1Password vs LastPass 2026: Key Differences & Features
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1Password vs LastPass 2026: Key Differences & Features
1Password and LastPass are two well-known password managers, each with pros and cons. In this article, I break down the 1Password vs LastPass debate to help you determine which one is better for your needs.
The main difference between 1Password and LastPass is that 1Password offers more features, such as travel mode, email masking and a username generator.
If you want tighter data security, 1Password has a better track record than LastPass.
LastPass is more affordable overall compared to 1Password.
Facts & Expert Analysis About LastPass and 1Password:
History of data breaches: LastPass has experienced several major data breaches since it launched, one of which led to a large-scale class action lawsuit in the U.S.
Free vs paid plans: LastPass has a free plan that supports unlimited passwords but on only one device, whereas 1Password offers only paid plans.
Security standards: Both LastPass and 1Password use client-side AES 256-bit encryption with PBKDF2 hashing, which in theory is unhackable.
Both 1Password and LastPass are well-known brands in the password management space. However, 1Password has more expensive plans and no free option, while LastPass has a questionable reputation after several security breaches. In this 1Password vs LastPass comparison, I’ll determine which one is the best password manager overall.
07/15/2024 Facts checked
Comparison rewritten to include current information about features, pricing and company news.
05/04/2026 Facts checked
We reworked this article with the latest testing results and included more details on LastPass’ security breach.
Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: 1Password Is the Winner
Rebecca White is a Cloudwards expert in password management and online security.
Between 1Password and LastPass, my preference is 1Password. It’s never suffered a data breach, and it has better security tools than LastPass. Although it doesn’t have a free plan, it remains an affordable option and the better value compared to LastPass. You can get 1Password for $3.99 per month with an individual annual plan.
Overall, I consider 1Password to be the better choice, but the best service for you depends on your specific needs. Read more about each service in the 1Password review and the LastPass review.
Who Is 1Password For?
Security-conscious users: To date, 1Password has kept its users safe from data breaches and provides in-depth breach tracking and recovery tools for additional security.
Families in need of advanced features: You can manage up to five family members with basic admin controls, which LastPass’ comparable family plan doesn’t support.
Business-focused users: 1Password’s business plans come with built-in integrations, user management and “watchtower” alerts.
Users looking for free password management: LastPass has a limited free plan that allows you to save unlimited passwords, passkeys and payment cards – but on only one device.
Budget-conscious users: LastPass is slightly cheaper than 1Password.
Small businesses: Due to its pricing, LastPass is well suited for small businesses that don’t require all the security features 1Password offers.
To test these services, I opened an account with each password manager. I tested how well the autofill and password generation features work, how easy it is to import passwords, and the available customer support options.
Travel mode: Temporarily removes vaults from your devices while traveling so they’re not at risk if you lose your device.
Username generator: Generates a completely unique username for websites to conceal your identity and protect against possible data breaches.
Secret key: A unique code that works alongside your 1Password account password for additional security.
Email masking: Masks your email with Fastmail integration and allows you to sign up on new sites with an anonymous address.
Emergency kit: A PDF document that contains your account details, including your secret key. You can add your account password as well and keep the kit in a safe place for emergency access.
Watchtower monitoring: Alerts you in the event of a breach on sites where you have an account and monitors your overall password health.
LastPass Key Features:
Free plan: Includes one vault with unlimited passwords.
Password sharing: Support one-to-one sharing (free) or one-to-many sharing (premium).
Password health score: Analyzes password health and strength, and assigns a score between 0 and 100.
Dark web alerts: Notifies you if your email is leaked on the dark web.
Emergency access: Lets a trusted contact request access to your vault in an emergency.
1Password vs LastPass: Similarities
1Password and LastPass are easy-to-use password managers available for desktop and mobile.
How Seamless Is the Migration Process Between Platforms?
Both password managers allow you to import and export passwords via CSV files. You can import passwords directly into 1Password from LastPass, and vice versa.
LastPass allows you to import passwords from various password managers.
Enterprise & Team Collaboration Features
1Password and LastPass have similar collaboration features. Both include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) monitoring and admin controls. You can also enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO).
You can set up folders for password sharing with either service, which makes collaboration among teams easier. LastPass has a slight advantage, though, as it offers each business user a family plan.
LastPass vs 1Password: Differences
LastPass and 1Password have several differences, including in security, free plan, interfaces, customer support and extra features.
Security & Data Breaches
Both LastPass and 1Password have similar security standards, with client-side AES-256 encryption, MFA and data breach monitoring. However, LastPass suffered data breaches in 2011, 2015 and 2022, which led to a class action lawsuit in the United States.
The 2022 breach was significant, impacting 1.6 million users and compromising unencrypted names, email addresses, billing addresses, partial credit card numbers, website URLs and password vaults encrypted with users’ master passwords.
