1Password vs LastPass: which one is better?

1Password vs LastPass are two popular choices for managing passwords and sensitive information online. Both services provide secure and convenient solutions, but their strengths cater to different user needs.

1Password stands out with its sleek, secure apps and advanced features like Travel Mode and multi-factor authentication, but it comes with a higher price tag. On the other hand, LastPass is budget-friendly and beginner-oriented, offering an accessible entry point for those new to password management, though some may find its security measures lacking compared to 1Password.

In this LastPass vs 1Password comparison, I evaluated both on security, usability, pricing, and customer support. My analysis revealed that 1Password excels in features and reliability, thanks to frequent third-party audits and robust extensions. LastPass, while affordable and user-friendly, still trails behind in terms of advanced security practices and comprehensive app functionality. Continue reading to decide which tool fits your needs best.

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1Password vs LastPass: which is more secure?

I reviewed and evaluated both 1Password and LastPass’ security and privacy, specifically the encryption protocols, architecture, authentication methods, and security audits. Overall, 1Password is more secure than LastPass since it adds an extra layer of security with the 34-character secret key for login authentication, and has been independently audited multiple times by different security auditors. Meanwhile, LastPass uses standard encryption and a variety of authentication methods but hasn’t had an independent audit. Furthermore, LastPass has had multiple security breaches in the past, which hurts its security reputation a little bit.

Wrapping up

Based on our testing, 1Password wins in security over LastPass. Even though LastPass has better multi-factor security, 1Password is stronger in terms of privacy and third-party audits. This makes 1Password the clear winner for the security category.

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Encryption

1Password and LastPass use top-notch 256-bit AES encryption, making them highly secure. However, 1Password adds an extra safeguard with a Secret Key, which is required alongside your master password to access your vault. This additional step doesn't mean stronger encryption, but it does make 1Password's overall security tighter, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access to your encrypted data.

This dual-layer approach ensures that even if someone manages to guess or obtain your master password, they still cannot access your data without the Secret Key. It's an effective way to add extra protection, making 1Password a particularly secure choice over LastPass for safeguarding sensitive information.

Multi-factor security

Both 1Password and LastPass offer a variety of multi-factor authentication options, ranging from authentication apps to biometrics. In the end, LastPass allows for more variety – it includes TOTP apps, physical authenticators, smart cards, and more.

In 1Password’s case, multi-factor security is built into the client because it requires two passwords on every new device. Aside from this secret key, setting up two-factor authentication via authenticator apps like Authy or Microsoft Authenticator is possible. There’s an option to send push notifications to confirm login requests via Duo Security. It’s also possible to use Windows fingerprint or Apple’s FaceID. However, that’s about it. You won’t find third-party authenticators or USB tokens. Those two might be vital if you’re a business owner.

What LastPass does well are its multi-factor authentication options. Ultimately, they have the most of all password managers. The list includes TOTP (time-based one-time password) apps, physical authenticators, smart cards, and more. The kicker is that you can use several authentication options. You can even enable them all and be required to use the TOTP app, biometrics, PIN, and smart card – all at the same time. On the other hand, from multi-factor authentication options, I’ve seen that FaceID sometimes doesn’t work well with 1Password.

Privacy policy

Being privacy and security products, both LastPass and 1Password use zero-knowledge architecture, which means that neither have access to passwords or other information that users store in their vaults. However, both password managers still collect some user data.

1Password is transparent about how it operates, storing data securely in encrypted form and not selling customer information. 1Password follows strict GDPR standards to ensure user data protection and privacy.

On the other hand, LastPass, owned by LogMeIn, has a less clear privacy policy. It's uncertain what data LastPass collects, but they mention using it for marketing.

Overall, 1Password's approach to privacy is more straightforward and transparent than LastPass’.

Third-party security audits

1Password has undergone several security audits. You can familiarize yourself with each of them, including the detailed 1Password audit reports. Here are some of the most noteworthy audits:

• Service Organization Control Type 2 certificate
• Private bug bounty program for Bugcrowd, Inc.
• Independent Security Evaluators penetration and code test

That’s a remarkable 1Password achievement few password managers can match.

By contrast, LastPass only has one audit focused on internal compliance rather than thorough software testing.

Security breaches

LastPass had two data breaches in 2022, while 1Password has never been breached.

LastPass confirmed a data breach in August 2022. It was reported that the incident didn’t compromise any of the users' data and that the attacker exfiltrated portions of internal data back then. However, in late November of 2022, LastPass confirmed another breach. After this breach, LastPass admitted that the attacker gained access to certain elements of the customers' data. Moreover, in 2015, threat actors managed to access their network and LastPass asked users to change their Master passwords.

By contrast, 1Password has never been breached, making it more secure than LastPass.

1Password and LastPass both offer standard password manager features like password generators, sharing options, password importing, vaults, and password recovery. However, each has some unique features as well. For example, 1Password offers data breach monitoring (Watchtower) and travel mode, while with LastPass, you can generate one-time passwords. I tested each of these features to see how well they function and how easy they are to use.

