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PCMag UK

RoboForm Desktop 7

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
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65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
RoboForm Desktop 7 has hardly changed in the last four years, while the password-manager market has evolved. It's still quite effective, but lacks some features we've come to expect. - RoboForm Desktop 7
3.5 Good

The Bottom Line

RoboForm Desktop 7 has hardly changed in the last four years, while the password-manager market has evolved. It's still quite effective, but lacks some features we've come to expect.
Best Deal£15

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Pros & Cons

    • Excellent form-filling and application password management.
    • Highly configurable password manager.
    • Biometric authentication.
    • Passwords stored locally, not in the cloud.
    • No smartphone-based two-factor authentication.
    • Dated interface.
    • Vast collection of options will daunt some users.
    • No way to use saved contact info.
    • Limited password sharing.

RoboForm Desktop 7 Specs

Authentication Options: Biometric
Authentication Options: Password
OS Compatibility: Windows 7
OS Compatibility: Windows 8
OS Compatibility: Windows Vista
OS Compatibility: Windows XP
Password Strength Report: No
Platforms: Mac
Platforms: Windows
Secure Password Sharing: No
Tech Support: Live chat and toll-free phone support 8am-8pm Eastern; email support 24/7
Type: Business
Type: Enterprise
Type: Personal
Type: Professional
All Specs

The antivirus market seems to compel companies to release a new version each year; the password manager market, not so much. RoboForm Desktop 7 ($29.95, direct) came out in 2011, and version 6 emerged seven years before that. It's still the current version and has changed very little, while the market as a whole has evolved. RoboForm is as effective as ever, but it's starting to look a little dated.

Unlike most of the competition, RoboForm isn't subscription based. Once you pay your $29.95, you can use it indefinitely, including all updates. You won't have to pay again until version 8 appears. Considering how infrequently RoboForm gets updated, this is a seriously good deal. No subscription fee makes sense, because the desktop edition resides entirely on your own computer. It's not taking up any server storage or bandwidth for Siber Systems. You don't get the benefit of syncing across devices, but you also don't risk losing data to a breach. 

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Final Thoughts

RoboForm Desktop 7 has hardly changed in the last four years, while the password-manager market has evolved. It's still quite effective, but lacks some features we've come to expect. - RoboForm Desktop 7

RoboForm Desktop 7

3.5 Good

RoboForm Desktop 7 has hardly changed in the last four years, while the password-manager market has evolved. It's still quite effective, but lacks some features we've come to expect.

Get It Now
Best Deal£15

Buy It Now

£15

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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