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The best password manager for 2024

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The best password manager for 2024

Think about your digital footprint. How many accounts have you created online since you first started using the internet? How many of those use the same passwords, so you have an easier time logging in? It’s a habit we’ve all fallen into, but it greatly weakens our ability to stay secure online. Just one password leak can compromise dozens of accounts.

Password managers can help you break that habit. It’ll do the tedious work of creating and storing various passwords to up your security posture without testing your memorization skills. But there are dozens of password managers available now — that’s why we tested out nine of the best services available now to help you choose the right one for your needs. 1Password remains our top pick for the best password manager, thanks to its zero-knowledge policy, numerous security features and general ease of use, but there are other top password managers out there to consider as well.

1Password

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Number of tiers: 4 | Pricing: $3/month for Individual, $5/month for Families, $20/month for Teams Starter Pack, $8/month per user for Business | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Edge, Command Line

Many security experts trust 1Password with their private information and, after testing it out, it’s clear why. The service includes industry standard encryption, a “secret key” that only you know on top of your master password, a zero-knowledge policy that means it keeps no data, and other security features like frequent audits, two-factor authentication and a bug bounty program. That said, 1Password did fall victim to a recent cybersecurity incident that’s worth noting. 1Password detected suspicious activity on its Okta instance, but an investigation “concluded that no 1Password user data was accessed.” 1Password now also supports passkeys, which are credentials stored in your most used devices that are protected by biometric authentication (like fingerprints or facial recognition) or PINs.

1Password has a pretty intuitive user interface across its desktop and mobile apps. A tutorial at download helps you import passwords from other managers onto 1Password so that you don’t feel like you’re starting over from scratch. It also clearly rates the strength of each password and has an “open and fill” option in the vault so that you can get into your desired site even more quickly. We also liked the user-friendly option to scan a set up code to easily connect your account to your mobile devices without too much tedious typing.

At $3 per month, the individual subscription comes with unlimited passwords, items and one gigabyte of document storage for your vault. It also lets you share passwords, credit card information and other saved credentials. If you upgrade to the family plan for $5 each month, you’ll get to invite up to five people (plus more for $1 each per month) to be a part of the vault.

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Pros
  • Zero-knowledge policy
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Available across most platforms

$3 at 1Password

Bitwarden

Number of tiers: 3 | Pricing: Free, $3/month per user for Teams Organization, $5/month per user for Enterprise Organization | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, Opera, Tor, DuckDuckGo for Mac, Command Line

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Bitwarden’s free plan includes unlimited passwords on an unlimited number of devices, which is more than we’ve seen from some of its competitors. There are drawbacks like you can only share vault items with one other user, but we think that’s a fair tradeoff.

Bitwarden is based on open-source code, meaning anyone on GitHub can audit it, which is a good measure of security. On a personal level, it includes security audits of your information, like a data breach report, that can keep you in the know about when your passwords have been leaked and when it’s time to change them. Plus, it’s widely available across the platforms we tested, including Windows and iOS, with a level of customization, options to access your password vault and more. It also recently added passkeys to its vault and two-factor authentication options as a secure way to sign in.

Bitwarden may be the best free password manager, but it does have a paid version and we do think it’s worth it. At $10 annually for individuals or $40 for families, you unlock encrypted file storage, emergency access, unlimited sharing and more additional features. But the free version comes with the basics that can get anyone set up on password management easily.

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Pros
  • Robust free version
  • Based on open-source code
  • Available across a wide variety of platforms
Cons
  • Free version can only share a vault with one other user

$0 at Bitwarden

NordPass

Number of tiers: 3 | Pricing: Free, $2/per month for Premium, $4/month for Family | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge

Across password managers we tested, cross-platform availability was relatively similar. Most are widely available across web browsers and different operating systems, including our other top picks on this list. But we wanted to give a nod to NordPass here because of how easy the service makes it to access your vault from any platform while keeping your data safe. NordPass even lets you use biometric data to sign in now, like your fingerprints or face, making it even easier to get into accounts across devices.

