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Cybersecurity · head to head

Enpass vs Visual Studio

Enpass logo

Enpass

Cybersecurity

Offline-first password manager that stores your vault locally instead of the cloud

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Enpass no built-in cloud sync of its own, so users must configure a third-party storage provider for multi-device sync.; Visual Studio community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Enpass and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Enpass and Visual Studio differ
AttributeEnpassVisual Studio
Platformsweb, ios, android, windows, mac, linuxWeb
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Enpass

  • Offline vaults
  • Bring-your-own-cloud sync
  • Autofill and password generator
  • Password audit
  • Business admin console
  • Cross-platform apps

Only in Visual Studio

Nothing recorded that Enpass does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Enpass

  • Storing passwords without trusting a vendor's cloudnot Visual Studio
  • Syncing a vault via personal cloud storagenot Visual Studio
  • Managing a household's shared loginsnot Visual Studio
  • Provisioning team vaults with SSO-adjacent admin controlsnot Visual Studio

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Enpass
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Enpass
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Enpass
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Enpass
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot Enpass

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Enpass

  • No built-in cloud sync of its own, so users must configure a third-party storage provider for multi-device sync.
  • Mobile Lite tier caps vaults at 25 items, pushing active mobile users toward a paid plan quickly.
  • Lacks dark web monitoring and breach alerting found in some competing password managers.
  • Team/business plan lacks a native SSO login option comparable to enterprise-grade competitors.

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Enpass

Free
  • LiteFree
    • Up to 25 items on mobile
    • Unlimited items on desktop trial
    • No cloud sync
  • Individual$1.99/month
    • Unlimited items
    • Cloud sync via own storage provider
    • Unlimited devices
  • Family$2.99/month
    • Up to 6 members
    • Shared vaults
    • Unlimited devices per member
  • Business$1.99/month
    • Per-user pricing billed yearly
    • Admin console
    • Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace integration

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Enpass if

  • You need offline vaults.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android, windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want bring-your-own-cloud sync.
Enpass review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Enpass or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Enpass starts at Free and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Enpass or Visual Studio?
Enpass starts at Free and Visual Studio at Free.
Does Enpass or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Enpass runs on web, ios, android, windows, mac, linux. Visual Studio runs on Web.
Can I use Enpass for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Enpass best used for?
Enpass is most often used for storing passwords without trusting a vendor's cloud, syncing a vault via personal cloud storage, managing a household's shared logins, provisioning team vaults with sso-adjacent admin controls. Of those, storing passwords without trusting a vendor's cloud and syncing a vault via personal cloud storage are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Enpass do that Visual Studio cannot?
Enpass covers Offline vaults, Bring-your-own-cloud sync, Autofill and password generator, Password audit.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

Source
Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

Source
Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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