Password Strength Calculator

Test your password strength and security with our advanced password analyzer. Get instant feedback on crack time, entropy, character composition, and receive personalized recommendations to improve your password security.

Password Strength Calculator

Password Analysis

Enter your password below to analyze its strength, security level, and estimated crack time. Our calculator provides real-time feedback and security recommendations.

Privacy Notice

All password analysis is performed locally in your browser. Your password is never transmitted or stored on our servers.

About Password Strength Calculator

What is Password Strength?

Password strength refers to the effectiveness of a password in resisting guessing and brute-force attacks. It measures how difficult it would be for an attacker to crack your password using various methods including dictionary attacks, brute force, and pattern recognition.

Why Password Strength Matters

Strong passwords are your first line of defense against cybercriminals. Weak passwords can be cracked in seconds or minutes, while strong passwords can take centuries to break. With the increasing sophistication of hacking tools and techniques, having strong, unique passwords for all your accounts is more critical than ever.

Key Factors Affecting Password Strength

Length: Longer passwords are exponentially harder to crack
Character diversity: Using uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
Unpredictability: Avoiding common words, patterns, and personal information
Uniqueness: Using different passwords for different accounts
Entropy: The randomness and unpredictability of the password

Password Strength Levels

Very Weak (0-20 points):Easily cracked in seconds. Common passwords, short length, or simple patterns.

Weak (21-40 points):Can be cracked in minutes to hours. Limited character types or predictable patterns.

Fair (41-60 points):May take days to weeks to crack. Basic security requirements met but room for improvement.

Good (61-75 points):Would take months to years to crack. Meets most security standards.

Strong (76-89 points):Would take decades to crack. Excellent security for most purposes.

Very Strong (90-100 points):Would take centuries to crack. Maximum security level achieved.

Password Security Standards and Guidelines

Password security standards have evolved significantly over the years. Modern guidelines focus on length, uniqueness, and avoiding predictable patterns rather than complex character requirements alone.

NIST Guidelines (SP 800-63B)

Minimum 8 characters for user-chosen passwords
Maximum length of at least 64 characters should be supported
No composition rules (like requiring specific character types)
No mandatory periodic password changes
Screen passwords against common password dictionaries
Allow all printable ASCII characters and Unicode characters

Industry Best Practices

Banking & Finance: Minimum 12 characters, multi-factor authentication required

Healthcare (HIPAA): Minimum 8 characters, regular security assessments

Government (FISMA): Minimum 12 characters, complexity requirements vary by classification

Enterprise Systems: Minimum 10-14 characters, password managers encouraged

Security Benchmarks

Strength Level	Score Range	Typical Crack Time
Very Weak	0-20	Seconds to minutes
Weak	21-40	Minutes to hours
Fair	41-60	Days to weeks
Good	61-75	Months to years
Strong	76-89	Decades
Very Strong	90-100	Centuries or more

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to enter my real password here?

While our calculator processes passwords locally in your browser without sending them to servers, we recommend testing password patterns rather than actual passwords you use. Create similar test passwords to evaluate strength without compromising your real credentials.

How accurate are the crack time estimates?

Our estimates assume modern GPU-based attacks at approximately 1 billion attempts per second. Real crack times vary based on attack methods, hardware capabilities, and whether the password appears in common dictionaries. These estimates provide relative comparisons rather than absolute guarantees.

What makes a password truly strong?

Strong passwords combine length (12+ characters), character diversity (mixing types), unpredictability (avoiding patterns), and uniqueness (different for each account). Length is generally more important than complexity - a 16-character passphrase often beats a 10-character complex password.

Should I use special characters in every password?

Special characters increase password strength, but they're not always necessary. A long passphrase with spaces can be stronger than a short password with many symbols. Focus on length and unpredictability first, then add character diversity for extra security.

How often should I change my passwords?

Modern security guidelines recommend changing passwords only when there's evidence of compromise, rather than on arbitrary schedules. Focus on using strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication instead of frequent changes.

What's the difference between password strength and security?

Password strength measures resistance to cracking attempts, while overall security includes factors like uniqueness across accounts, two-factor authentication, secure storage, and protection from phishing. A strong password is just one component of comprehensive security.

Can password managers create passwords that are too strong?

Password managers typically generate passwords that are appropriately strong for their length. However, some systems have character limits or restrictions. The key is finding the right balance between maximum security and system compatibility.

Why do some 'complex' passwords score lower than expected?

Our calculator penalizes common patterns, dictionary words, and predictable sequences even if they include various character types. A password like 'Password123!' might seem complex but scores poorly due to its predictable pattern and common base word.

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