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NordPass has a free option with unlimited passwords and syncs across devices. A $2-per-month premium plan keeps you logged in when switching devices, comes with security notifications and allows for item sharing. A family subscription comes with six premium accounts and only costs $4 per month. This makes it an excellent budget option as well. Besides the pairing code to connect accounts, NordPass is a pretty standard password manager. Scanning a code gets me from my laptop to mobile device to work computer super easily. If you’re constantly switching devices and those extra few seconds save your sanity, it’s worth considering.

Pros
  • Available across a wide variety of platforms
  • Relatively affordable
  • Allows for biometric logins

$2 at NordPass

Dashlane

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Number of tiers: 4 | Pricing: Free, $3/month for Advanced, $5/month for Premium, $7/month for Friends and Family | Compatibility: macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, Edge, Opera

Dashlane has four subscription options: A free user gets access to a single device with unlimited passwords; an advanced user pays $3 per month to get upgraded to unlimited devices and dark web monitoring; for $5 per month, a premium user also gets VPN access and an $7.49-per-month family plan includes access for up to 10 subscribers.

It met all the criteria we looked for, but with a clear emphasis on sharing credentials. Dashlane highlights “secure sharing” starting at its free level, which is a functionality that some competitors keep behind a paywall. Other free features, however, recently took a hit. Dashlane limited the number of passwords users of the free version could store. Access for up to 10 members in a family plan is one of the bigger plans we’ve seen as well. While we were testing it, password sharing seemed front of mind with a tab dedicated to it in Dashlane’s browser extension. Arguably the biggest caveat here, though, is lack of Linux support.

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Pros
  • Easy to securely share information with others
  • Free version includes robust sharing features
Cons
  • Free version supports a limited number of passwords
  • No Linux support

$3 at Dashlane

It seems counterintuitive to store all your sensitive information in one place. One hack could mean you lose it all to an attacker and struggle for months or even years to rebuild your online presence, not to mention you may have to cancel credit cards and other accounts. But most experts in the field agree that password managers are a generally secure and safe way to keep track of your personal data, and the benefits of strong, complex passwords outweigh the possible risks.

The mechanics of keeping those passwords safe differs slightly from provider to provider. Generally, you have a lengthy, complex “master password” that safeguards the rest of your information. In some cases, you might also get a “security key” to enter when you log in to new devices. This is a random string of letters, numbers and symbols that the company will send you at sign up. Only you know this key, and because it’s stored locally on your device or printed out on paper, it’s harder for hackers to find.

These multiple layers of security make it difficult for an attacker to get into your vault even if your password manager provider experiences a breach. But the company should also follow a few security basics. A “zero-knowledge” policy means that the company keeps none of your data on file, so in the event of an attack, there’s nothing for hackers to find. Regular health reports like pentests and security audits are essential for keeping companies up to par on best practices, and other efforts like bug bounty programs or hosting on an open source website encourage constant vigilance for security flaws. Most password managers now also offer some level of encryption falling under the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). AES 256-bit is the strongest, because there are the most number of possible combinations, but AES 128-bit or 192-bit are still good.

You likely already use a password manager, even if you wouldn’t think to call it that. Most phones and web browsers include a log of saved credentials on the device, like the “passwords” keychain in the settings of an iPhone. That means you’ve probably seen the benefits of not having to memorize a large number of passwords or even type them out already.

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While that’s a great way in, the downfall of these built-in options are that they tend to be device specific. If you rely on an Apple password manager, for example, that works if you’re totally in the Apple ecosystem — but you become limited once you get an Android tablet, Lujo Bauer, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and of computer science, at Carnegie Mellon University, said. If you use different devices for work and personal use and want a secure option for sharing passwords with others, or just don’t want to be tied to one brand forever, a third-party password manager is usually worth it.

