LastPass & Bitwarden are the best two great password managers available; they are both extremely safe, feature-rich, and offer outstanding free & low-cost subscription plans for families & individuals.
Both brands have a number of similarities, including most of the key essential elements of the premium password manager throughout 2021, like:
- AES encryption with a key length of 256 bits.
- Options for advanced two-factor authentication
- Auditing of the password vault
- Password exchange that is secure.
But there are significant differences between LastPass & Bitwarden. For instance, LastPass is easy to be using and has more special functionality, such as an auto-changer password and account recovery choices. Bitwarden is also open-source, offers a cloud & self-host data solutions, and costs only a third of what other rivals do.
And, after LastPass’s free version was recently updated, many of the readers have been asking us for the right LastPass options. So we decided to pit LastPass against Bitwarden to see just how they stack up in terms of protection, functionality, plans & cost, simple to use, & customer service.
We eventually picked a winner for the comparison after months of studying, analyzing, and matching LastPass & Bitwarden — but this was a tough match, so we suggest reading every segment and selecting the best product for specific requirements.
Are you short on time? The official decision is as follows:
- LastPass took first place in the categories of Extra Features, Basic Features, easy to Use, & Customer Support. LastPass is secure, user-friendly, and includes features such as password auditing, and automated password changer, emergency access, various recovery options, and encrypted storage options.
- Bitwarden came out on top in terms of security and pricing. Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that offers a cloud & local data hosting, password sharing, password auditing, and user and family plans at reasonable prices. However, it is only advised for experienced consumers.
Which is best for Security?
Both Bitwarden & LastPass are extremely reliable password managers, with much of the same security systems:
- Unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption is used by governments and banks to secure records.
- LastPass and Bitwarden don’t have access to the users’ login vaults because they use a zero-knowledge design.
- Multiple authentications (2FA) confirm a user’s identity by requiring a second verification element.
LastPass is a safe password manager
Since LastPass is such an online password manager, login information is saved on the company server. Every LastPass user information is encrypted & decrypted regionally; only encryption key will be sent to LastPass’s databases, as well as the encrypted data are only in the hands of the users.
LastPass does not have keys to a person’s password safe so that if you forget your password manager, you won’t be able to recover your info. LastPass, on the other hand, has multiple account recovery methods, so you can get into your vault even though you lose your password manager.
LastPass includes TOTP applications (Microsoft Authenticator, Duo Security, Google Authenticator, Toopher), Card readers, USB tokens, & biometric scanners among its 2FA choices. A TOTP generator is also used in LastPass. LastPass Free provides TOTP software connectivity as well as the TOTP processor, while requirements and design add USB token support & authentication system.
Sadly, LastPass has also had some security flaws in the past, not just to did the app have a big security flaw several years ago, however, its servers were hacked as well. Despite the fact that the computers were hacked, LastPass’s robust security has never been cracked — the server attack just yielded a sequence of nonsensical, scrambled numbers, and the company hasn’t ever missed a single password.
Bitwarden is a security service
Bitwarden is regarded as incredibly secure since it is an accessible security feature; hundreds of security researchers from around the world have independently checked every element of the source code.
Bitwarden encrypts consumer data using 256-bit AES encryption until it hits Bitwarden’s databases. Bitwarden does, however, allow the users to self-host the data, which means they can hold the encrypted information on a personal server rather than on Bitwarden’s server. It ensures that even if Bitwarden’s computers are hacked, the data will not be compromised. However, please remember that self-hosting necessitates a high level of technical knowledge to set things up. Only whether you have exposure to your own extremely secure personal server is it acceptable.
Bitwarden does have a zero-knowledge plan as well, however unlike LastPass, it doesn’t offer account recovery, if you lose the password manager, you can just reset the Bitwarden account, which would erase all of your results.
Bitwarden’s 2FA solutions are similar to LastPass’s, including (Google Authenticator, TOTP authenticators, Authy), (Duo, USB tokens, YubiKey), biometric logins, email authentication, as well as a built-in TOTP generator. Biometric logins, TOTP authenticators, & email authentication are all supported by Bitwarden Available, but USB token connectivity & the TOTP generators are only accessible to membership fees. Although both LastPass & Bitwarden’s two-factor authentication alternatives are simple when using, We choose LastPass’s TOTP generators, which auto-fills one-time credentials with such a single tap (Bitwarden’s TOTP transformer needs you to copy or paste the one-time code from the vault to both the authentication sector).
