
Our online password test provides specific improvement pathways based on your password's particular weaknesses. General recommendations include: extend length to 16+ characters, ensure inclusion of all character types, eliminate any dictionary words or patterns, and ensure uniqueness from other passwords. For immediate improvement, we suggest using our integrated password generator to create a strong replacement, then storing it in a password manager while updating the affected account.