We tested password managers by downloading the apps for each of the nine contenders on iPhone, Android, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. That helped us better understand what platforms each manager was available on, and see how support differs across operating systems and browsers.

As we got set up with each, we took note of ease of use and how they iterated on the basic features of autofill and password generators. Nearly all password managers have these features, but some place limits on how much you can store while others give more control over creating easy-to-type yet complex passwords. From there, we looked at extra features like data-breach monitoring to understand which managers offered the most for your money.

Finally, we reviewed publicly available information about security specs for each. This includes LastPass, which more experts are shying away from recommending after the recent breach. For the sake of this review, we’ve decided not to recommend LastPass at this time as fallout from the breach still comes to light (The company disclosed a second incident earlier this year where an unauthorized attack accessed the company’s cloud storage, including sensitive data. Since then, hackers have stolen more than $4.4 million in cryptocurrency using private keys and other information stored in LastPass vaults.)

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These are the password managers we tested:

For a while, security experts considered LastPass a solid choice for a password manager. It’s easy to use, has a slew of helpful extra features and its free version gives you a lot. But we decided not to include LastPass in our top picks because of the high profile data breaches it has experienced over the past couple of years.

Keeper met a lot of the basic criteria we tested for, like autofill options and cross-platform availability. We liked its family plan options, too, that can keep your whole household secure. But we didn’t think its extra features, like the encrypted messaging app, added much value. Plus, it has a self-destruct feature after five incorrect login attempts which, despite adding extra protection, could be a recipe for disaster for casual users.

Enpass works well as an affordable password manager. That includes an inflation-beating “lifetime” access pass instead of a monthly payment for users really committed to the service. Still, it was confusing to set up across devices and because Enpass stores data locally, as opposed to in the cloud, we struggled to get started with it on mobile.

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A familiar name in security, we were excited to test out Norton’s password manager. While it’s free, its features seem underdeveloped. It lacked password sharing, account recovery and complex form-filing tools that come standard in many of the other password managers we tested.

LogMeOnce comes with a wide range of premium tiers, from professional to family, that include different levels of storage and features. But when we tested, it lacked some basic cross-platform availability that other password managers had already, like compatibility with Mac and Safari.

Using a password manager can enhance your online security. They store all of your complex passwords and autofill them as needed, so that you can have unique, good passwords across the web without remembering each of them yourself. In many cases, unique passwords are your first defense against attack, and a reliable manager makes it easier to keep track of them all.

Password managers are a secure way to store your credentials. Experts in the field generally agree that the benefits of accessibility when storing complex passwords outweigh the possibility of attack, like what happened with LastPass. But with any service, it can vary from provider to provider. You should look out for zero-knowledge policies, regular security audits, pentests, bug bounty programs and encryption when choosing the right secure password manager for you.

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Think of password managers like virtual safe deposit boxes. They hold your valuables, in this case usually online credentials, in a section of the vault only accessible to you by security key or a master password. Most of these services have autofill features that make it convenient to log in to any site without needing to remember every password you have, and they keep your credit card information close for impulse purchases.

But given that passwords are one of the top ways to keep your online identity secure, the real value of password managers is staying safe online. “It’s just not possible without a password manager to have unique, long and hard-to-guess passwords,” Florian Schaub, an associate professor of information and of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan, said.

Common guidance states that secure passwords should be unique, with the longest number of characters allowed and uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. This is the exact opposite of using one password everywhere, with minor variations depending on a site’s requirements. Think of how many online accounts and sites you have credentials for — it’s an impossible task to remember it all without somewhere to store passwords safely (especially in instances when you need to create a new password for any given account). Password managers are more readily accessible and offer the benefit of filling in those long passwords for you.

Given their universal benefit, pretty much everyone could use a password manager. They’re not just for the tech-savvy people or businesses anymore because so much sensitive information ends up online behind passwords, from our bank accounts to our Netflix watch history.

