This story was originally published and last updated .
LastPass changed its pricing on March 16, 2021, making its free tier a much less attractive option. But thankfully, there are many alternatives that basically replicate LastPass’s features 1:1, so if you’re not ready to pay a fee for a service that used to be free, you can simply switch to the competition. Here are a few password managers that should be the most familiar if you’ve used LastPass before, complete with instructions on how to switch.
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that’s gaining more and more popularity due to its incredibly fair basic free account and its mission to make security accessible for everyone. You can store as many passwords as you want and use the manager on as many devices as you have for free. If you’re coming from a free LastPass account, the look and feel should be very familiar. The app supports biometric unlock, uses Android’s autofill API, and can be secured via 2FA. You can also host the manager on your own server if you prefer, an option LastPass doesn’t offer. Bitwarden has been audited by a third-party security firm that hasn’t been able to find any exploitable vulnerabilities in 2020.
Bitwarden also supports the new autofill method in Android 11 and automatically switches its app theme based on your system preference, and there’s a brand-new encrypted file and text sharing service integrated in the app.
Many thanks to the new users who signed up for Bitwarden today! Here’s a quick note on our Basic Free Account pic.twitter.com/lu1WIF2Doi
— Bitwarden (@Bitwarden) February 16, 2021
If you’re willing to pay $10 a year for the premium plan, you also get access to 1GB of encrypted file storage, OTP code management support, emergency access, and priority support. There’s also a family plan if you find yourself sharing passwords often.
Read this help article if you want to migrate from LastPass.
MYKI
MYKI is a little different than the other managers mentioned here. It doesn’t store your credentials in the cloud, so you don’t have to worry about server breaches. Instead, your passwords are synced between your devices only, so an attacker would have to gain access to one of your machines to steal your data.
Other than that, MYKI behaves much like other password managers. It uses the Android autofill service, supports biometric unlock, and can store OTP codes, payment methods, and secure notes — all completely free for individuals. You can even share passwords with others. For a deep dive, check out our extensive review.
Read this help article if you want to know how to move over your passwords from LastPass.
Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator started out as a 2FA app, but the company turned it into a full-fledged password manager that syncs with Microsoft Edge or a Chrome browser extension when you log in with your Microsoft account. Being a company hugely concerned with enterprise customers, you can rest assured that Microsoft is taking all measures to secure the product. Its Android app supports all the usual bells and whistles. It can be protected via biometrics, supports Android autofill, and stores OTP codes for you. It even allows for password-less logins to your Microsoft account.
The service is free of charge. You can import your LastPass data by following the instructions available here.
Zoho Vault
Zoho is mostly known as a web-based online office suite in the enterprise world, but the company also offers a password manager. It’s geared towards businesses wanting to share and manage passwords across employees, but there’s a free tier for individuals that’s as fully featured as it gets. You can store an unlimited amount of passwords and notes, access your vault from multiple devices, save 2FA secrets, and attach files and documents. Being an enterprise-focused business, Zoho takes lots of measures to ensure its product is safe.
The paid plans are really only necessary for enterprises and families. You pay $1 a month per person to get secure password sharing, admin controls, and more.
To find out how to migrate from LastPass, read this help page.
If you don’t feel like going through the hassle of signing up for yet another service, you should strongly consider at least using the solution that comes pre-installed: Google’s own password autofill service. Compared to the other options here, Google’s solution is quite lacking, and managing existing passwords is a nightmare, but it’s already on your phone, natively integrated into Chrome, and also available on iOS.
To get started on Android, head to your system settings, search for “autofill service,” and select Google. Then tap the gear icon next to it to see your passwords, addresses, and payment methods. You can also manage your saved credentials under passwords.google.com or in your Google account settings.
Importing passwords to Google’s solution is a bit cumbersome, but it can be done. You first need to export your LastPass Vault data as a CSV file. Then, type in chrome://flags/#PasswordImport in your Google Chrome address bar on the desktop, activate the flag, and restart your browser. Next, head to chrome://settings/passwords, click the three-dot menu next to Saved Passwords, select Import, and choose your LastPass CSV file. Be sure to delete it and empty the recycle bin once you’re done.
All five password managers mentioned here provide the same basic service: they generate and store passwords and fill them in across all your devices. Deciding which is right for you comes down to the details, like open-source aspects, offline-only storage, or OTP code support. Whichever you choose, you’re getting a quality service.
Bear in mind that we wanted to focus on a selection of apps that most closely resemble LastPass Free in this roundup. That’s why we decided not to include a few other great tools that are by no means a bad choice. There’s KeePass, an open-source offline-focused manager that’s a bit more cumbersome to set up and use than the other solutions listed here. Then there’s Enpass, which lets you store up to 10 passwords on mobile devices before you have to subscribe (it’s included in the Play Pass, for what it’s worth). We also looked at NordPass and RoboForm, but their limited free plans couldn’t convince us.
Photo: Chepe Nicoli on Unsplash
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