Password protection is an essential part of modern life in the digital age. People rely on them to access their online financial accounts, communications, and social media. A master password manager might seem complicated, but it’s not.
Remembering longer and more complicated strings of characters and numbers is difficult for humans. We also have an ever-growing number of online accounts since we must use the internet for almost everything.
There are so many password manager platforms out there. It’d be wise to zero in on two of them: Bitwarden vs LastPass. I’ll help you decide on the master password manager by comparing the two.
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is a handy integrated open-source password manager that works wonders for individuals, larger teams, and organizations. This great password generator has a lot of options we need to dissect:
Pros
Here are several things that I enjoyed while using Bitwarden:
- Unlimited Password Storage: Many other popular password managers charge for unlimited password storage, but for Bitwarden users, it’s free.Besides offering unlimited password storage, you can sync it to all your devices that use Bitwarden vault, making it easily shareable with others. They also offer password health reports that identify weak passwords.
- Open-Source Password Management: Bitwarden uses open-source for its good password manager services. The company’s developers constantly audit the code and work with other researchers and the public to ensure added security and reliability.Bitwarden offers a Premium plan that adds advanced security tools like hardware security keys and emergency access.
- Data Protection: The developers at Bitwarden put a lot of effort into safeguarding your precious customer data against unauthorized access using end-to-end zero-knowledge encryption.You can also boost the security by using its two-factor authentication options, which include hardware security keys and TOTPs.
- Easy Navigation: Navigating Bitwarden’s interface is easy, thanks to its intuitive design. The Bitwarden browser extension, compatibility with google authenticator, and their mobile apps truly shine through. I also appreciated their excellent customer support and help in account recovery.It has one of the better mobile apps out there, and it can fill out web forms and save users time by using the information they have already saved. It’s also compatible with virtually any mobile device out there.
- Sharing and Organization: Bitwarden allows users to organize their credentials into collections and share them with other users. Bitwarden includes a send functionality for encrypted URL sharing with non-users. I also enjoyed the password-importing options and password vaults that make all the difference.
Cons
Now let’s look where Bitwarden underperforms:
- Clunky Password Capture and Replay: While Bitwarden is generally easy to use, some users may find its password capture and replay functions somewhat clunky and unintuitive. It’s a good password generator, but it can sometimes glitch.UX design is everything these days, and nobody has the time or energy to frustrate things that should be intuitive.
- No Automatic Dark Web Monitoring: Bitwarden’s password health reports can identify compromised passwords, but the app doesn’t actively monitor the dark web for a data breach or other security threats to your passwords.
- No Password Strength Analysis for Free Option: While Bitwarden’s premium plan offers password health reports, free users cannot access this useful feature. You’ll have to identify weak passwords in your vault manually.
- Browser Extension is Mandatory: For new credentials in Bitwarden, installing the extension and inputting the login info manually after visiting the login page is mandatory. This isn’t something I noticed with many other browser extensions.Other password managers streamline this process with pop-up windows that autofill new login credentials.
Business, Family, or Personal Option: Which One Is Worth It?
When it comes to choosing Bitwarden’s pricing plans, it ultimately depends on your specific needs. Let’s investigate the following:
personal version
The Personal version may be more than enough for individual users and smaller businesses. Like most good free versions in this industry, it offers unlimited passwords, devices, and all core functions, making it a solid option for those just starting with this password manager or with simpler needs.
The Premium plan (around $1/month per person) offers additional features such as advanced 2FA, emergency access, and the Bitwarden Authenticator app, among others, making it a more comprehensive solution for those who require more robust security features.
The Family Plan
The Family Plan ($3.33/month) supports up to 6 people and offers secure passwords, unlimited family password sharing, optimized organizational storage, and unlimited collections. Bitwarden bills this option as $40 annually. In this respect, it’s better than most password managers out there.
Business Version
Bitwarden’s Business version offers additional features such as organizational two-step login via Duo, user groups, directory connector, SCIM support, and custom roles. These features are better for larger organizations that require more control over user access and security policies.
The Teams Plan starts at $3/month per person, allowing you to share passwords with your coworkers across different teams. All the premium features apply to the Teams Plan for all users.
The Enterprise Plan starts at $5/month per person and offers advanced functionalities, SCIM support, and easy SSO integration, which applies to all users across the network.
Bitwarden: Final Verdict
I believe Bitwarden is user-friendly, trustworthy, and safe. It’s an excellent alternative for individuals seeking a free password manager that doesn’t sacrifice functionality.
The Premium plan’s enhanced two-factor authentication is comparable to those of more costly rivals. Bitwarden’s free plan is decent, although I’d recommend a premium plan to prevent data breaches and increase your security score.
Their two versions come with zero-knowledge encryption, unlimited syncing capabilities, and secure storage for credit cards, notes, and identities. Bitwarden’s open-source option is a good deal for those finding transparency appealing.