By comparison, 1Password has never suffered a data breach, and any attempts at hacking it have been quickly detected and shut down.
Free Plan
1Password does not offer a free plan. LastPass does have a free plan, but it is restricted to one device, which makes it quite limited for real-life use. If you need a free password manager, read our best free password manager guide for our top recommendations.
Interfaces
While both 1Password and LastPass are easy to use, there are some key differences in their interfaces. First, LastPass allows you to switch from list or grid view, which makes it easier to see passwords at a glance. You can also click on a website logo to open the site in a new tab and log in.
LastPass has more view customization options.
In comparison, 1Password has only one view: your passwords listed on the left, with an expanded view on the right. This makes it easier to see your actual passwords, but the process of opening a website in a new tab is slower than with LastPass.
1Password has an easy-to-use interface.
Customer Support
LastPass and 1Password have similar customer support options, including a chatbot, detailed help articles and an email ticketing page for more complex issues. Some of these options are more limited with LastPass, though. For example, the chatbot and email ticketing system are available only to signed-in users.
LastPass redeems itself slightly with its community forum page. However, at the time of writing, it’s undergoing development and isn’t available.
Extra Features
1Password offers better extra features than LastPass, including travel mode, email masking and a username generator.
LastPass does have a unique “emergency access” feature, though. This lets you establish an emergency contact who can access your vault if you’re unable to. When your emergency contact requests access, it will be granted if you don’t decline the request within a customizable time frame.
While 1Password does have an “emergency kit” feature, it’s not quite as seamless as LastPass’ emergency access.
LastPass allows trusted contacts to request access to your vault in an emergency.
Pricing Comparison: Which Password Manager Offers Better Value?
1Password offers better value overall, with more features and a better security history. However, when it comes to actual pricing, LastPass is cheaper but there’s not much difference between the two services. An introductory annual plan costs $3 per month with LastPass or $3.99 per month with 1Password.
per user per month; Includes Teams Starter Pack, plus: Integrates with Okta, Entra ID, OneLogin, Duo, and more; Advanced reporting, granular admin controls, end-to-end encryption; Friendly, expert phone support
Both services have family plans that allow up to five members (including you), but only 1Password includes admin management. LastPass’ annual family plan costs $4 per month, while 1Password’s costs $5.99 per month.
Price per user; Everything in Business, plus:
SaaS Monitoring
Unlimited number of single sign-on (SSO) apps
Advanced multifactor authentication (MFA) capabilities
Business plans cost $7 per user per month with LastPass, or $7.99 per user per month with 1Password. 1Password’s business plans offer better value, as they include the watchtower tool and app integrations.
The Verdict: Why We Think 1Password Wins Overall
1Password wins overall for its feature set and data-breach free history. However, LastPass has a free plan, which is a decent option if you need password management on only one device and can look past its questionable security reputation.
What do you think of this 1Password vs LastPass comparison? Which service would you choose? Do you prefer a different password manager? Let me know in the comments, and thank you for reading.
If You Want to Consider Other Services, Check Out…
If neither LastPass nor 1Password seems right for you, check out some of these alternatives.
Proton Pass has a free plan with unlimited passwords, up to two vaults and 10 email aliases. Alternatively, you can get a premium plan, which adds dark web monitoring, secure sharing and emergency access, for $4.99 per month for a year. Take a look at our Proton Pass review for more.
Bitwarden is the best open-source password manager with client-side encryption. It also comes with two-step login and phishing protection for even stronger security. Sign up for a free plan, or opt for a premium plan for $1.65 per month for a year. Read our Bitwarden review to learn more.
NordPass is the best password manager for sharing passwords with families or teams. You can set custom access rights for each email address, track who accesses the data and share individual passwords or entire vaults. Get a two-year plan for $2.79 per month. Our NordPass review has all the details.
It’s hard to say if LastPass is safe to use now. While the service claims to have improved its security since the 2022 breach, it has an undeniable history of breaches.
No, 1Password has never been hacked. While there have been a few instances of unusual activity, 1Password has quickly stepped in before any client data was stolen.
Yes, you can easily switch from LastPass to 1Password. Simply export your passwords from LastPass and import them straight into 1Password.
Kate Hawkins is a freelance writer and editor with over a decade of experience, specializing in VPN software and technology since 2019. Her work, featured on platforms like WizCase, includes reviews, how-to guides and articles. She holds a BA in English literature and drama from Queen Mary University of London. Outside of work, Kate enjoys horror novels, scary movies, rock and metal music and video games, particularly the Broken Sword series.
After completing her master’s in human science at Osaka University, Eugenie has worn a variety of hats throughout her career. She has taken on several roles in education, sales, as well as marketing. Recently though, you can find her drinking three cups of decaffeinated coffee a day while fact-checking articles and building links for Cloudwards.