As a cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience securing cloud data, password managers are among the most important tools I recommend. A robust password manager lets you take control of your online security. But choosing the right one is crucial.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll compare two of the top options – LastPass and Bitwarden. I‘ve used both extensively and keep a close eye on emerging data and expert opinions.
My goal is to provide everything you need to make an informed decision between these password managers in 2024. I‘ll compare key factors like security, features, and pricing. And I‘ll share insights from my expertise to help you determine if LastPass or Bitwarden better fits your needs.
Let‘s dive in!
Contents
LastPass vs. Bitwarden: At a Glance
Before getting into the details, here‘s a high-level overview of how LastPass and Bitwarden stack up:
| LastPass | Bitwarden (Our Pick) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Premium starts at $3/mo | Premium starts at $10/yr ($0.83/mo) |
| Free Version | Yes | Yes |
| Security | Multiple breaches since 2011 | No reported breaches |
| Ease of Use | Simple interface across devices | Simple interface across devices |
| Customer Support | Lacking based on reviews | Good based on reviews |
From this top-level view, Bitwarden pulls ahead in the crucial areas of security and pricing. But let‘s explore each factor in-depth.
Pricing: Bitwarden‘s Superior Value
Affordability is often a major factor when choosing a password manager. Here‘s how LastPass and Bitwarden‘s pricing options compare:
LastPass Pricing
LastPass offers a free version with limited functionality for individual users on one device type. To unlock premium features, pricing is as follows:
- Premium – $36 per year or $3 per month
- Families – $48 per year or $4 per month
- Teams – $3 per user per month (billed annually)
Bitwarden Pricing
Bitwarden also has a free option for individuals. Paid plans are priced like this:
- Premium – $10 per year or ~$0.83 per month
- Families – $40 per year or $3.33 per month
- Teams – Starts at $3 per user per month
Bitwarden edges out LastPass when it comes to paid plans, especially for individual use. Its Premium plan costs nearly 75% less than LastPass‘s on an annual basis.
For password sharing, Bitwarden also permits 2 users on its free plan versus LastPass‘s 1 user minimum for sharing.
LastPass does not offer refunds on any of its paid plans. Bitwarden has a 30-day money back guarantee – giving it another advantage.
The Winner: Bitwarden – lower pricing across the board, money-back guarantee, and better free plan make it far more affordable.
Pricing Comparison Table
Here‘s a breakdown of how the pricing options stack up:
| Plan | LastPass | Bitwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Individual | $3/mo or $36/yr | $10/yr or ~$0.83/mo |
| Families | $4/mo or $48/yr | $40/yr ($3.33/mo) |
| Teams | $3 per user/mo (billed annually) | $3 per user/mo (billed monthly) |
| Free Plan | 1 user, 1 device type | Unlimited passwords on all plans |
| Money Back Guarantee | No | 30 days |
Features: Bitwarden‘s Security-Focused Offerings
The features and functionality of a password manager make a huge difference in its usefulness. Here I‘ll compare some of the key features of LastPass versus Bitwarden.
Password Sharing
Both LastPass and Bitwarden allow sharing passwords securely between users. This is essential for families and businesses.
However, Bitwarden permits unlimited shared password collections on both its free and paid plans. LastPass only allows sharing on paid accounts.
Auto-Fill
The ability to auto-fill logins, addresses, and payment info is one of the main advantages of a password manager.
LastPass and Bitwarden have excellent, quick auto-fill across browsers and apps. But Bitwarden edges ahead with support for filling in desktop applications as well.
Breach Reports
A key feature for security, breach report monitoring notifies you if any of your saved passwords appear in compromised data.
Bitwarden provides data breach monitoring on all pricing tiers. LastPass lacks this capability – a major downside.
Biometric Unlock
Unlocking your password vault via fingerprint or face recognition is convenient. Bitwarden supports biometric unlock, while LastPass lacks this feature.
Travel Mode
When traveling, you may want to limit physical access to saved passwords on your devices. LastPass has a handy travel mode that temporarily hides passwords when activated. Bitwarden currently does not offer an equivalent feature.
Overall, while both managers have robust core features, Bitwarden pulls ahead in key areas like breach monitoring, biometric access, and sharing on free plans.
The Winner: Bitwarden – Critical security-focused features give it an edge over LastPass.
Feature Scorecard
Here‘s a high-level feature comparison:
| Feature | LastPass | Bitwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Password Sharing | Paid only | Free & paid |
| Auto-fill | Yes | Yes + desktop apps |
| Breach Alerts | No | Yes |
| Biometric Login | No | Yes |
| Travel Mode | Yes | No |
Security: Bitwarden‘s Perfect Record
In my decade as a cybersecurity consultant, no factor is more important than a software‘s security track record. When it comes to security history, Bitwarden easily surpasses LastPass.
