Software · head to head
Keeper vs Mercury Reader
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Keeper free tier is severely limited to 10 passwords on a single device; essentially a trial rather than a usable free version; Mercury Reader mercury Reader's underlying engine (Postlight Parser) is free open source software licensed under Apache License 2.0, per the GitHub repository, with no paid tier
- They diverge on capability: Keeper covers Password management, Mercury Reader covers Content extraction.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Keeper and Mercury Reader actually diverge.
| Attribute | Keeper | Mercury Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | free |
| Platforms | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave, Opera, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | Chrome, Firefox, Edge |
| Founded | 2011 | 2015 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Keeper
- Password management
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Secure file storage
- BreachWatch
- Safari support
- Opera support
Only in Mercury Reader
- Content extraction
- Clean reading view
- Custom themes
- Font customization
Both cover
- Chrome support
- Firefox support
- Edge support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Keeper
- Business and enterprise password management with zero-knowledge encryptionnot Mercury Reader
- Privileged access management for admin and service accountsnot Mercury Reader
- Secure remote access and privileged session recordingnot Mercury Reader
- Application secrets management through Secrets Managernot Mercury Reader
- Government deployments requiring FedRAMP Highnot Mercury Reader
Mercury Reader
No use cases recorded yet. See the Mercury Reader review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Keeper
- Free tier is severely limited to 10 passwords on a single device; essentially a trial rather than a usable free version
- Personal plan at $1.79/month is promotional pricing; regular price is higher, making budget comparison difficult
Mercury Reader
- Mercury Reader's underlying engine (Postlight Parser) is free open source software licensed under Apache License 2.0, per the GitHub repository, with no paid tier
Pricing, plan by plan
Keeper
Free- FreeFree
- 10 passwords max
- Single device only
- No sync
- Personal$1.79/month
- Unlimited passwords
- All devices
- 2FA support
- Family$3.83/month
- Up to 5 users
- Unlimited storage
- Shared vaults
Mercury Reader
Free- FreeFree
- Clutter removal
- Clean reading
- Custom themes
Which should you pick?
Choose Keeper if
- You need password management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave, Opera, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
- You also want zero-knowledge encryption.
Choose Mercury Reader if
- You need content extraction.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
- You also want clean reading view.
Questions people ask
- Is Keeper or Mercury Reader better?
- Neither clearly leads. Keeper starts at Free and Mercury Reader at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Keeper or Mercury Reader?
- Keeper starts at Free and Mercury Reader at Free.
- Does Keeper or Mercury Reader run on more platforms?
- Keeper runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave, Opera, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Mercury Reader runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge.
- Can I use Keeper for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Keeper best used for?
- Keeper is most often used for business and enterprise password management with zero-knowledge encryption, privileged access management for admin and service accounts, secure remote access and privileged session recording, application secrets management through secrets manager. Of those, business and enterprise password management with zero-knowledge encryption and privileged access management for admin and service accounts are not what Mercury Reader is typically brought in for.
- What can Keeper do that Mercury Reader cannot?
- Keeper covers Password management, Zero-knowledge encryption, Secure file storage, BreachWatch. Mercury Reader covers Content extraction, Clean reading view, Custom themes, Font customization. Both handle Chrome support, Firefox support, Edge support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Keeper: Is there a free version of Keeper?
Keeper offers a free version with very limited functionality: it stores only 10 passwords on a single mobile device with no cross-device sync. A 30-day free trial provides full access to all features.
SourceKeeper: What are Keeper's paid pricing plans?
Keeper Personal starts at $1.79/month (promotional pricing) with annual billing. Keeper Family covers up to 5 users at $3.83/month annually. Both include unlimited password storage, cross-device sync, and 2FA support.
SourceKeeper: What browsers and devices does Keeper support?
Keeper has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave, and Opera. It also offers native apps for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and web access.
SourceKeeper: Does Keeper support 2FA and passkeys?
Yes, Keeper stores and autofills FIDO2 passkeys and supports multiple 2FA methods including TOTP, SMS, and WebAuthn. Biometric login (fingerprint/face recognition) is also supported.
SourceKeeper: How secure is Keeper?
Keeper uses zero-knowledge architecture where data is encrypted and decrypted only on your device. Only you can access your vault, and the company cannot see your passwords or data.
Source