1Password vs. LastPass: Which Password Manager is Number One?

1Password and LastPass both have unique perks, but one password manager wins out by a hair.

TLDR: With rock-solid security and premier customer service, 1Password edges out LastPass, although we recommend LastPass for families.

1Password and LastPass are two of the longest-running password managers on the market. Both companies have built large customer bases. If you need an excellent password manager to keep all of your website sign-in credentials secure and convenient, 1Password and LastPass should be at the top of your list. Which password manager will suit your needs best? Our 1Password vs. LastPass password manager comparison guide will help you determine the service you should choose.

Founded in 2005 and launched in 2006, 1Password has more than 400 employees, millions of customers in more than 20 countries and more than 80,000 businesses served. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and has locations in the U.S. and Europe.

LastPass was created in 2008 and was acquired in 2015 by LogMeIn, a Boston-based company that also owns GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar. LastPass reports it serves 25.6 million users and 70,000 businesses.

Both 1Password and LastPass offer high level security to keep your passwords safe. Each password is encrypted with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256 encryption, as well as Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2 (PBKDF2) to prevent brute-force hacks. Neither provider stores your master password in cloud servers. That means the companies cannot access your account at any point. LastPass calls this its “Zero-Knowledge” model. This key security feature is important because it keeps your account out of the hands of hackers or the government.

You’ll find strong password generators, bug bounty programs and regular audits and reports from third parties included with both 1Password and LastPass. LastPass offers more flexible multikey authentication features and an aggregate security score to show you the strength of your passwords at a glance.

WINNER: 1Password

1Password, however, has never been breached or hacked. In contrast, LastPass was breached in 2015, which resulted in hackers gaining access to users’ email addresses, master password reminders and what’s known as authentication hashes and user salts. Hackers weren’t able to crack LastPass encryption in order to see individual passwords of accounts stored in user “vaults,” according to LastPass.

This is a close one to call. Both 1Password and LastPass have smooth, intuitive apps that make it easy to add, edit and autofill passwords to websites.

1Password’s interfaces are cleaner and easier to find the information you want, especially if you’re using Apple products. Its mobile app, however, leaves something to be desired.

WINNER: LastPass

LastPass works really well once you know where everything is stored within the system. The process is smooth when it comes to autofill and browser connection. In the end, we think LastPass edges out 1Password for usability.

1Password does not offer a free plan. It does, however, offer a 14-day free trial. The lack of a free plan option is a missed opportunity in our opinion. LastPass wins this category by default, even with a watered-down free plan that only allows one device type (either desktop or mobile) per free account. We do like the fact that 1Password offers the choice of monthly or annual payment plans, something LastPass doesn’t offer. 

Here’s a closer look at each company’s paid offerings.

1Password vs. LastPass: Individual Paid Plans

Both 1Password and LastPass offer unlimited password storage across unlimited devices. Even though 1Password doesn’t make it clear on its website that it offers monthly and annual subscriptions, we do appreciate that there are several choices available — you just have to dig for them.

LastPass, on the other hand, only offers annual subscriptions. If you want to pay for a password manager month-to-month, 1Password is the way to go (though it will cost more in the long run).

1Password vs. LastPass: Family Plans

LastPass is the winner for family plans. You get six Premium accounts at a lower price per year, whereas you would only get five accounts with 1Password, and for a much higher cost. In the end, LastPass is the better deal for someone who needs to add family members to their plan.

WINNER: LastPass

Thanks to its free plan and more generous Families plan, LastPass is the overall winner when it comes to plans and pricing. We do like 1Password’s Travel Mode feature that is beneficial for frequent international travelers.

Note: We focus on personal password managers, not business password managers, in this review, but 1Password offers plans for teams while LastPass has business pricing for slightly less.

With 1Password, you can get help through email support, Twitter messaging or adding a post to the community forum. While it’d be nice to see a live chat or phone support option, we do believe 1Password delivers exceptional feedback through its forums because it has a dedicated and responsive customer care team. If you have an issue using 1Password, chances are another user has already asked about the same issue in the forum, which a customer service representative has already left an answer to address.

While LastPass also has community forums, plus email support, an online library of resources, and a chatbot for customer service, it plans to remove in August 2021 the ability for free plan users to email questions to its support team. That means all free plan users will be forced to fix issues on their own through the use of online resources or forums. 

WINNER: 1Password

LastPass does monitor its forums, but the level of service and communication isn’t at the same level as 1Password. We believe you’re more likely to receive a quick and friendly response from 1Password over LastPass.

The difference between 1Password’s and LastPass’ reputation is extreme and telling. 1Password has a true customer following — especially among Mac users — in large part due to its simple functionality, smooth interaction among Apple products and dazzling customer service. That’s evident from its high rating on Trustpilot, which has the company at a 4.6 out of 5 stars based on an average of more than 4,500 reviews. The vast majority of users rate 1Password as “Excellent” and are very happy with their password manager product.

LastPass has more users and brand recognition than any other password manager, but its popularity is dwindling. In recent years, LastPass’ relationship with its community has soured following the 2015 security breach and the more recent rollback in customer service support for its previously stellar free plan. These things have led to a disappointing 1.5 out of 5 stars rating on Trustpilot. 

WINNER: 1Password

It is important to keep in mind that LastPass does only have just a few hundred reviews on Trustpilot. This shows that while not everyone is displeased with LastPass’ support, it’s still evident that 1Password has the superior reputation.

When it comes to declaring the better password manager, 1Password beats out its rival LastPass, but just barely. Both products are good options due to different features they offer, and we can’t say you’ll regret using either service.

If you’re an Apple user, we recommend 1Password. The seamless integration of 1Password among your devices will be worth the extra money.

Its higher price point and no free plan keeps 1Password from sweeping its competition. With LastPass, you get a simple design that is easy and intuitive to use across all your browsers, as well as a lower price for families. It should also be noted that LastPass says that it has beefed up its security and privacy features since its breach six years ago.

Bottom line: The most important part of a password manager is that it works for your unique situation while keeping your data completely secure. Both companies effectively do that. In the end, we would hand our gold medal to 1Password.