Password vs. Passphrase: Which Should You Use?
A password often uses a string of random letters, numbers, and symbols. A passphrase combines several words, ideally selected independently at random from a large word list.
Which is stronger?
Neither format is automatically stronger. Strength depends on the number of possible combinations and how the secret was chosen. Five independent words selected uniformly from a 2,048-word list have 55 bits of theoretical entropy. Human-chosen quotes or familiar phrases do not have the same randomness.
When to choose each
Random character passwords are useful when a password manager can generate and store them. Random-word passphrases may be easier to type or remember, especially for a master password that must be entered manually.
Important habits
Use a different credential for every account, enable multi-factor authentication when available, and avoid putting personal information or predictable patterns into your password.