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That’s the other perk of password managers: safe password sharing. Families, friends or roommates can use them to safely access joint accounts. Texting a password to someone isn’t secure, and you can help your family break the habit by starting to use one yourself, Lisa Plaggemier, executive director at National Cyber Security Alliance, said. Streaming is the obvious use case, but consider the shared bills, file storage and other sites you share access with the people around you as well.

Forgetting a master password won’t necessarily lock you out for good, but the recovery process varies from provider to provider. Some services give you a “security key” at sign up to enter when you log into new devices. It can also be used to securely recover your account because it’s a random string of keys stored locally that only you have access to. Other services, however, have no way to recover your vault. So creating a master password that you won’t forget is important.

A good master password should be unique, with the longest number of characters allowed and uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Experts often recommended thinking of it like a “passphrase” instead of a “password” to make it easier to remember. For example, you can take a sentence like “My name is Bob Smith” and change it to “Myn@m3isB0b5m!th” to turn it into a secure master password that you won’t forget.

A passkey is a sort of digital identification that’s interlocked to your account on a given app or website. While that sounds like a password, there’s an important distinction: Passkeys are bilateral authenticators that have two separate components: a private key stored locally on your device and a public key belonging to the website or application. When logging in with a passkey, these two keys pair and give you access to your account. You can read more about passwords versus passkeys here.

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Don’t let these 3 hidden October streaming TV shows fly under your radar

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Don't let these 3 hidden October streaming TV shows fly under your radar
Ella Purnell walking down a dark alley, looking back behind her in Sweetpea.
Sky Atlantic / Starz

Fall means pumpkin spice, preparing for the holiday season, raking leaves, searching for Halloween costumes, and of course, curling up with hot new TV shows premiering and returning with new seasons. This October is busy with the return of popular shows like The Diplomat, What We Do in the Shadows, Law & Order, Abbott Elementary, and more. But there are also exciting new shows being added to the mix that you might not even have heard about yet.

As you’re planning how to spend your much deserved downtime and, more importantly, what to watch, don’t let these three hidden October streaming TV shows fly under your radar. They’re ones you won’t want to miss.

Check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, best shows on Hulu, best shows on Amazon Prime Video, and best shows on Disney+.

Sweetpea (2024)

Sweetpea | Official Trailer | STARZ

Loved Ella Purnell in Fallout and Yellowjackets? Check out her next project, a British dark comedy drama based on the C.J. Skuse novel that many are dubbing a gender-swapped version of Dexter. She’s Rhiannon in Sweetpea, a young woman on the brink. She feels ignored and unseen. Her boss and colleagues treat her like dirt and don’t take her seriously. An old high school bully has returned to torment her. She can’t help but fantasize about murdering the people who have done her wrong. One day, Rhiannon has a full-on breakdown and actually starts doing it. When news of a sadistic serial killer starts to raise Rhiannon’s profile in indirect ways, how can she possibly stop now?

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Sweetpea is a female serial killer series with dark comedic undertones about a woman who sets out to show everyone (albeit secretly), once and for all, that she’s no “sweetpea.” It’s always the quiet ones, as they say, and Rhiannon is tired of feeling invisible. With a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score following its first episode, Sweetpea solidifies Purnell’s position as one of the most talented up-and-coming actors of this generation.

Stream Sweetpea on Starz. 

Before (2024)

Before — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

If you enjoy Billy Crystal’s comedic work in movies, you might find it difficult to see him in such a dramatic role. But he nails it in Before, as expected, alongside equally talented co-stars Judith Light, Rosie Perez, and young Jacobi Jupe. Crystal is Eli a child psychologist grieving the recent death of this wife. When he meets with a new client, a young boy named Noah (Jupe), it seems as though this boy, who suffers from violent behaviors and hallucinations, has some type of cosmic connection to Eli and wants to tell him something. But Eli can’t figure out what’s going on, and as he dives deeper, the plot gets more and more troubling.