Wrapping up

All in all, while both password managers offer an array of useful features, 1Password stands out as the one with more unique ones like data breach monitoring, travel mode, and payment card autofill. While LastPass has all the standard password management features, it doesn’t offer much else.

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Account and password recovery

Both 1Password and LastPass have recovery methods if you accidentally lose your private key (master password).

1Password offers a Windows Hello (biometric identification) recovery option. If you belong to a Family plan, other members can recover your account. However, it’s recommended to print out the Emergency Kit with all the login details.

LastPass provides a Recovery One-Time Password and log in with it if you forget your Master password. You can also add a recovery phone number or set up a mobile account recovery with biometric authentication.

Having compared the recovery methods that both of the password managers offer, LastPass seems to provide more choices and beats the one option that 1Password offers.

Password generator

Both 1Password and LastPass offer password generators.

1Password’s password generator has up to 100 characters. You can generate passwords from random symbols, PIN codes, or memorable phrases containing 3 to 15 words.

Meanwhile, the LastPass password generator is rather simple and you can create a password containing up to 99 characters.

Both providers have good generator features but 1Password has more options to play with.

Password sharing

In terms of password sharing, LastPass and 1Password offer options to share passwords with other people. However, where 1Password allows sharing passwords with both users and no-users, LastPass password sharing works only with other LastPass users.

With 1Password, you can share items with recipients that aren’t 1Password users. The feature for that is called Psst! (Password secure sharing tool) All you need to do is just open an item to get a link, which you can share with anyone.

With LastPass, you can share credentials only with other LastPass users. You can also manage the access to the login credentials. A downside is that LastPass asks you to verify your email address before letting you share anything quite frequently.

Password security audits

Both password managers offer features for assessing how secure are your passwords, as well as offer ways to level up your data security. 1Password calls this feature the Watchtower, while LastPass provides a feature called Security Challenge.

1Password’s Watchtower shows a comprehensive summary of the overall password strength, logins with two-factor authentication, and items that might expire soon. Overall I found this dashboard to be informative, and the alerts function helped me update compromised or expired passwords in time.

In comparison, LastPass’ Security Challenge displays a similar summary of the overall security of your passwords and suggests actions to take. For example, you can easily view and update passwords at risk, as well as take specific actions like enabling multi-factor authentication. I found this feature to be just as useful and informative as 1Password’s.

Platforms, interface, and ease of use

Wrapping up

Overall both providers offer well-designed and usable apps for various devices and browsers, but 1Password is better – its browser extensions include more features, and the desktop application is more developed than LastPass’. On the other hand, LastPass’ web client is really convenient to use – you don’t even need to download the desktop app.

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Desktop apps

1Password and LastPass desktop apps are easy to install, well-designed, and include all available features that each password manager offers. However, 1Password excels over LastPass in desktop app functionality, offering advanced features and seamless integration with third-party apps on Mac. With dedicated versions for newer and older computers, 1Password provides a more versatile and user-friendly experience than LastPass.

What I found really interesting about 1Password desktop apps is that 1Password if you have a newer computer, you’ll be able to download 1Password Version 7. If you have an older computer, you can use 1Password 4. It’s rare that a password manager willingly extends support for older machines. With that said, they are no longer supported as fully and only receive the most critical security updates. All the current apps are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Overall, the 1Password desktop app is the same for Mac and Windows – really easy to install, and the design and interface navigation simply makes sense. For Linux, the app operates via the command line, which is somewhat less convenient.

The 1Password app includes all core features, such as the Watchtower, multiple vaults, a password generator, privacy cards, and more. The only notable difference I noticed is that the Travel Mode is only available via the web client or mobile apps.

By contrast, the LastPass desktop app is nearly identical to the web client. When testing the applications, I realized that the web client is even more convenient to use than the desktop app, as it allows for better multi-factor authentication management, and you can switch to different subscription plans more easily.

Browser extensions

Both password managers offer browser extensions for a variety of browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox. 1Password also offers an extension for Brave, while LastPass is available on Opera.

The 1Password browser extension is one of the best password manager extensions overall, as it includes not only basic features like a password generator but also more unique ones. For example, I was pleasantly surprised to find that you can lock the extension so no one else can use it, and Travel Mode together with more import options is available. However, it was a bit inconvenient that when I wanted to add a new item, I would be forwarded to the desktop app.

As for LastPass, the browser extension is pretty simple and includes almost all the features that you can find in the web client and desktop app. You can add items, access the Security Dashboard, and manage your account. However, some users reported that the extension slows down the browser a little bit – fortunately, I did not experience that during testing.

Mobile apps

1Password is a better choice than LastPass because it offers wider Android compatibility and unique iOS features like Apple Watch integration, making it a more comprehensive and appealing option for users across different platforms.

1Password apps are available for iOS and Android devices. Both are identical from the features perspective: you can set up both apps to autofill passwords not only on the web but on apps as well. In the iOS case, everything is rather straightforward. You’re asked to switch to 1Password in place of the iCloud Keychain. If you’re using Android, it depends on your version. Currently, 1Password supports autofill on apps and browsers from Android version 5 to the current 12^th. So, 1Password pretty much covers all bases.

