1Password vs LastPass: Cost & Security Comparison in 2024
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1Password vs LastPass: Cost & Security Comparison in 2024
Though LastPass and 1Password are both solid password managers, 1Password is superior. 1Password offers travel mode and email masking to browse more safely while safeguarding sensitive data. In this 1Password vs LastPass comparison, we reveal how similar the tools are as well as what sets them apart.
The main difference between 1Password and LastPass is that 1Password is more secure and has a more intuitive user interface.
If you need a free password manager offering basic features, LastPass might be a better choice than 1Password.
If you need more advanced password management features for business and family use, 1Password might be a better choice than LastPass.
Facts & Expert Analysis About LastPass and 1Password:
SMS OTP usage increasing globally: There is a 4% increase in people using SMS OTPs as a multi-factor authentication method globally, as more service providers are using it for MFA. 1
LastPass becomes independent: In May 2024, LastPass announced that it is separating from its parent company GoTo and switching to a private company. It now has an executive leadership team and a heightened cybersecurity focus. 2
Using “password” as a password: Surprisingly,19% of people are still using the word “password” as their password. 3
1Password and LastPass are popular password managers, with desktop apps and browser extensions for most major platforms. Both made it to our list of the best password managers. If you’re torn between the two, we tested and compared 1Password vs LastPass to see which tool is superior and why.
Note that the best password manager for you depends on the features you’re seeking. This 1Password vs LastPass review takes a deep dive into the similarities and differences between the tools, revealing who the winner is and why. We created user accounts and tested each tool to compile the data. Keep reading to see what we found.
07/15/2024 Facts checked
Comparison rewritten to include current information about features, pricing and company news.
Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: 1Password Is the Winner
1Password outshone LastPass in this comparison because it offers advanced features and better password security. We particularly liked the travel mode and email masking features, which further protect you as you cross borders and browse online. When we compared 1Password vs LastPass pricing, we found little disparity.
1Password is better than LastPass in several aspects, including its robust security, password importing and sharing features. On the downside, 1Password doesn’t offer live chat or phone support. It also does not have a free plan, but it does offer a 14-day free trial that gives new users a taste of the tool.
1Password is more secure than LastPass — LastPass has a data breach on record, whereas 1Password does not. Fortunately, no user data was compromised in the breach. Though we’ve chosen a winner, one tool may be a better fit than the other for certain users.
Online Security
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For instance, LastPass has a loaded free tier that is great for individuals who don’t want to pay for a password manager. 1Password doesn’t have a free plan but does offer more advanced password management features for individuals, families and small businesses.
Who Is 1Password For?
Individuals needing advanced password features: Personal users can use travel mode and add unlimited device types to one user account.
Families with advanced password management needs: Families get unlimited shared vaults for all family members, who can help each other recover lost accounts.
Startups with advanced password management needs: Startups with advanced password management needs will enjoy robust password security at affordable prices.
Who Is LastPass For?
Individuals needing basic password features: LastPass works well for individuals needing basic password management, with more advanced security than browser options.
Small businesses with password management needs: Small businesses and operations will benefit from LastPass’s affordable yet feature-rich plans.
Families requiring cheaper password management: LastPass is the ideal option if you’re looking to securely share passwords with family and friends.
Our Detailed Comparison Methodology
We opened user accounts and tested multiple aspects of each tool, including the setup process, security features, user interface, password-importing functionalities, customer support options and general ease of use. Our 1Password review and LastPass review provide a more in-depth study of each tool.
Security: 1Password uses advanced security protocols to secure customer vault data. It uses AES 256-bit encryption, PBKDF2 key strengthening, end-to-end encryption and a secret key for each account.
Password generator: 1Password’s generator helps you create a unique, random password for your online accounts. This prevents you from using duplicate or weak passwords when signing up for a service.
Password autofill: 1Password autofills passwords and login credentials for you whenever you log in to an online account.
Temporary sharing: You can securely share sensitive data and passwords temporarily with 1Password, even with people who don’t have a 1Password account.
