LastPass vs. 1Password: How to choose between two great password managers

Passwords are a fact of life, and if you’re one of those people who reuses the same passwords because you can only remember them, then you really should give a password manager a serious thought.

But in a world where options are endless, which one is right for you?

Here I will look at two of the most popular options – LastPass and 1password — and check out the pros and cons of each.

But before I continue, what is a password manager?

A password manager is an app, or a combination of online services and apps, that securely stores your passwords and also securely distributes them to all your devices.

Since password managers store your passwords, it’s important to choose a trustworthy, reliable, and secure service. This isn’t a job you’d want to entrust to some old, no-name company.

Likewise: How to protect and secure your password manager

I’ve used both LastPass and 1Password extensively, and I’ve found that they’re both very capable password managers. And while they seem pretty similar on the surface, there are a few key differences between the two that might impact which one you choose.

overview

	LastPass	1password
core functions	Settings options allow all sorts of adjustments through the web interface Limited “free” option Uses browser extensions on most desktop platforms LastPass offers three “Individual User and Family” plans, as well as separate plans for business users	Easy to set up and very easy to transfer to another device Custom apps for all platforms Extra protection for “secret key” 1Password offers two plans for home users, as well as separate plans for teams and businesses
plans	Free: $0 Unlimited Passwords Access on one type of device – computer or mobile device 30-day premium trial Save and autofill passwords One-to-one sharing Multi-Factor Authentication password generator Premium: $3 per month Families: $4 per month Includes all premium features 6 individual encrypted safes Family manager dashboard to manage users and security Group and share items in folders Individually encrypted storage Personal security dashboards and notifications	Individual: $2.99 ​​per month Apps for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux and Chrome OS Unlimited passwords, items and 1GB of document storage 24/7 email support 365 days article history of deleted password recovery Travel mode to safely cross borders Two-factor authentication for an extra layer of protection Securely share your confidential information with anyone Families: $4.99 per month All 1Password features, plus: Invite up to 5 guests for limited sharing Add more users for $1 per month Share passwords, credit cards, secure notes and more Manage what family members can see and do Recover accounts for suspended family members
encryption	256-bit AES encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256 for master passwords	256-bit AES encryption with PBKDF2 password hashing for the master password, with additional 28-bit secret key protection for the master password
Support for multi-factor authentication	Yes	Yes
Biometric support	Yes	Yes

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You should choose LastPass if…

1. You want a free option.

There is a limited free version of LastPass that allows it to be used on one type of device – either desktop or mobile. If you don’t want to be able to access your passwords across both devices, the free option will work for you.

Likewise: Why everyone should have this cheap security tool

2. You prefer to work in the browser.

LastPass uses browser extensions on desktop platforms, so there is no app download required. This works well for people who like to work in the browser, which is where, to be fair, most passwords are used and required.

3. They like to dive deep into the settings.

LastPass provides access to a variety of settings and customizations through the web interface. You can set LastPass to, for example, restrict account logins to selected countries and enforce device deregistration.

If you like having lots of settings to tweak, this is the service for you

You should choose 1Password if…

1. You want applications.

If you want to access your passwords through an app on desktop systems instead of the browser, then 1Password is the right platform for you, as it offers standalone apps for Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, and Linux.

2. You have a large family.

The family plan lets five people use the service, but you can add more for $1 per month. That’s a lot, and I haven’t seen any other company offering anything similar.

3. You want a great support community.

While 1Password offers a wide range of support options, the only feature this company has that elevates it above LastPass is an active and supportive community forum. In my experience, users get a solution for most problems here even faster than through the support channels, which are quite fast themselves.

4. You are traveling and want to secure your information.

If you’re concerned about crossing borders with sensitive data on your devices, 1Password lets you remove sensitive data before crossing the border and restore the data later with one click.

to examine alternatives

Here are a few alternatives worth checking out.