Feature-wise, the most noteworthy addition on iOS is the possibility to add items to the Apple Watch keychain. That way, you can store passwords in the storage on your watch. It protects your items with your Apple Watch rather than your master password. Android devices don’t have an equivalent feature.

LastPass also features autofill for Android and iOS. However, the difference is that LastPass will require the Android 8 framework to work. If you have a phone that runs on an older build of Android, you’re out of luck. You can also set up biometrics authentication if you don't want to use your master password.

Web client

1Password and LastPass both have web client interfaces, which is where you can sign up and create an account, as well as access your vault and different password manager features.

I found 1Password’s web client to be similar to the desktop app. The sign-up process was easy – I simply needed to confirm my email and enter the additional Secret Key for authentication. To log in the second time, I needed only my master password. 1Password’s web client offers more or less the same vault management options as those available on the apps. There’s also an option to use a QR code to set up or retrieve your account.

LastPass web client also functions the same way as its desktop app and offers the same features. The advantage of using the web client as a primary way to access your vault and passwords is that you can use it on any device, independent of your operating system. Other than that, the interface looks the same as with the desktop apps, and I found it pretty easy to navigate.

Plans and pricing

Both 1Password and LastPass are similar in pricing across all tiers, although 1Password offers more features and flexibility with each plan.

Neither Password manager offers money-back guarantees, making it harder to pick one as you’re committing long-term. However, 1Password does come with a free 14-day trial while LastPass offers a 30-day trial, so you have some time to decide whether you want to stick with it or not. Overall, 1Password has better pricing options than LastPass as it gives you better price value considering its more advanced security, features, and more.

On the other hand, LastPass also offers a free version. You get unlimited password storage in your vault, support for any device type, a password generator, multi-factor authentication, and only 50 MB of data storage. Plus, you’ll be restricted to one device – desktop or mobile.

In terms of premium plans, both 1Password and LastPass are very similar. Both password managers offer unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, 1GB of storage, and two-factor authentication. The prices are almost the same - 1Password costs $2.00/month, while LastPass costs $3.00/month.

Both password managers also offer plans for families. 1Password pricing for families starts at $4.99/month, and the LastPass family plan costs from $4.00/month. Both managers offer almost identical features and include access to unlimited devices, private user accounts, password sharing, and account recovery. However, LastPass allows more users than 1Password.

Multi-user plans are also useful for companies, and both 1Password and LastPass offer two plans suitable for businesses. The plans adapt to limited and unlimited user counts, permit manager controls, and secure sharing between team members. The 1Password plans for businesses start at $7.99/month for 10 users and go up to $19.95/month/user depending on your business needs. Meanwhile, LastPass offers two business plans: $4.00/month/user for up to 50 employees, and $6.00/month/user for unlimited user accounts.

Wrapping up

All in all, 1Password offers a better price value with features like Travel Mode, Watchtower, and Payment card autofill. Nevertheless, LastPass allows a bigger number of users on the Families plan. As for business plans, both offer a great number of features for a budget-friendly price, but 1Password is a more secure option in the long run.

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Customer support

Since 1Password is positioning itself as a premium password manager, it comes with more customer support options. You can contact them via Twitter, email, or community forums. Email seems like a no-brainer, but many users report that they got in touch faster by using Twitter or the forums. Live chat would be the best option, but seeing how little password manager providers can do to help you out, this is no surprise.

When it comes to LastPass, if you’re using the Free version, you’re left without customer support. You’ll only be able to read the FAQ section. Paid users can get Premium Support tickets. So, essentially, customer support in LastPass' case is left behind a paywall.

Wrapping up

Both services look decent from a customer support standpoint. 1Password seems a little better because of its community forums, which give it a narrow edge. Meanwhile, LastPass provides support only to premium users, which is not a very good look.

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1Password vs LastPass: Final thoughts

Both password managers excel in providing reliable security and seamless login management. However, after thorough testing and evaluation, I found that 1Password stands out as the superior choice over LastPass. With its Secret Key authentication, advanced features like Travel Mode and Watchtower, and a full-featured browser extension, 1Password offers unmatched security and functionality to keep your data safe.

While LastPass remains a budget-friendly option with a free tier, it falls short in usability and lacks the innovative features that 1Password delivers. Its desktop apps and browser extensions are less intuitive and miss some key functionalities, making it less versatile for comprehensive password management.

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How we tested LastPass vs 1Password

The Cybernews research team and I conducted extensive password manager testing and analysis to conduct the comprehensive LastPass vs 1Password comparison. Here’s a short summary of how the testing and evaluation process works:

1. We looked into and evaluated the overall security and privacy practices of both providers by looking at their encryption and authentication methods, application structure, and privacy policies, as well as third-party audits.
2. To test the features and overall app functionality, we downloaded and installed the apps. We tested the main features like password generators, autofill, password security checkers, and others.
3. Additionally, we tested and evaluated additional and unique features.
4. By contacting customer support, we could gather more information about each providers as well as assess the response times and effectiveness of the answers.
5. To summarize our results, we evaluated the price-quality ratio of each provider by looking at their overall offers and usability and comparing the subscription pricing to market averages and each other.

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