Keeping track of all of your online passwords can be a pain, especially if you use multiple email addresses or manage a business with many subscriptions.
You might be tempted to yield to laziness and reuse the same password, putting your digital security at risk. Or, you might scribble your login credentials haphazardly into notebooks or type them into insecure apps on your phone.
However, there are some excellent tools out there that can do the work for you by keeping track of all of your credentials and even generating secure passwords for you.
LastPass is one of such tool, offering a secure vault to hold all of your info for easy access. But is this the right solution for you or your business? Read on to get our take on this password manager.
What Is LastPass?
LastPass is a secure password manager and generator that is designed to help users keep track of their login information for various sites.
The online tool stores users’ passwords in a secure vault and allows them to log in to those sites with just a few simple clicks.
LastPass offers a free plan (ideal for individual users), as well as premium plans that are suitable for businesses and offer additional features.
Read on to learn more about how LastPass works so you can determine whether it’s a match for you or your business.
How It
Works
If you only use one browser, you may find the LastPass extension very convenient. Once installed, all you have to do is click the extension’s icon at the top right corner of your browser, and you’ll be allowed to quickly access your vault and search your passwords.
Alternatively,
you can download the universal binary from LastPass’s website, which will
automatically install the extension across all of the browsers on your device.
Once you’ve installed LastPass, you’ll need to create a master password—this is the one password you’ll actually have to remember (though there are several options available should you forget it, including a reminder, an account-recovery text message, or a one-time recovery password for any browser with which you have used LastPass before).
There are free and premium versions of LastPass, as well as plans designed specifically for families and businesses. Read on to find out what’s included in each.
Free Features
The following features are available when you sign up for a free LastPass account:
Secure Password Vault
Store all your passwords in a secure, easy-to-use vault. Users can add, edit, delete, and manage all of their info straight from here.
Access on All Devices
Your passwords will be synced across all devices, so you can log in seamlessly from your laptop, smart phone, or tablet. When you add a new password on one, it will automatically be added to the others.
One-to-One Sharing
Share individual
login credentials with others so they can easily log in as well.
Save and Fill Passwords
LastPass automatically
enters your saved login credentials for you, so you can save time logging in
and not have to worry about remembering passwords ever again.
Password Generator
When you’re
creating a new account or updating an old password, LastPass will automatically
create and save a secure password for you, so you don’t have to lose time trying
to be creative.
Secure Notes
Backup copies of important documents and information such as passports, addresses, and credit cards will be encrypted and organized safely within LastPass.
Security Challenge
LastPass
helps users audit their accounts by checking for reused, weak, or recently breached
passwords and helping you to update them with stronger ones.
Multi-factor Authentication
Add a second method of authentication with the LastPass Authenticator, which offers one-tap verification and cloud backup.
Premium Features
Price: $36/year
LastPass Premium comes offers everything in the free version, plus the features listed below. You can sign up here for a 30-day free trial of LastPass Premium.
One-to-Many Sharing
Share passwords
with multiple people to give everyone easy access (this feature is ideal for teams
and business accounts).
Emergency Access
Assign some
access to your important information in case of an emergency.
Advanced Multi-factor Options
Take
advantage of advanced options such as YubiKey, Sesame, and fingerprint
authentication.
Priority Tech Support
Inquiries
from Premium customers go to the top of the queue.
LastPass for Applications
If you
have a Windows device, LastPass can use autofill for applications and launch
them directly from the tray icon.
1 GB encrypted file storage
Attach copies of important documents to your other items stored in your vault.
Supported Operating Systems
LastPass is supported by the major operating systems, making it a highly accessible option:
- Windows
- Mac
- Linus
- iOS
- Android
Other Available Plans
There are more plans than just Free and Premium. Check out the options below to see which is most convenient for your situation.
- Families (6 users, $48/year)
- Teams (5–50 users, $48/year *per user)
- Enterprise (5+ users, $72/year *per user)
- MFA (5+ users, $36/year *per user)
- Identity (5+ users, $96/year *per user)
Shortcomings
While LastPass boasts many impressive features, there are a few shortcomings that some users have pointed out.
For one, the site lacks 24/7 customer support, assisting users during limited hours. That might be problematic if you experience a password crisis during off-hours.
In addition, LastPass also lacks a universal password changer, so if you need to change a password for security reasons, you’ll have to do that one by one.
Finally, some users might be spooked by the fact that LastPass has a data breach on record. This occurred back in 2015. However, the company points out that no encrypted vault data was compromised.
Our LastPass Review: The Bottom Line
LastPass is a great password manager and generator. The free version has most everything an individual user could need, including access across multiple devices and easy sharing.
However, if you want access for your team or extra family members, you may wish to upgrade to LastPass Premium or one of the other available plans for additional users and features.
How do you keep track of your passwords? Share your ideas in the comments below!