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Before is the perfect creepy, bumps-in-the-night show to watch as you gear up for Halloween. It premieres with the first two episodes a week before that spooky occasion and continues weekly through December 20.

Stream Before on Apple TV+.

The Franchise (2024)

The Franchise | Official Trailer | Max

When you hear satirical superhero show, you probably immediately think of Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. If you want something that angles more to comedy than raunch and gore, check out The Franchise. This satirical comedy from Armando Iannucci (Veep) and Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Spectre) centers around the crew that works within a superhero film franchise led by assistant director Daniel (Himesh Patel). But this isn’t Marvel; it’s a franchise that’s flailing and this crew needs a Hail Mary to save it.

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Peeling back the curtain behind-the-scenes of the making of such movies, it’s like a version of 30 Rock for movie-making versus sketch comedy TV. The Franchise is the kind of show that will have you both laughing and wondering how much is inspired by real life and how much is embellished (or not). From managing actors’ eccentricities to dealing with inflated egos and being weighed down by the immense pressure to succeed, every element is covered in comedic fashion. The Franchise may just become your new favorite show for light-hearted laughs.

Stream The Franchise on Max. 



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WTI, Brent fall after China press briefing

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WTI, Brent fall after China press briefing


China driving oil markets in a 'different way' this year: S&P Global

Crude oil futures fell more than 2% on Monday after a press briefing by China’s finance minister disappointed the market.

Traders have been banking on more robust stimulus in China to boost the world’s second-largest economy. Soft demand in the world’s largest crude importer has weighed on the market for months.

“China’s monetary stimulus measures failed to stimulate and the weekend’s pledge from the finance ministry to borrow more was long on cliches and phrases but short on reassuring and convincing details,” Tamas Varga, analyst at oil broker PVM, told clients in a note.

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Here are Monday’s energy prices:

  • West Texas Intermediate November contract: $73.93 per barrel, down $1.63, or 2.16%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has gained about 3%.
  • Brent December contract: $77.44 per barrel, down $1.60, or 2.02%. Year to date, the global benchmark is little changed.
  • RBOB Gasoline November contract: $2.1044 per gallon, down 2.19%. Year to date, gasoline is little changed.
  • Natural Gas November contract: $2.572 per thousand cubic feet, down 2.28%. Year to date, gas is ahead more than 2%.

The market, meanwhile, continues to monitor the Middle East in anticipation of a retaliatory strike by Israel against Iran. U.S. officials told NBC News that Israel has narrowed down the targets it plans to hit. These include military and energy infrastructure, the officials told NBC.

Don’t miss these energy insights from CNBC PRO:



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This is what Chrome’s new bottom bar will look like… on Android

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This is what Chrome's new bottom bar will look like... on Android

The latest Chrome Canary build (131.0.6772.0) showcases this revamped Chrome bottom bar look, which positions the address bar at the bottom of the screen. This change enhances user experience by making navigation easier and more intuitive.

Chrome will get a bottom bar (again) to simplify navigation

The current implementation is straightforward. Google has relocated the address bar, allowing users to access it more conveniently. While this new layout provides a fresh perspective, it does not significantly alter the existing user interface. The three-dot overflow menu remains unchanged, still organized from top to bottom. Similarly, the tab switcher retains its original format, leaving some users curious about potential future updates.

As users interact with the Chrome bottom bar look, early reports indicate some minor usability issues. However, overall functionality remains intact, allowing users to navigate without major disruptions.

Historically, Chrome has attempted various designs, including an earlier version that also featured a bottom bar. This attempt, which began in 2016, evolved into a more complex interface over time. The new Chrome bottom bar look seeks to simplify this experience without introducing additional layers of complexity.

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Currently, other interface elements, such as the tab switcher, remain as they are. Observers are keen to see whether Google will refine these components as they move forward with this design.