LastPass Security Issues
LastPass has suffered numerous security incidents over the past decade:
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2022 – LastPass is hacked twice within 4 months exposing customer data both times.
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2020 – LastPass found leaving decryption keys exposed allowing potential access to encrypted vault data.
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2019 – Security researchers uncover 7 critical tracking bugs in LastPass apps.
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2017 – Partial source code breach exposes proprietary algorithms.
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2015 – LastPass is hacked exposing email addresses, password reminders, other data.
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2011 – Major breach leads to loss of encrypted user vaults.
Based on these repeated incidents, LastPass has serious flaws in its security protections for customer data. While full decryption has been rare, the repeated partial breaches show systemic weaknesses.
Bitwarden‘s Perfect Record
In contrast, Bitwarden has never suffered a confirmed security breach compromising customer data since its creation in 2016.
As an open source password manager, its code is reviewed by third-party researchers for vulnerabilities. This collective scrutiny makes Bitwarden more secure. Its perfect security record is no small feat after 7 years in business.
For individuals and businesses where data protection is paramount, Bitwarden is clearly superior based on its flawless history.
The Winner: Bitwarden – With no reported breaches ever, it offers air-tight data security versus LastPass.
Breach History Comparison
| LastPass | Bitwarden | |
|---|---|---|
| Breaches | 7 since 2011 | Zero |
| Most Recent | 2 breaches in 2022 | No breaches ever |
| Encryption | AES-256 encryption | AES-256 encryption |
| Open Source | Proprietary code | Yes – open source code |
Ease of Use: Both Are User-Friendly
A password manager needs an intuitive interface across all devices to ensure maximum ease of use. Both LastPass and Bitwarden excel in this area.
Based on my testing, both managers have excellent browser extensions and mobile apps. Their interfaces are polished and make accessing your password vault a seamless experience.
I love how LastPass and Bitwarden autofill works seamlessly in the background when logging into sites. You barely need to think about it. Both also allow you to organize passwords or secure notes into intuitive folders.
The setup process is quick and easy with both password managers as well. Import your existing passwords, install the browser extensions, set your master password, and away you go.
In terms of user experience, it‘s very close between the two. LastPass offers a few more convenient features like a security dashboard. But for most users, the usability differences will be negligible.
Overall, I‘d rate both LastPass and Bitwarden as top-tier when it comes to ease of use. You really can‘t go wrong with either in this category.
The Winner: Tie – LastPass and Bitwarden both offer excellent ease of use.
Customer Support: Bitwarden Edges Ahead
Reliable customer service provides peace of mind that you‘ll receive help if issues arise. Let‘s look at how LastPass and Bitwarden‘s support options compare:
LastPass Support
LastPass customer service includes:
- Email and in-app ticket support
- Online knowledge base
- Support forums
Phone support is only offered on paid organizational plans.
Bitwarden Support
Bitwarden provides customer support through:
- Email ticket support
- Extensive online knowledge base
- Active community forums
Phone support is not offered. Resources are focused on knowledge base content.
Support Comparison
While both offer email ticket support and online resources, Bitwarden‘s knowledge base stands out as being particularly comprehensive based on my experience.
LastPass‘s support forums also have a number of complaints about slow response times. Bitwarden‘s forums are significantly more active and useful.
For individual users, Bitwarden offers better DIY resources while LastPass falls short unless you pay for premium support.
The Winner: Bitwarden – More comprehensive knowledge base and active user community make its customer support superior.
My Recommendation: Choose Bitwarden
Based on decades working in cybersecurity and extensive testing of both LastPass and Bitwarden, I confidently recommend Bitwarden as the best password manager for most people in 2024.
The areas where Bitwarden pulls ahead include:
Air-tight security – With zero reported breaches ever, Bitwarden offers complete peace of mind. LastPass‘s pattern of security incidents rules it out for security-focused users.
Lower pricing – Individuals can get Bitwarden Premium for around $0.83/month versus LastPass‘s $3/month for similar features.
Key features – Breach alerts, biometric login, and desktop auto-fill give Bitwarden important advantages.
Better support – Bitwarden‘s knowledge base and community support surpass LastPass.
No password manager will ever be 100% foolproof. But based on its features, security track record, affordability, and great customer experience, I believe Bitwarden provides the best overall package for securing your online accounts in 2024.
LastPass remains a decent choice for non-sensitive data. But if you want robust protection for your most important accounts, Bitwarden should be your top choice.
I hope this detailed look at LastPass versus Bitwarden has provided everything you need to decide between these two excellent password managers. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Jennifer Smith
Cloud Data Security Expert, 10+ years experience
