Which Password Supervisor Is Finest?

Because the variety of apps and providers we use on-line will increase by the day, so do the variety of passwords we should bear in mind. Earlier than, it wasn’t unparalleled for individuals to write down down passwords of their notebooks or sticky notes. Nonetheless, these strategies might not be the most secure or most effective solution to preserve observe of passwords in the present day.

That’s the place password managers like Bitwarden and LastPass are available — software program particularly designed to retailer, encrypt and arrange your passwords and different credentials securely. In addition they embrace extra options equivalent to password era and multi-factor authentication.

On this article, we evaluate Bitwarden vs. LastPass to see which one is finest for you or your group.

Soar to:

Bitwarden vs. LastPass: Comparability desk

Bitwarden and LastPass each supply core options you’d count on from a password supervisor, equivalent to an encrypted password vault and a password generator.

Bitwarden stands out for its very beneficiant free model that enables limitless password storage and entry on limitless gadgets. In the meantime, LastPass comes with quite a few MFA choices, equivalent to YubiKey and fingerprint authentication.

Bitwarden and LastPass pricing

Each Bitwarden and LastPass supply free variations of their password managers, however there’s a stark distinction of their beginning costs. At $0.83 per 30 days, Bitwarden’s Premium plan is without doubt one of the most inexpensive subscription plans available on the market. As compared, LastPass’ Premium subscription at $3 is on par with different password managers like Dashlane at $3.33 and 1Password at $2.99.

For household plans, Bitwarden is marginally extra inexpensive at $3.33 per 30 days than LastPass’ Households at $4.00 per 30 days — each of which embrace six accounts.

For his or her enterprise subscriptions, Bitwarden wins on the affordability entrance as soon as once more. Its Groups Starter plan is $20 per 30 days for as much as 10 customers, whereas LastPass’s Groups subscription is $4.00 per person per 30 days for as much as 50 customers. A LastPass Groups plan for 10 customers is equal to $40 — double the worth of Bitwarden’s providing.

By way of enterprise options, the 2 aren’t far off, with Bitwarden’s Enterprise plan pegged at $6 per person per 30 days, whereas LastPass Enterprise is at $7.00 per person per 30 days. Each of those choices permit a limiteless variety of customers.

If affordability is your most important concern, Bitwarden is the cheaper choice. Nonetheless, LastPass presents free trials for all its plans, whereas Bitwarden solely gives a free trial to their Households and Enterprise subscriptions.

Characteristic comparability: Bitwarden vs. LastPass

Zero-knowledge rules and general safety

Whereas each password managers adhere to zero-knowledge rules with the purpose of bolstering information safety, LastPass’ password supervisor skilled two main information breaches in 2022. These information breaches resulted in information being stolen from LastPass and its clients.

LastPass introduced {that a} malicious actor was capable of acquire unauthorized entry to buyer information consisting of encrypted fields equivalent to web site usernames and passwords, safe notes, and form-filled information and unencrypted information equivalent to web site URLs. This isn’t one thing we wish in software program designed to retailer person passwords and delicate data.

Whereas LastPass has since adopted modifications to handle the safety incidents, we discover it exhausting to suggest as a viable password supervisor given the gravity of the breaches.

To study extra, learn our full LastPass overview right here.

As compared, Bitwarden has not famous any safety breaches. It’s also open supply — which implies that their code is accessible for public viewing and might simply be monitored for any vulnerabilities.

Safety-wise, Bitwarden is the clear winner between the 2 password managers.

Learn our full Bitwarden overview right here.

Password vault and administration

Each password managers use the gold commonplace AES-256 encryption to encrypt person information saved of their respective password vaults. AES-256 encryption is taken into account bank-level safety that provides heightened safety to person passwords towards hackers and malicious third events.

We additionally get password turbines in each options. For Bitwarden, customers can create a random password with as much as 128 characters, whereas LastPass can generate passwords of as much as 99 characters.

Exterior of storing passwords, each Bitwarden and LastPass allow customers to retailer different vital data. Bitwarden’s vault lets customers retailer id information, fee particulars and freeform textual content notes. In the meantime, the LastPass vault permits you to retailer notes, fee playing cards and checking account information.