Winner – Bitwarden
Both LastPass & Bitwarden are extremely secure. Bitwarden, on the other hand, has a marginal edge over the competition because it is open-source, has regional storage space, but has never been exploited. LastPass’s previous vulnerability compromise, however, did not reveal any customer data (owing to the business’s stringent zero-knowledge legislation). Furthermore, LastPass is compliant with a greater number of TOTP authenticator applications than Bitwarden, as well as its constructed authenticator is much easier.
Basic Differences Between LastPass & Bitwarden
The simple password management features of LastPass and Bitwarden are also very fine. Both are compliant with the most common operating systems as well as a variety of extensions, and they include key features such as:
- There is no limit on how many passwords you can store.
- Synchronization of many devices.
- Auto-fill & Auto-save are also available.
- Generator of passwords.
- Wallet on the internet (for storing bank accounts & credit cards).
- Storage of confidential knowledge (private information to fill out the web forms).
- Keep your notes secure.
Basic differences of LastPass
LastPass provides a Windows & Mac desktop client, an Android & iOS smartphone application, a website server, & browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari & Opera.
Users can import credentials from a variety of email services & browsers into LastPass. Passwords are easily imported into the LastPass database, and there are also on-screen prompts to help users via the operation.
LastPass offers unrestricted login and confidential data protection — it is indeed one of the few password managers which allow free users to save an endless number of passwords. LastPass offers multi-device replication in addition to unrestricted password storage, meaning all free & paying users will view the password vaults on either device (though this is about to change — free accounts would now be allowed to share passwords through desktop machines or cell phones).
LastPass’s auto-fill & auto-save features performed admirably in my reviews. When You will make a brand new account, LastPass will ask if you would like to save it right away. LastPass will auto-fill the login credentials any time you will go for the login area, but clients may opt to disable auto-fill for unique pages (for additional security).
The password generator in LastPass is excellent. The usual password length can be 12, which isn’t particularly long, however, users can generate passwords of up to 98 characters. Uppercase & lowercase numbers, letters, & symbols will all be used in passwords. Users can, however, create passwords that are “easy to tell” or “easy to read.”
Users can store credit cards, bank statements, names, & notes in addition to passwords. LastPass’s identity template is functional, allowing you to enter your name, location, business, email address, phone number, & notes. Files may also be attached to identity models for users.
Basic differences of Bitwarden
Bitwarden is a desktop server, a Windows, iOS, & Linux client, an Android, iOS, smartphone app, and the browser plugin for Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Safari, Edge, Brave, & Tor.
Bitwarden even allows you to import credentials from a variety of password managers & browsers, but you can also read through Bitwarden’s base of knowledge to work out how to do so. This was pretty simple to export an a.csv file containing your passwords into Bitwarden until you will understand how important the works. However, you would like to have Bitwarden make credential import more user-friendly.
For both its free & paid packages, Bitwarden offers limitless password recovery and syncing through various platforms, similar to LastPass.
Bitwarden’s auto-fill & auto-save features didn’t perform as well as you can hope during your trial. Your new logins will be automatically saved by the auto-save function, but you may not find them throughout the password safe. And the auto-fill feature is overly complicated — You can right-click upon this login area, choose Bitwarden, & then choose auto-fill for the place you have to log into. While these are slight annoyances, We prefer LastPass’s smooth auto-save & auto-fill features. Yet these are better password generators for iOS & Android, Bitwarden’s mobile application made auto-filling logins far simpler for us — although there are great password managers for iOS & Android, Bitwarden’s mobile application is pretty good for simple password management.
Bitwarden’s password generator, on the other hand, is fantastic, allowing users to generate passwords ranging from 5 to 120 characters (its default password length is 13). Users can construct passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, as well as produce the passwords.
Users can store credit card addresses, passwords & notes in Bitwarden’s password vault. The identities model in Bitwarden is somewhat familiar to LastPass’s, but also allows users to download unique fields.
Winner – LastPass
LastPass & Bitwarden are essentially the same in terms of common password security features. LastPass is much easier at all of the basics, like importing, auto-saving & auto-filling passwords, than Bitwarden, which has an option for some more apps & can create marginally longer passwords.