Security key: 1Password generates a 128-bit secret key and combines it with your account password to encrypt your data and secure your password vaults.
Travel mode: You can separate your 1Password vaults and hide sensitive ones as you travel and cross borders.
Email masking: You can protect your email address with 1Password by hiding it using Fastmail’s masked email with 1Password.
Actionable security alerts: 1Password’s “watchtower” dashboard provides valuable security insights that you can act on and is available with all plans.
Emergency access: 1Password provides an emergency kit that you can download and safely store as a PDF file. You’ll need it to regain access to your account in dire situations.
LastPass Key Features:
Security: LastPass uses advanced security protocols like a zero-knowledge policy, AES 256-bit encryption, PBKDF2 key strengthening and a master password for each account.
Passwordless login: LastPass lets you use biometrics, the LastPass Authenticator app or FIDO-2-certified authenticators to log in instead of your master password.
Unlimited passwords: You can add unlimited passwords on both free and paid LastPass plans.
Password generator: LastPass users can create secure passwords with the password generator. It automatically generates unique passwords each time you sign up for an online service.
Password sharing: You can share passwords and other sensitive data securely through encrypted channels with LastPass.
Password autofill: LastPass fills in your login credentials, passwords and other personal data whenever you need to complete an online form.
Secure notes: You can safely store your credit card, health insurance, address and other personal details with LastPass. The free tier provides up to 50MB of data storage and paid plans provide up to 1GB.
Dark web monitoring: LastPass scans the dark web and identifies any data breaches it finds related to your saved details.
Security dashboard and score: LastPass assesses your password hygiene and helps you take action whenever your score is low.
Emergency access: You can grant your loved ones emergency access to your LastPass password vaults. Authorized accounts can access your vaults after the set waiting time elapses.
1Password vs LastPass: Similarities
Both LastPass and 1Password are affordable, easy to use and available on most major platforms. Each one helps you manage your online accounts and access your stored passwords whenever you need them.
Security and Encryption
LastPass and 1Password both use AES 256-bit encryption, zero-knowledge architecture and PBKDF2 hashing to safeguard your password manager vaults. In addition, LastPass uses master passwords to further secure user data, while 1Password uses secret keys.
Password Manager Apps
1Password and LastPass are available on all major platforms and operating systems, including Linux, Windows, macOS and the command line. Web apps, desktop apps and browser extensions are available for Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Safari. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android devices. 1Password also has a web app for Brave.
Password Importing
1Password and LastPass let you import passwords stored on your browser and in other password managers. You can import passwords from Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Edge, Safari, Keeper, RoboForm, Bitwarden and KeePass.
You can download LastPass browser extensions with just a few clicks.
1Password also allows you to import from Brave, KeePassX and Delinea Secret Server. You can use a generic CSV file to complete the import process or import from cloud storage options like iCloud Keychain. There’s also an option to import from other password managers like KeePass, Keeper, Bitwarden and RoboForm.
If your current password manager doesn’t have this import option, consider manually importing passwords to your new tool.
Password Generator
Password generators work by creating strong new passwords each time you sign up for a service online. LastPass and 1Password both have solid password generation features that work effectively on all your devices. This makes it difficult for cybercriminals to guess your credentials since the password managers generate passwords that are challenging to guess.
Password Autofill
Autofill automatically fills in your password and login credentials, saving you time and effort. Both password managers offer robust autofill features. You can also use autofill to complete online forms or add your payment details to trusted websites at checkout.
Password Sharing
You can use LastPass and 1Password to securely share passwords and other information in your password vault with family and friends. This is a safer option than sharing sensitive information via email, text messages or social networks.
Passwordless Login
Passwordless login options let you sign in to your accounts using password alternatives. Both 1Password and LastPass offer users these options. 1Password lets you use passkeys like device pins and biometric options, and LastPass lets you use the LastPass Authenticator app or other FIDO-2-certified authenticators.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication acts as an additional layer of security when you log in to your password vault. 1Password and LastPass vault owners can use authenticator apps like Authy, Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator and Yubikey for two-factor authentication.