You can already test it out, but only via the Chrome Canary app

Users can download Chrome Canary from the Google Play Store to try out the new Chrome bottom bar look. It’s essential to note that this version is experimental and may contain bugs, making it unsuitable for regular daily use. Once installed, users can activate the feature by enabling a specific flag. They should enter the following URL into their browser: chrome://flags/#android-bottom-toolbar. After enabling the flag, a simple restart of the browser is required. Users can then navigate to Settings > Address bar and select the “Bottom” option, 9to5Google reported.

Last year, Chrome for iOS adopted a similar bottom address bar, suggesting that this design shift could become permanent for Android as well. While many welcome the change, there are concerns that Google should avoid overcomplicating the browser.

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Pokémon hack exposes future games, beta designs and more

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Pokémon hack exposes future games, beta designs and more

Pokémon developer Game Freak has confirmed its servers were hacked in August. The breach meant internal materials — from source codes to early and even scrapped character designs — were circulating on social media over the weekend.

Leaked documents and images flooded Reddit and X after Centro Leaks began dumping it all on Saturday afternoon. It allegedly includes source codes for past games and codenames for the Switch 2 and the upcoming Gen 10 Pokémon games. There are also references to a Pokémon MMO, future movies and a new anime series. The leak revealed tons of beta character designs and concept art.

— Mat Smith

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The biggest tech stories you missed

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Casio (of watch and calculator fame) is taking pre-orders in Japan for Moflin, the adorable robotic plushie with AI “emotional capabilities,” which debuted during CES 2021. Moflin, developed in a partnership with the Japanese startup Vanguard Industries, is meant to work like an emotional support pet — and is as fluffy as it looks.

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Last week, robot vacuums across the country were hacked, allowing attackers to not only control the robovacs, but use their speakers to hurl racial slurs and abusive comments at anyone nearby. Specifically, it was the Ecovacs Deebot X2s, which has a reputation for being easy to hack. The company says it’s developed a patch to eliminate the security flaw — but that won’t roll out until November. Maybe October is a messy house kind of a month?

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Redbox is dead, but its cuboid corpses remain in malls and shops nationwide. The machines are heavy and cumbersome, with a former Redbox executive suggesting it costs $500 to remove one kiosk. Note: Some machines are actually embedded in concrete. Some devotees have taken to adopting them regardless. Yet another note: These boxes use massive amounts of energy. Walgreens told a judge it costs the company $184,000 each month to power 5,400 kiosks, roughly $35 per month for a single machine. That was fine 10 years ago, when the company drew in $2 billion in annual revenue.

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Accel-backed Jetapult invests $4.5M in Saudi Arabian game studio UMX

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Accel-backed Jetapult invests $4.5M in Saudi Arabian game studio UMX

UMX, a game studio based in Saudi Arabia, has raised $4.5 million from Jetapult, an investment company backed by Accel Partners.

Jetapult, an India-based global strategic investment company in the gaming landscape, said the investment was an all-cash transaction.

In addition to acquiring equity, Jetapult will provide capital to support the expansion of UMX’s existing portfolio, expand its audiences across global markets, and build games in new genres.

Ali Alharbi, founder of Riyadh-based UMX, said in a statement, “This significant investment from Jetapult not only marks a milestone for UMX Studio but also heralds a new era for the Saudi Arabian gaming industry. We are thrilled to partner with a globally recognized leader in the gaming investments space. This collaboration will not only accelerate our expansion but also empower us with advanced tools and expertise.”

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The UMX Studio team

This will be Jetapult’s first investment in the (Middle East/North Africa) MENA region, with further investments planned in markets like South East Asia and Europe.

Jetapult’s team of global gaming experts, will help catalyse the studio’s capabilities to enhance user acquisition, scale monetization efforts, and adopt cutting-edge analytics and AI tools through their “Invest & Operate” (I&O) model.