Extra Features in LastPass vs. Bitwarden
LastPass & Bitwarden each have a number of extra security options. The following are some of the things they have now in common:
- Sharing of passwords.
- Auditing of passwords.
- Storage that is encrypted.
Both brands, though, have special extras which the other does not. Bitwarden, for example, offers a self-hosting solution (more on that in the Security portion of this comparison), while LastPass does not. LastPass, on the other hand, provides an automated password changer, various account recovery tools, & emergency access, which Bitwarden lacks.
Extra Features of LastPass
LastPass has a lot of useful extra features. It’s simple to exchange passwords with a single user: simply press the Share button beside each username & key in the email account of the individual with whom you wish to share that particular password. The user would then receive an email with instructions about how to create a LastPass profile in order to gain access to a shared username. LastPass does have the luxury of allowing other people to use the password without being able to see it. You can exchange credentials with equal to 30 people using LastPass.
Passwords exchanged in this manner, though, do not sync between accounts. LastPass includes the intuitive Sharing Center function, which is required for users who want to build shared files among friends and family members. You can share & merge various logins with less than 5 other LastPass members using the Sharing Center. You may also change the privileges for shared accounts, allowing them to edit or just viewing and auto-filling shared logins.
The Security Dashboard in LastPass is also very impressive. LastPass displays a “Security Score” — the overall rating for all of the passwords (you must have a minimum of 50 passwords throughout the vault to receive a Security Rating). You will see which of the passwords are weak, poor, or repeat in the Security Dashboard. There is also a darknet scanner that can notify you if some of your emails have been hacked.
LastPass also includes an automated password changer that allows you to update passwords for over 70 supported websites with such a single click. Dashlane is also the only security feature that has this function.
LastPass also has numerous account recovery methods & emergency access, which you will appreciate. Mobile account restoration with Face & Fingerprint Scanner, a restoration one-time login credentials, SMS recovery, as well as a master password reminding are among the account authentication options. There’s also the possibility of restoring a previous password manager, but only if it was updated over the last thirty days.
LastPass requires you to appoint a contact who will be able to obtain immediate access to any account within a pre-determined waiting time (up to thirty days). It’s incredibly simple to set up, it takes us only 5 minutes to include our 2 members as an emergency case.
Extra Features of Bitwarden
LastPass has a lot of extra features, but Bitwarden seems not to. Bitwarden’s only additional features are password auditing, safe password sharing & secure storage, aside from the self-hosting alternative.
The password exchanging capabilities of Bitwarden are identical to those of LastPass. Bitwarden’s latest Send option is included in all of its packages, allowing individuals to transfer a single text or email or a file (up to 150 MB) to an infinite number of people. Now enter your text or append a file, choose the no. of users who can view the Send, & set the Send’s cancelation date, and Bitwarden can generate a protected connection that can be exchanged with anybody. Users do not need to build a Bitwarden profile to use the Send connection.
Winner – LastPass
It can get really more complex when it comes to password storage syncing. For starters, Bitwarden Premium customers can only exchange passwords including one other user, while LastPass’s unlimited plan allows for one-to-one access! Premium users have the ability to create two files, one of which can be shared & synced with such a single user. Consider upgrading to a Bitwarden Family plan for unrestricted login exchange among up to six users including vault syncing for multiple accounts.
Second, in order to exchange the passwords with some other user, you must first build an “Organization” and then allow another user to enter it. You can change passwords by each shared account, much as you can with LastPass. In addition, Bitwarden has 1 GB of encrypted data.
Pricing for LastPass vs. Bitwarden
LastPass & Bitwarden also have more free versions than the majority of other password vault plans available. Their paying plans are all reasonably priced, but Bitwarden gets a distinct price advantage.
Plans and Pricing for LastPass
For personal use, LastPass provides three options: Premium, Free, and Families.
LastPass Free is among the most popular online password managers available, with features such as:
- There is no limit on how many passwords you can store.
- Multiple system synchronization (either mobile or desktop).
- Login exchange on a one-to-one basis.
- Compatibility with TOTP 2FA.
- TOTP (Total Occurrence Time Protocol) generator
LastPass Premium & Families both have a variety of security options at a reasonable price — they’re pricier than Bitwarden’s premium bundles, yet they’re still a lot simpler to use.
