LastPass Password Manager Review
This LastPass password manager review is intended to provide information about the LastPass password generator.
User Behavior is the Weakest Link in the Security Chain
More than 80 percent of data breaches are due to stolen passwords, yet the average person uses the same password for up to 14 different accounts. According to one study, 1 in 5 employees still keep their passwords on sticky notes for everyone to see.
It’s true that strong, unique passwords are a pain to create and remember, but they keep personal information from falling into the wrong hands. There’s a simple remedy for this dilemma — the password generator and manager — and an excellent version of it doesn’t cost a dime.
LastPass Password Manager Review Overview: 25 Million Users Can’t Be Wrong
LastPass is a highly ranked, award-winning industry leader in password management. It is consistently well reviewed by PCMag, Cybernews, Tom’s Guide and other respected sources.
In September of 2020, LastPass boasted 25.6 million users all over the world. Seventy thousand businesses of all sizes subscribe. McAfee, the computer security company, learned from its usage data that 91 percent of organizations have LastPass users. The average number of employee users is 173.
The basic version of LastPass comes with a web interface, but smartphone apps and plug-ins for different browsers make it a very versatile product. Here’s a LastPass password manager review of features, additional benefits, competitors, pricing and a couple of limitations.
PRODUCT FEATURES
The three versions offered for personal use are Free, Premium and Families. There are four unique choices for businesses. The options are broken down below.
PRODUCT FEATURES
The three versions offered for personal use are Free, Premium and Families. There are four unique choices for businesses.
The options are broken down below.
Free
This feature-packed version has lots of bells and whistles that competitors charge for:
• Support for popular platforms like Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux and Chrome OS
• Plug-ins for Chrome, Firefox, IE, Safari, Edge and Opera
• Password generator
• Unlimited password storage across an unlimited number of devices
• Two-factor authentication
• Password autofill
• Security challenge
• One-to-one password sharing
• Storage for sensitive information
• Free credit monitoring that includes identity theft protection
Premium
At this level, you’ll enjoy all the features of Free and a few more:
• 1 GB secure cloud storage
• Emergency access
• One-to-multiple password sharing
• Dark web monitoring
Families
This version is ideal for up to six users.
In addition to the features above, there’s a flexible dashboard for adding or deleting members. Users can also create unlimited folders for sharing data. The group manager can grant or deny access to specific password folders.
MFA, Teams, Enterprise and Identity
Business owners can choose from these four tiers based on their needs and the size of their organization.
Features at various price points include security dashboards, individual vaults, basic or in-depth reporting, integrated SSO and password managers, customizable policies, and biometric authentication.
Benefits With Proper Use
There’s a lot to like about LastPass:
Security
The product gets high marks for its multiple layers of security. Passwords are stored locally in an encrypted digital vault. The encryption is AES 256-bit. That won’t mean much if you’re not especially tech-savvy, but simply put, it’s the same encryption that banks and the military use.
Even LastPass can’t access your data. Its zero-knowledge policy ensures that your information will never be tracked or sold.
At paid levels, LastPass offers two-factor and multifactor authentication options for extra protection. There are email alerts to verify logins on new devices. Even if your master password were somehow stolen, the thief would have to have a unique one-time code to get into your account.
When you want to change an existing password or create a new one, LastPass offers to do it for you. The password generator uses all four character sets — uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. You can create your own passwords, of course, and the security challenge feature will rate them on strength.
Either way, passwords are stored securely in your vault until you want to log into your bank, favorite retailer or energy company. The vault keeps passwords in folders according to category.
Sharing is rarely advised, but it might come in handy for things like shared bank or credit card accounts. Just click on that option to grant immediate access. You can also bequeath your passwords to a loved one in case you die unexpectedly.
LastPass has several convenient recovery options for folks who forget their master password.
Ease of use
Both the desktop and mobile apps are easily navigated and can be set up in minutes. Some customers have initially had trouble finding specific features, but that’s largely because LastPass has so many to find.
Extras
The autofill feature is a great convenience. When LastPass identifies a login page, it will enter your username and password for you. You’re in with one click. If you prefer, you can disable autofill.
At paid levels, you can grant emergency access to a trusted contact. You may also restrict access in select countries. Just remember to update your selections for each trip.
LastPass storage isn’t limited to just passwords. You can store your Social Security number, driver’s license, passport and more.
Top LastPass Competitors — Similarities and Differences
Competing products have many of the same capabilities, are competitively priced, and are well-rated. Dashlane and Keeper, for example, have similar onboarding processes. You can organize items in custom folders. Both offer special security features like dark web monitoring. Granting emergency access works much the same way.
However, some rivals have limitations in their free editions. For example, Dashlane and Keeper are free only if you use them on a single device.
LastPass Free comes with several features that other brands charge for. It also has more options for businesses.
PRICING
LastPass shows charges by the month but bills annually:
• Premium, $3 per month ($36 per year)
• Families, $4 per month ($48 per year)
• MFA, $3 per user per month ($36 per user per year)
• Teams, $4 per user per month ($48 per user per year)
• Enterprise, $6 per user per month ($72 per user per year)
• Identity, $8 per user per month ($96 per user per year)
LastPass offers a free 30-day trial for Premium and Families, and you needn’t provide credit card information to sign up.
Reported or Known LastPass Flaws
No brand is without its downsides. Here are a couple that LastPass is aware of:
Customer support
Some users have identified this as one area with room for improvement. While customer service reps are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, contacting them is not exactly convenient.
There’s no live chat feature, and phone support is not offered. You can find live support on Twitter but only during working hours on weekdays. Emails, however, are usually answered within hours.
The good news is that users rarely need help operating LastPass.
2019 LastPass Bug
In September 2019, LastPass resolved an issue that could have potentially exposed user credentials between sites they visited. Users would have had to take several unusual steps to jeopardize their information, but LastPass quickly fixed the bug.
LastPass Password Manager Review Tips
Many customers aren’t even aware of all the features at their fingertips. To get the most out of the experience, LastPass urges users to leverage these four features:
• Unlock the app with your fingerprint so that your phone doesn’t slow you down.
• If you must remember a password on your own, such as for your work computer, select the “Make Pronounceable” option in the password generator. It will create one that’s strong yet easy to recall.
• Add documents, images and PDF files in the “Secure Notes” section. They’ll be encrypted and safe.
• Grant emergency access to a trusted contact. In the event of a crisis, your contact can get passwords and information such as insurance credentials. Your master password will not be divulged.
The chief reason for using a password manager is to protect your privacy and digital assets. If a solution is also intuitive and user-friendly, you’ve scored. Most LastPass users are overwhelmingly satisfied.
Disclaimer: This LastPass password manager review was completed on January 21, 2021, is for information purposes only, does not constitute an endorsement by Identity Management Institute, and may not accurately reflect changes in the product after this date.
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