Having a password manager serves extremely well nowadays, especially when our online activities always keep our details at the risk of being hacked through phishing sites. Now it’s evident that not many consider it important to have a password manager for their basic browsing needs. Yet, even when your security needs aren’t too technical, having a light and decent password manager can save you from all kinds of threats.
But when it comes to large families who want to keep their activities secured or businesses, having a password manager is highly important. And not just any password manager here, but rather one that is highly smart and secure in every way. Therefore, for such needs, one might always head-on for the best options there are.
When we say the best options, one can’t help but think of 1Password and Lastpass. Well, that’s undoubted because they indeed are the best options there are. But when it comes to figuring out which one is better than the other, one might get confused. But don’t worry, we’ve thought of helping you out here. So let’s go ahead and compare both these best options below for a clearer view of which one is actually ‘the best.
What are LastPass and 1Password?
Before we head into discovering how these two password managers serve differently or better from one another, let’s first have a brief introduction to both these options.
1Password:
1Password, one of the top-rated password managers, is developed by AgileBits Inc. It is well known for its quality features as well as the quality security it offers. That includes the extra secure vault that is guarded with a PBKDF2-guarded master password – where you can store all your passwords and personal credentials easily.
Altogether, one can consider this software suitable and highly secure password manager, a secure digital wallet, a digital vault, and a form filler.
LastPass:
Another highly rated and trusted password manager is LastPass, which is well known for storing encrypted passwords online. However, the users also adore LastPass for its availability. Not just on the web interface but also on all the popular browsers as an extension and mobile devices.
Other than this, the extra intelligent security features it offers to the users are also something that makes this software stand out from all the different options.
Features Comparison
Before we compare both LastPass and 1Password for what it offers us, let’s first discuss below the most popular features offered by them.
| 1Password | LastPass |
| Encrypts all your passwords and credentials with the AES-256 encryption method along with two-factor authentication. | Serves with a LastPass authenticator, for securing your passwords and saved data. It also comes with a two-factor authentication. |
| Has a decent form filling feature. | The form filling feature is smooth and smart. |
| Allows users to create multiple vaults and categorize your passwords inside | Provides users multiple files to categorize entries and passwords inside. |
| Comes with both browser site extensions as well as browser add-ons. | Has a powerful web browser extension that serves well for all major platforms. |
| Has a safe and secure password generator, digital wallet, vault sharing and syncing, usage reports, and unlimited device usage. | Users can safely sync passwords on multiple devices, receive an actionable password strength report, share your passwords securely, and automatically change passwords. |
Benefits we Look for in a Password Manager:
Searching for a password manager isn’t all about accessing the basic features and looking for intelligent software that looks good, especially when your uses are more advanced. Instead, when we search for the best password manager for ourselves, there are always some aspects we look into before trusting just any software. These can be some smart features as well as the benefits we get.
Now to make sure that one of these two password managers offers them well to us, we’ve aligned below the basics we look into and how they serve them.
- Pricing
- Platform Support
- Security
- Usage Ease
- Features
- Account Recovery
Detailed Overview:
With all the general details on these password managers cleared out, here is a general overview to give further insight to both of these password managers.
Pricing and Plans:
The best thing about LastPass here is that it offers its users a free plan with access to features like unlimited storage and multi-device sync. Other than this, you also avail yourself of all the basics with the free plan of LastPass, which makes it one of the best free password manager options available.
However, when it comes to the pricing and plans of 1Password, that’s something it lacks on; as there are no free plans available by 1Password. Although a restricted free plan might have made it ranked better in the competition, too, it only comes with a free 30-day trial of all its plans. Therefore, even though there’s no free plan here, you can’t miss benefitting from the 30-day free trial it offers too.
But, even if we keep the positives in mind. That point might go to LastPass for providing its users with (even though a limited feature), but at least a free plan to have access to without paying anything.
Platform Support:
Unlike the pricing, we can’t miss the fact that both the password managers, i.e., LastPass and 1Passord, offer quality platform support to their users. As both LastPass and 1Passord offer support on mobile platforms like Android and IOS and browser extensions for all the popular ones there are. This includes Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Edge.
However, when it comes to desktop support, 1Password might come in handy as its desktop app downloading and accessing is quite simple. Yet, on the other hand, LastPass offers a more complicated desktop app accessibility.