You can also use U2F physical security keys for two-factor authentication if certain websites prefer a physical key like Yubikey for authentication. Though you can use one-time passwords with both tools, 1Password also has Titan and Okta Verify options, while LastPass allows you to use biometric options and SMS codes.
Secure Notes
Both LastPass and 1Password offer secure online storage for sensitive information like health insurance details, credit card details and addresses. They both offer 1GB of storage for all plans except LastPass’s free version, which has 50MB, and 1Password Business, which has 5GB.
Emergency Access
LastPass and 1Password allow authorized friends and family to access a user’s password vaults in emergencies. It’s simpler to gain emergency access in LastPass than in 1Password. All you need to do is log in to your password vault and navigate to the “request access” option in the “emergency access” menu. You’ll be granted access after the set waiting period elapses.
LastPass’s emergency access process is simpler to follow than 1Password’s process.
With 1Password, you’ll need an emergency kit and a password to access the vaults in an emergency.
LastPass vs 1Password: Differences
When comparing 1Password vs LastPass, we came across a few notable differences in areas such as security, feature sets, pricing and customer support.
Pricing
LastPass’ and 1Password’s premium plans have almost overlapping prices. 1Password’s Individual plan goes for $3.99 per month, while LastPass’s Premium plan is $3 per month. LastPass’s Families plan goes for $4 per month and offers six premium accounts. 1Password’s Families plan is $6.95 per month for up to five members.
The Teams Starter Pack with 1Password is $19.95 per month for up to 10 members. This translates to about $2 per user per month. LastPass’s Teams version goes for $4 per user per month for up to 50 members. The Business plans are $9.99 and $7 per user per month with 1Password and LastPass, respectively.
Features:
Free
14-day free trial
$0
Premium
$3.99
$0
Families
$6.95 for up to 5 users
$3 $4 for up to 6 users
Teams
$19.95 for up to 10 users
$4 per user for up to 50 users
Business
$9.99
$7
Free Plan
LastPass offers a free tier, but 1Password does not. LastPass Free offers unlimited password storage and access to one user account on a single device type at a time. LastPass’s free version also offers password generation, passwordless login, dark web monitoring, one-to-one sharing and access to the security dashboard.
Though 1Password doesn’t have a free version, it’s an affordable password manager and offers a 14-day free trial for all its paid plans.
Travel Mode
1Password’s travel mode is available to all users and comes in handy when crossing borders. It helps you temporarily remove vaults containing sensitive information like bank account details and other login credentials. In the event that customs officials request access to your mobile devices, your data will not be exposed. LastPass lacks these features.
Activate travel mode in 1Password to secure sensitive vaults when crossing borders.
Email Masking
1Password’s email masking features work by generating random new email addresses each time you sign up for a service. The new email address is created the same way a strong password would be created for a new account when signing up. LastPass lacks this feature.
Secret Key
A secret key is generated when you create a 1Password account. This key is made up of 34 letters separated by dashes and is unique for each user. It works together with your account password as an added security layer. Only you have access to your security key, and it’s impossible to recover it if you lose it. LastPass doesn’t generate security keys.
1Password uses a secret key together with your account password to further secure your vaults.
Customer Support
1Password has better support options than LastPass. It offers email support, a forum, a help center and social media for all plans, whereas LastPass only has a help center, Twitter and the LastPass community. Phone and web support are only available to LastPass Business users.
Security Breach
LastPass has a security breach on record, whereas 1Password doesn’t. LastPass security was compromised in August 2022 when an unknown threat actor gained access to a third-party cloud-based service used to store archived backups of production data. However, LastPass reported that no customer data was compromised in the incident.
Community Feedback: 1Password vs LastPass Reviews on Reddit & Social Media
Users on Reddit prefer 1Password to LastPass. Reviewers who moved from LastPass to 1Password report that it’s easier to use and more intuitive. One user said:
“The UI of the 1Password app I download on my PC is very slick and I can easily drag items from one vault to another, or category to another.”
