When it comes to keeping your digital life safe and secure, you probably take lots of precautions to make sure your information stays locked up. You might use a different password for every site you visit or have a separate email address that’s just for login details.
With so many options available and new ones emerging all the time, it can be tricky knowing which password manager is the best for you. Luckily, there are several trusted options that are more than capable of handling your online security needs in a competent, accessible way.
Let’s take a look at two leading password management programs – LastPass vs Google Password Manager – and see how they stack up against each other in terms of functionality, ease of use, price, reliability, and other factors.
Main Differences between LastPass vs Google Password Manager summarized
| LastPass | Google Password Manager |
| Zero-knowledge Security model – they don’t know your master password, nor the passwords inside your vault and the new authenticator requiring no master password | If someone gets into your google account, they have access to your passwords |
| No compromise alerts on their freemium version | Password management only, but will alert you to compromised passwords so you can change them |
| Cross-browser utilization | Only works on Chrome |
| Generate passwords for you within the application | On-the-Go password generator |
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LastPass vs Google Password Manager: Features & Capabilities
LastPass
LastPass can keep unlimited numbers of your sign-in information at your fingertips, and the best part is it runs on autopilot. No more having to reset that unique password you selected for that website you suddenly need again.
Features
- Use the LastPass Authenticator to increase security and protect against hackers, but you can also list specific devices as trusted and can bypass the two-step authentication on those devices for 30 days at a time
- Generates long, random passwords for you for better protection
- Keep your digital records i.e., insurance cards, membership info, Wi-Fi passwords, and even notes locked up and safe from hackers
- Share passwords safely with other users and avoid texting that sensitive information
- Auto-alerts when your info or password has been detected on the dark web
- Use it on multiple devices with their premium plan
- Import password vaults from 31 competitors
Google Password Keeper
Simply put, save your passwords to your Google account via Chrome. It’s easy to use and comes automatically with Google’s Chrome browser. The downside is you can only use it on their dedicated browser.
Features
- Create your own or have Google Password Manager create unique passwords for you. Bonus, you don’t have to remember them. If you turn on sync, you can give Chrome permission to use your passwords from your Google Account anywhere.
- All your passwords are safely secured with their built-in security measures and encryption
- Use Google suggested strong, unique passwords to protect your accounts when one password is compromised
- Google will automatically notify you when any of your stored passwords are published on the internet, anywhere.
- Google will automatically fill in your stored passwords, so you don’t have to
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LastPass vs Google Password Manager: Pricing
LastPass Pricing
LastPass has a freemium tier with limited features that include unlimited passwords, autofill, and a password generator. One significant limitation is you can only use it on one device or computer. Their paid tiers start at $3.00/month billed annually and then a family package at $4.00/month billed annually. The paid tiers come with additional features like unlimited devices, 1 GB encrypted file storage, and 6 individual encrypted vaults.
Google Password Manager Pricing
Google Password Manager is a free service. You get a free password vault for any Google Account. All you have to do is sign in to Google Chrome with the account you have the passwords stored in. The freemium plan is simply a password vault and auto-fill technology.
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Reasons to choose LastPass over Google Password Manager
While consumer reviews state that with the latest updates, the freemium tier is useless for most users, at $3.00/month the paid package is well worth the money. If you’d like to protect your data on multiple devices, including mobile devices, like your digital cards and memberships, LastPass is worth it. For $3 or $4 per month, the number of additional features available not only protects you, but if something happens to you, you can designate family or close friends who can access your account in an emergency. You’re protected in all circumstances.
Reasons to choose Google Password Vault
Users of devices like iPhones, for instance, already have a place to protect their digital cards and memberships. If all you’re looking for is a place to store all those passwords, you’re likely to forget and do it in a secure and encrypted format, then Google Password Manager is an excellent choice. If you use the Chrome browser, whether, on your desktop or mobile device, you’ll have access to that long list of passwords without having to switch to a different program, search, and then copy and paste.
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The Similarities between LastPass and Google Password Manager
These are incredibly similar programs. Both programs will generate a strong and unique password for you when prompted to protect your accounts by not using the same or similar passwords. If the information is stored in your vault, both will auto-fill your username and password for any website.
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LastPass vs Google Password Manager Alternatives
Zoho Vault
Zoho Vault offers a 15-day free trial to check them out, but they are a highly recommended password manager receiving 4.5 out of 5 stars. With perks like organizing your vault with folders, comprehensive audits, and visual reports, it caters to the highly visual natures of most of today’s users. Their freemium and Standard tiers are aimed for personal use and come with a significant number of features and Standard is only $0.90/month! Professional users can pay between $4.50 and $7.20 per month.
Keeper Password Manager
Covering all the most popular platforms and browsers, Keeper Password Manager is a security-focused alternative. Featuring tools like audits, sharing, and multi-factor authentication, this software offers you security and ease of use at a low price. For personal use, they charge from $2.91/month to $4.87/month billed annually, but they also have tiers for families, students, military/medical, business, and enterprises ranging from 30-50% off for students, military, and medical personnel to $45/year for your business.
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LastPass vs Google Password Manager: Final Verdict
When talking freemium, Google Password Manager is the hands-down winner. LastPass freemium features aren’t beneficial to most users.
Overall, however, LastPass gives you the most bang for your buck. You get everything Google Password Manager gives you for free and then also can use it on multiple devices and browsers, removing that restriction to chrome operation only.
If you’re willing to pay for an easier and more secure way to remember your passwords, go for LastPass if you use anything more than Google Chrome.
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FAQ
How secure are these programs?
Google Password Manager is not secure if your Google Account is not secure. If a hacker breaks into your google account, your passwords are compromised. It’s suggested that if you’d like to use Google Password Manager, make sure you add the extra security available for your Google Account.
LastPass requires you to set a Master Password that they don’t have access to, it’s locally based so only you can decrypt your information. They function on a ‘Zero-knowledge’ policy. They do not know your password or the passwords in your vault. Those vault passwords are encrypted with the most advanced level of encryption: AES-256 encryption.
What are the risks?
Like anything else connected to the internet, no one can guarantee 100% safety. That’s the bottom line. There are ways to decrease the likelihood of you falling victim to an attack or to diminish the aftermath like utilizing any multi-factor authentication offered and not storing all your data in the same program.