Plans and Pricing for LastPass
- Loading on a one-to-many basis (up to 30 users).
- Auditing passwords and searching the dark web
- Monitoring of credit reports.
- USB tokens and biometric scanners are used for two-factor authentication.
- Access in the event of an emergency.
- Encrypted data of 1 GB.
- LastPass Family includes all of the features of LastPass Premium, plus support for up to six accounts, unrestricted vault sharing among users, and a handy sharing overview to help you keep track of who has keys to which credentials.
LastPass Premium & Families both are reasonably priced — in reality, these are marginally less expensive than premium rivals such as Dashlane & Keeper. LastPass, on the other hand, is almost four times the price of Bitwarden.
LastPass Premium comes with the 30-day free trial, & all paying plans come with a 30-days money-back policy.
Plans and Pricing for Bitwarden
Bitwarden also offers three different subscription plans: Premium, Free, and Families.
Bitwarden’s free version for private use, like LastPass’s, is among the most common options. The following are some of Bitwarden’s free features:
- There is no limit on how many passwords you can store.
- Syncing different computers at the same time.
- Login exchange on a one-to-one basis.
- TOTP authenticators are compatible with 2FA.
- Logins with biometrics.
- Data management options include the cloud and local storage.
- Bitwarden Free does have a lot of useful tools, yet Bitwarden Premium is a fantastic deal — for much less than one dollar per month, you get a lot more. Here’s what Bitwarden Premium includes:
- Auditing of the password vault
- YubiKey & Duo.
- Authenticator with two-factor
- Reports of password breaches.
- authentication built-in.
- 2FA support for USB tokens like the
- Encrypted data of 1 GB.
- Bitwarden Family is just the same as Bitwaden Premium, and it includes account sharing for up to six people and also an additional 1 GB of accessible capacity.
Winner – Bitwarden
All the free plans from LastPass & Bitwarden are 2 of the greatest on the market, with unrestricted password access, multi-device syncing, or even yet another password sharing. Bitwarden, on the other hand, is a simple winner in terms of cost, costing about half of what LastPass does for equivalent security. In addition, Bitwarden’s free version has more functions.
Simple of Use: LastPass vs. Bitwarden
LastPass allows creating, saving, filling, and sharing passwords a breeze. Bitwarden isn’t quite as user-friendly as the LastPass, and some of its features are overly complex.
Ease of Use for LastPass
LastPass’s applications and web plugins are very user-friendly. After you’ve created your account, LastPass offers a brief vault guide that walks you through all of the functions. Even if you miss the demo, all of LastPass’s features are simple to locate and comprehend — the interface is user-friendly for both novice and experienced users. LastPass is also a great password manager for households, as both children and elderly adults would be able to find and access any of the functions.
With a single click, all can create & store passwords for great accounts. It’s also simple to auto-fill stored passwords — all you must do is tap on the LastPass icon on the right-hand side of every online account’s login areas. Password exchange is also simple: users simply enter the email address of a person with someone with whom they wish to share the authentication.
It’s also very easy to use any of LastPass’s advanced functionality. Setting up a specialized 2FA and selecting an emergency contact was a breeze for me.
Overall, LastPass is a fantastic password manager with all users, although even those with no prior experience with password credentials can find it simple to use.
It’s tough to use Bitwarden
LastPass is easier to use than Bitwarden. During my experiments, we had trouble finding certain functions and comprehending how some features worked. We had to refer to Bitwarden’s FAQ sites on a regular basis to figure out how to upload passwords into my vault & exchange passwords with the other Bitwarden consumers.
Bitwarden’s auto-save & auto-fill features aren’t perfect either; in fact, the auto-save feature, which allows the user to right-click on multiple sub-menus only to auto-fill one username, irritates us.
It is not like LastPass, which has helpful in-app guides, does not have any guides for any of its applications. We just recommend Bitwarden to users who really are tech-savvy and willing to spend some time learning how to get all of its functionality. Beginners and non-technical consumers should avoid this site.
Winner – LastPass
LastPass is both decent & user-friendly, providing helpful in-app guides, convenient functionality, as well as and overall easy navigation. Bitwarden is indeed a strong password manager, however, that’s a little difficult to use; but on the other hand, Bitwarden would be both good & user-friendly. LastPass is unquestionably the better option for users searching for a strong password that is simple to set up & then use.
Leave a Reply