Sharan Tulsiani (former head of Google Play Games in India and Australia/New Zealand) and Yash Baid (former principal at 3one4 Capital) founded Jetapult with backing from Accel Partners, Fireside and JetSynthesys, among others.

The company aims to support game studios with a scientific approach to sustainable growth in markets such as Southeast Asia, MENA, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, through a $100 million commitment over the next five years.

Origins

Left to right: Sharan Tulsiani of Jetapult, Ali Aharbi of UMX, Yash Baid of Jetapult.

UMX Studio, founded by Ali Alharbi in 2014, is one of the first homegrown game development studios established in Saudi Arabia. The studio develops high-quality mobile games featuring stunning graphics, engaging gameplay, and suitability for all ages. While it has been around for a decade, this is the first time that the company has raised money.

Saudi Arabia is now a thriving market for esports and casual gamers. One of the gaps in the ecosystem was a lack of quality local game development capabilities to build culturally nuanced titles for the passionate gamers in the region. UMX has been addressing this and has built its company profitably, targeting Arabic users that seek resonating content like sand dune-bashing, car modification, along with their overall love of racing.

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The company’s games have garnered over 70 million downloads till date, and the company has shown consistent year-on-year growth, driven by a portfolio of games that consistently top the Apple and Google charts in the region. UMX has 72 employees.

UMX studio has a history of building top-charting games on Google and Apple in the racing genre. The most notable being King of Steering, with a successful title named DriftX set to launch before Ramadan 2025. King Of Steering is the top-rated racing game in the MENA region – it has multiple game modes including multiplayer racing, free-roam drifting, and stunt driving. It’s MENA-domiciled maps and Arabic optimized social layers drive consumer satisfaction.

Climbing Sand Dune Offroad pioneered a more relaxed gameplay amenable to MENA audiences by allowing them to free-roam desert landscapes in off-road vehicles. It further allowed players to upgrade trucks, SUVs, and 4x4s in drag races, climbing sand dunes, and collect treasures with friends.

Jetapult’s view of MENA

Jetapult’s team

The investment comes in the context of the exponential growth of the gaming and esports sector in the MENA region with Saudi Arabia representing 39% of the Middle East’s gaming revenue from consumer spending and is the fastest-growing market in the region, according to Sensor Tower, 2024.

Jetapult said it is committed to UMX’s vision of fostering the Saudi Arabian market to become a hub for game development by harnessing Jetapult’s strategic expertise and UMX’s local talent and cultural nuance.

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Tulsiani, CEO of Jetapult, said in a statement, “Jetapult’s investment in UMX goes beyond providing capital; we bring a wealth of proven gaming expertise and cutting-edge technology to this partnership with an aim to enhance gaming experiences across the Middle East’s emerging development ecosystem.”

⁠Jetapult is an invest and operate company backed by VCs like Accel & Fireside and a strategic investor like Jetsynthesys. The company’s primary function is to invest and scale mobile gaming studios in emerging game development markets like India, MENA, SE Asia, Eastern Europe, and LATAM. It has been operational since 2023 with a commitment of $100 million into investing and scaling mobile gaming studios.

Barath Shankar Subramanian, partner at Accel, said in a statement, “Jetapult’s investment in UMX Studio marks a significant milestone in expanding its presence in emerging markets like MENA, where gaming and game development is rapidly gaining momentum. Jetapult’s unique ‘Invest & Operate’ model, which was the core of our investment thesis, has the potential to transform the global gaming ecosystem, enabling growth for gaming studios and the exploration of new gaming genres.”


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Samsung may have finally fixed the crease issue on its foldable phones

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

If visible crease issues have so far been stopping you from picking up one of the best foldable phones on the market, we’ve got some good news: the rumor is that Samsung‘s next folding handset is going to have a far less noticeable crease.

This tip comes from serial leaker Ice Universe, who has one of the better track records when it comes to rumors. Apparently the “crease control” in the upcoming Special Edition of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is “better than ever”.

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