But since you get all that decent mobile and browser support from both these password managers, you can count a plus one for both of them here. Besides, having a password manager that allows you to use it anywhere you want; is mainly what makes it a highly suitable option. Otherwise, with limitations, you might have the best user experience. But that’s not what we’re getting here, so let’s be glad about that.
Security:
When it comes to security, you can count on both LastPass and 1Passowrd evenly. Thanks to the multiple-factor authentications and zero-knowledge model both offer; you can always rely on it.
However, that’s not what their security features offer users, as 1Password goes one step ahead in this manner. That mainly refers to the two-secret-key-security-model, where two encryption keys are required to get to your vault. That includes your master password (which the software doesn’t see nor stores) and the device key generated through the hardware and software specifications.
On the other hand, LastPass only serves with a secure master password for your vault, but here also, the software cannot view or access your master password. That means that even if the software is hacked, no one can get your master key and get into your vault. So it’s undoubtedly a win-win in terms of both the password managers here.
Usage Ease:
Thankfully, when it comes to trusting how easy to use both LastPass and 1Password is, they serve their users well with all the features here. The streamlined interfaces and decent outlook offered by both the software make it extremely easy to understand and utilize them, no matter if it’s your first time with a password manager or the 100th one.
Firstly, LastPass comes as a complete tool for your browser. Here its great interface, proper organization of your password and credential entries, as well as the many tools to access and sort your entries – all ensure the usage ease of this password manager in uncountable ways.
Other than that, the unique feature it offers of storing uncountable details and information in different categories while also personalizing your category; all make it’s user-interface highly suitable.
Now in terms of 1Password, with the help of 1Password X, you get to have a browser extension with all the features that are extremely easy to use. However, other than that, you can also make use of its browser interface for usage ease.
But that’s not all to the price you pay for this intelligent password manager, as 1Password also has a multi vault system, where you can divide your passwords in different vaults according to your ease. And with, you can even tag your entries for a more advanced accessibility and organization.
But if we keep everything aside and focus on the main outlook, 1Password looks more polished in comparison to LastPass’s a bit outdated UI. This might not be a huge difference, but it’s still something that would give a plus point to 1Password.
Features:
When it comes to the features offered by LastPass and 1Password, you can consider them enough to praise both the software. But both of them don’t go hand in hand, as their features differ according to the user’s needs and requirements.
Therefore, when it comes to 1Password, it serves well to those who are okay with paying the price for it; since there are no free plans. With this comes its features of a WatchTower, i.e., a security dashboard, a section for unsafe websites, and the fantastic travel mode feature. All this adds more quality and advance usage experience to everyone paying a good price to have this safe and beneficial password manager.
On the other hand, LastPass comes with a lot at a relatively lower price; and for free in terms of most features. Its unique features include auto-fill for applications and browsers, which might be expected in others but is more smooth and intelligent than what other software’s offer. Other than that, you also get a LastPass authenticator no matter what you’re subscribing for on it – even for free.
Also, the automatic password change, password sharing, and multi-device sync; all come in the free plan of LastPass. And so, this makes it a complete option even when you’re using it or free. However, 1Password has much more smartness to offer, but then again, you have to pay for it all.
Account Recovery:
Due to the zero-knowledge model that both the password manager offers, your master password is never really stored on both the software. That is good on the safer side, but it also means that you can’t reset your master key if you forget it. And since both 1Password and LastPass require confirming your identity before letting you inside your vault, you might get access to it quickly.
Yet, that doesn’t mean you lose your account and detail just like that, as 1Password comes with a special feature here. This small form of account recovery by 1Password mainly comes in a paper called an ‘Emergency Kit.’ This paper has a second secret key, your email address, and a place for you to write your master password.
Once you fill this form and store it somewhere, save or print it and keep it with you, you have the most negligible chances that you might end up in a master key losing situation. On the other hand, if we look at LastPass and how it serves in this situation, there’s nothing there to look at. As LastPass misses the recovery feature here, whereas 1Password has your back.
Who Is The Winner?
Keeping in mind the overall comparison above, it might be obvious that 1Password is the clear winner here. However, the differences and comparisons don’t call it an out for LastPass; as it is still a highly suitable and safe password managing option that offers everything for free. Yet, if you can pay, you have 1Password to serve you the best.
