Password managers are the tools that help us keep track of the elaborate passwords we separately create for each of our accounts. Without such applications, we would have to remember each secret code, save it to a local file on the PC, or write it down on a piece of paper.
All major web browsers have built-in password managers. You see them every time you sign into a new account and the browser offers to store it on your behalf. This way, it can immediately log you into your account the next time you access it.
However, there are programs specially designed as password managers, which are simply better than what the web browsers have to offer. And we can’t think of a better example than LastPass. It has an appropriate motto saying that it’s the last password you’ll ever need to remember.
Screenshots
Our Review
- Pros
- Protect passwords, logins, and all other critical data
- Multi-factor authentication
- History of all LastPass connection details
- Emergency access to trusted individuals
- On-demand security recommendations
- Cons
- History of data breaches (although no passwords were leaked)
- Doesn't have 24/7 support (live chat, phone)
Developed by LogMeIn, Inc., LastPass is one of the most recognizable names in the password management industry. It stores your login credentials in a secure vault, making it easy to sign in to all your favorite web services and applications.
Before getting our LastPass review, take a look at its system requirements, editions, setup, and features.
LastPass system requirements
Before downloading and setting up LastPass on your computer, check these system requirements:
- Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- Internet Explorer 11 later
- Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera, or Maxthon (the two latest versions)
- .NET Framework 4.52 or newer (for LastPass Universal Windows Installer)
LastPass Premium vs Free
When it comes to personal purposes, you can use LastPass for free, without any time limitations. However, some features are inaccessible and can only be unlocked by purchasing a LastPass Premium subscription (yearly, renewable). To protect the digital security of your family members, you can test LastPass Families in a 14-days free trial. There’s also a special edition for corporations called LastPass Enterprise, which can be tested for 14 days at no cost.
The best thing about the business solutions if that you can test any of them for 14 days at zero costs (no credit cards necessary). You can manage passwords for your entire team with LastPass Teams, or protect all access points with a centralized, single sign-on solution provided by LastPass Enterprise.
Meanwhile, LastPass MFA simplifies employee logins using adaptive authentication (including biometrics) to prove the identity of a computer user without the need of a password. Last but not least, LastPass Identity combines Enterprise and MFA features to create a holistic solution.
How to use LastPass
To use LastPass, you must create an account with your email address and a master password. To strengthen your security, the password manager accepts only elaborate master keys made from at least one number, lowercase, and uppercase letter, and at least 12 characters.
The online service directs you toward the browser extension by default, depending on which web browser you’re using. Alternatively, you can download the universal Windows installer to pick which LastPass browser addons you wish to deploy on the computer.
LastPass – password manager for everyday use
LastPass is a favorite password manager of many users, and we can certainly see why. It supports all major web browsers, has an intuitive interface, and comes with many useful features, like the security challenge – a simple but effective way to evaluate password safety and make recommendations.
And, if you decide to upgrade to the premium version, the monthly expenses are quite decent. LastPass’s only fault is that it doesn’t have 24/7 support, either through live chat or phone. It also has a history of hacked servers, although no user credentials were ever leaked.
LastPass FAQ
- Is LastPass still free?
Yes, there’s a free edition of LastPass that you can use on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Edge. You can also install a Windows desktop application. However, you can’t access some of the features found in the paid editions. On the bright side, you can check them out by activating free trials.
- Can LastPass be hacked?
LastPass was hacked in July 2015. Although the hackers infiltrated the LastPass servers, they couldn’t decrypt user passwords because LastPass isn’t designed to access your vault. It’s all thanks to local-only encryption and AES-256 security with PBKDF2 SHA-256 and salted hashes. Like any other web service, LastPass sometimes experiences vulnerabilities, but its team quickly patches any security bugs.
- Is LastPass the best password manager?
Yes, we certainly think so. But there’s no better way to prove it than by comparing LastPass to other password managers for Windows, such as Keeper, Dashlane, Efficient Password Manager, or Password Padlock.
Overview of LastPass features
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LastPass free edition:
- Password manager: remembers and secures all credentials in a protected vault
- Digital records: save notes, addresses, payment cards, bank accounts, Wi-Fi passwords, insurance, memberships, others
- Online shopping: quickly select your payment and shipping data from the vault
- Sharing: safely share passwords or secret notes with someone else
- Two-factor authentication: LastPass, Google, Microsoft, Duo Security, Transakt, Grid
- Password creator: generate passwords that are complex and secure
- URL filtering: prevent LastPass from remembering passwords on certain sites
- URL rules: configure LastPass for sites by host and port matching
- Trusted devices: see where LastPass is logged in with your account and revoke access (including mobile apps)
- Equivalent domains: create a list of sites that use shared credentials
- Security challenge: view recommendations about duplicate, compromised, weak, or old passwords
- History: check out the data and time of all LastPass connections (IP and DNS addresses)
- Credit card monitoring: get notifications when your credit report suddenly changes (for US only)
- Import and export: create a simple HTML page of all LastPass data to export and later import
- Hotkeys: swiftly access LastPass features while surfing sites
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LastPass Families:
- Dashboard: add or remove family members
- Shared folders: share unlimited data with your family members
- More licenses: get access to 6 individual LastPass Premium licenses
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LastPass Premium:
- Storage data: 1Gb of encrypted file storage
- Emergency access: give a trusted person access to certain parts of your vault
- Extra two-factor authentication: fingerprinting and smart cards (YubiKey and Sesame)
- No ads: an ad-free vault
Full Specifications
- Software Version
- 4.41
- License
- Freemium / Free trial
- Keywords
- password manager, security