Despite the potential drawbacks of its password generator for certain users, it’s worth mentioning that Bitwarden’s desktop app still delivers, so I’d place it among the best password managers.
LastPass
LastPass is another convenient password manager. It allows you to use its safe place to save your passwords and create one-time passwords. Let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer:
Pros
Let’s see what makes LastPass stand out:
Great Encryption: The encryption LastPass applies to your data is the same level of security used by banks and the military, AES-256-bit encryption.
Any interception by hackers or other third parties can’t breach your data’s security because of this powerful encryption.
Multi-Factor Authentication: LastPass offers multi-factor authentication options, including hardware tokens and biometric authentication support.
Having this additional level of security makes sure that only approved individuals can gain entry to your master password repository.
Open-Source: LastPass provides its source code for anyone to examine, which speaks a lot about its transparency. So don’t worry about any hidden backdoors or vulnerabilities; LastPass works hard to ensure the safety of your data.
User-Friendly Interface: LastPass comes with an effortless setup. I could easily see UX design and customers at the forefront of their design efforts. Thanks to its intuitive user interface, passwords and sensitive information management are easy for users. I also loved their secure password and secure LastPass vault, too.
Cross-Platform Support: The compatibility of LastPass spans across different platforms and browsers like Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The service offers extensions for favored web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, facilitating cross-desktop web app and-device usage.
Cons
Now let’s see where LastPass underperforms:
- Dependency on Internet Connection: Since LastPass stores your passwords online, you need a stable internet connection to access your passwords. This password manager doesn’t let you generate passwords, import passwords, or retrieve lost master passwords and passwords without an internet connection.
- It Could Be Overwhelming: New users might find LastPass overwhelming because of its numerous features. Effectively using all of its features may take some time to learn, so it requires a bit of tech-savvy.
- Limited Free Plan: LastPass provides a limited free plan for its users with certain restrictions like no syncing across various devices.Using LastPass on multiple devices requires you to purchase a premium subscription.
- It Might Glitch Sometimes: LastPass might encounter problems with certain web browsers, particularly older ones.Autofill and other LastPass features may run into problems and require refreshing the page or restarting.
- Multiple Accounts Can Be Tricky: Several LastPass accounts might cause LastPass to function improperly.A new account with a different email address or sharing an account with someone else may result in some issues. The best solution is to sign out of every LastPass account and sign in again with the correct credentials.
- It Could Slow Down Your Device: The LastPass extension sometimes causes users to experience slow performance and high CPU usage.Checking whether you have an outdated extension version, a slow internet connection, or clashes with other browser extensions are among several factors that can trigger this problem.
- Troubles With Logging In: LastPass sometimes forgets to correctly fill in login information on some websites.The logging-in issues could be because of the site’s UX design. By clicking on the extension icon and choosing Add item or Save all entered data, you can manually add login details to LastPass.
Premium vs. Free
LastPass is one of those password managers that impresses with its free tier and premium versions on its pricing plans. But is upgrading to the premium version worth it over the basic features? Let’s investigate:
Free Version
The free version restricts your password access to a single device. Users who frequently access their accounts from multiple devices will find this feature valuable enough to upgrade.
Since only one person can use the free version, you’ll have to upgrade to share passwords with unlimited users.
Premium Version
In my experience using the paid version, I can confidently confirm that the premium version’s extra features are worth the investment compared to other password managers.
The Premium plan starts at around $3/month (billed annually), and you can use it on all your devices without any limits to the number of devices.
Password sharing with trusted friends and family members is another thing that could incentivize you to get Premium. This feature makes password sharing much easier, especially password sharing with your family or coworker.
Families Version
The Families plan starts at around $4 monthly. The Families version includes all the premium options and is available for six accounts. This is convenient compared to many other password managers that don’t offer this option.
I loved that it has a handy dashboard where all users can contribute and manage their affairs and share items in different folders.
LastPass: Final Verdict
While the free version of LastPass is a great password manager, the Premium and Family options offer several essential features that make it well worth the investment.
With the ability to use LastPass on unlimited devices and share passwords and secure notes with trusted friends and family, I’d say go for the premium.
Another great selling point is its advanced authentication options. Premium provides a more comprehensive and convenient password management experience. And the Family plan makes the process all the more intuitive.
Wrapping Up
Bitwarden and LastPass password managers offer reliable and secure options for managing passwords and sensitive information.
Bitwarden is an excellent option for those wanting a password manager with advanced security features and an affordable Premium plan with a hardware security key, customer support, and emergency access.
LastPass is a popular option that offers strong encryption, complex authentication, and user-friendly features.
Which of these two password managers you decide to purchase eventually relies on your requirements and budget.
You should investigate the elements we covered, including client experience, prices, level of safety, customer support, and whether it allows cross-platform data and password sharing, importing passwords, and password generation and management.