Multi-factor authentication choices

By way of MFA, LastPass has extra choices, providing LastPass MFA, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Toopher, Duo Safety and Grid for its free customers.

Premium LastPass customers additionally get entry to YubiKey USB, whereas LastPass Enterprise accounts can make the most of Salesforce authentication as a second issue.

That’s to not say that Bitwarden is missing within the two-factor authentication division; Bitwarden clients can use an authenticator app, e mail, FIDO2 WebAuthn credentials, YubiKey and Duo Safety for his or her two-step logins. Nonetheless, solely the primary three 2FA strategies talked about are supplied in Bitwarden’s free model.

If having a various set of MFA choices is vital to you, LastPass will present extra flexibility in each its free and paid variations.

Supported platforms

Bitwarden and LastPass embrace help for a very powerful platforms. The 2 password managers can be found on Home windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and Opera.

Nonetheless, Bitwarden is accessible on extra browsers. It has apps for Vivaldi, Courageous, Arc, Edge, Tor Browser and DuckDuckGo for Mac.

Free variations

Bitwarden and LastPass’ free variations each supply limitless password storage and a password generator, making them real looking choices for customers on the lookout for a devoted free model.

Nonetheless, Bitwarden’s free model edges LastPass in that it permits customers to make use of the app on a limiteless variety of gadgets. This implies you possibly can entry your free Bitwarden vault on a number of computer systems, telephones or browsers with no problem. LastPass Free solely permits use on one machine sort at a time.

For those who solely plan on utilizing a free password supervisor in the long run, Bitwarden’s free model makes extra sense given its limitless machine help.

Further options

Bitwarden comes with its personal encrypted file and text-sharing system known as Bitwarden Ship. It will probably transmit textual content of as much as 1,000 encrypted characters or information of as much as 500 MB.

For those who frequently ship out delicate paperwork like contracts or agreements, Bitwarden Ship is a significant value-add to think about.

In the meantime, LastPass comes with a handy One-Time Password characteristic that allows you to create a set of momentary passwords that you should utilize instead of your grasp password. This can be utilized to entry your vault when utilizing a lodge pc or a desktop in a public web cafe — stopping keyloggers and malware from stealing your password by these untrusted gadgets.

LastPass’ OTPs can profit distant staff that frequently use web cafes or customers who steadily journey with out their most important pc.

Bitwarden execs and cons

Professionals of Bitwarden

• Free model with limitless password storage.
• Premium plans are extra inexpensive than many opponents.
• Straightforward-to-use emergency entry characteristic.
• Encrypted file-sharing system.
• Open-source format makes it extremely safe and customizable.
• Clear safety status.

Cons of Bitwarden

• Desktop UI isn’t intuitive.
• Auto-fill performance might be higher.

LastPass execs and cons

Professionals of LastPass

• Provides a number of MFA choices.
• Straightforward-to-use person interface.
• Helpful OTP characteristic.
• Nation restriction performance.

Cons of LastPass

• Has had two main information breaches previously 12 months.
• Historical past of smaller safety incidents since 2011.
• Clunky internet app expertise.
• Dated interface design.

Methodology

This text was initially written by Shannon Flynn. Each Bitwarden and LastPass have been analyzed by way of their password administration options, safety and worth for cash.

We now have additionally carried out in-depth evaluations of Bitwarden and LastPass. In our full Bitwarden overview, the open-source password supervisor acquired 4.3 stars out of 5. In the meantime, LastPass acquired a ranking of three.4 stars out of 5 in its full overview.

Ought to your group use Bitwarden or LastPass?

Bitwarden is the higher and safer selection, with no reported safety incidents. With LastPass experiencing two main information breaches previously two years, we discover it exhausting to suggest it as a protected and dependable password administration resolution.

Bitwarden presents a formidable free model, intensive help on a number of platforms and a clear safety status that’s constructed on open-source software program. It additionally has very inexpensive costs throughout all its subscription plans. For those who’re on the lookout for a high-quality password supervisor on a price range, Bitwarden is without doubt one of the finest out there.