1Password’s browser fill feature is reported to work much faster than LastPass’ browser fill, and its autofill feature also works on more sites than LastPass’ does. 1Password’s emergency access did take a hit, though. One user said:
“Emergency Access isn’t really a thing with 1Password outside of families plan, which LastPass does have for any user and does make the process fairly easily for non-technical users. Although with the emergency kit that can be used along with some further instructions written down, it can be worked around.”
The Verdict: Why We Think 1Password Wins Overall
1Password wins this 1Password vs LastPass comparison hands down. 1Password is a popular password manager that’s more secure, easy to use, affordable and loaded with advanced features for personal, family and business use.
That said, the best tool for you depends on what you need in a password manager. For instance, if you need basic password management features and don’t want to spend money on a tool, LastPass’s free version would work just fine. However, if you want more advanced features for personal, family or business use, 1Password would be the better fit.
Which password manager do you use? Have you used 1Password or LastPass? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments, and thank you for reading.
1Password and LastPass vs Other Password Managers
Features:
Free plan
Password generator
Password autofill
Emergency access
Password sharing
Multi-factor authentication
Email masking
Travel mode
Customer support
24/7 email support, forum, help center & social media
Help center, Twitter & LastPass community
Chatbot, help center & Reddit community
24/7 email support, help center, knowledgebase & forum
Dashlane is a secure password manager that’s more expensive than other tools. It offers advanced features, including a free VPN for WiFi protection, and is ideal for enterprise-level businesses. Our Dashlane review has more details.
The Keeper password manager is easy to use and highly secure. It has a user-friendly interface and is the most affordable tool of those listed in the table above. It offers robust customer support options to assist users whenever they run into a challenge. Our Keeper review goes into more detail.
Bitwarden is the only open-source password manager in the table above. This means it received frequent updates from independent developers. It is therefore highly secure but more complex to use than the rest of the listed tools. We go into more detail in our Bitwarden review.
If You Want to Consider Other Services, Check Out…
Norton— Norton is the best password manager for beginners since it is free to use and simple to navigate. However, it lacks some premium features, like form filling, emergency access capabilities, password sharing and vault recovery options.
Sticky Password— Sticky Password is great for personal users. Cloud backup, secure password sharing, emergency access, auto login and form filling are a few handy Sticky Password features. Our Sticky Password review has all the details.
RoboForm — RoboForm is the best password manager for mobile devices, providing advanced online form-filling functions for users. We explain more in our RoboForm review.
Zoho Vault — Zoho Vault is ideal for teams since it integrates with several team and project management tools. However, it is more complex to use than its competitors. Our Zoho review goes into more detail.
NordPass — NordPass works well for personal users who need basic password management functionalities. It’s simple to use, has a free plan and offers affordable paid tiers. Our NordPass review has all the details.
No, LastPass is not better than 1Password because it experienced a data breach in the past. LastPass also offers fewer features than 1Password.
Yes, you should switch from LastPass to 1Password if you’re seeking advanced features and more robust security provisions.
Yes, LastPass is still safe — no user data was compromised in the breach. However, if you’re already using LastPass, it’s advisable to change your master password as a precautionary measure.
1Password is better than LastPass because it has a more intuitive user interface and more robust security features.
Grace is a tech writer at Cloudwards.net, and although she covers a variety of topics, her writing primarily focuses on project management. After completing her degree in environmental science, she’s been writing for reputable SaaS and tech companies for more than six years and. With a love for nature and a passion for writing, she lives close to a safari reserve with a lake and enjoys the view of the animals from her balcony. When she’s not behind a laptop with blue-block glasses on, she’s on a safari exploring the vast landscapes of Kenya and beyond.
Valentina loves to play with words for a living. As an editor, translator, and copywriter, she has worked with texts in various fields, including tech, architecture, psychology, philosophy, and personal development. When she’s off the clock, she enjoys traveling to places new and old, going to concerts and festivals, cooking with friends, and dancing like no one’s watching.