If you’re looking for a password manager for your business, Bitwarden and LastPass might be on your list of potential solutions. Both providers will help you and your employees store access credentials, improve password health, and share sensitive information securely. However, each solution offers certain advantages that could be better tailored to your specific business needs.
To help you determine which one is right for you, we’ve compared Bitwarden and LastPass in each of the following categories:
Bitwarden vs LastPass: features
Bitwarden and LastPass share many of the same basic password manager functions. These include:
- Password storage and autofill
- New generation of password
- Password sharing
- Administrative dashboards
- Customizable security policies
- Two-factor authentication
However, each platform also offers unique features that set them apart from the competition. Unlike Bitwarden, LastPass offers all users dark web monitoring and offline mode. LastPass tries to push customers to the more expensive Business edition, however, so you’ll have to pay more to get advanced features.
LastPass Business features include unlimited users, groups, API access, directory integrations, administrative controls, and support for single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA). Each Business user also gets a free LastPass Families account, so employees can manage their business and personal information from the same platform.
Bitwarden, on the other hand, offers a variety of features for Teams and Enterprise users. These include unlimited devices and device types, unlimited users, groups and API access. All users also benefit from Bitwarden Send, a secure file sharing tool that supports over 1 GB of encrypted attachments. Enterprise users have access to premium features such as single sign-on support, more administrative controls, and a self-hosted option.
Bitwarden and LastPass both offer powerful features for you and your team. While LastPass’ dark web monitoring capabilities and advanced support for MFA and SSO can be hugely beneficial, Bitwarden offers a wide range of features in its more affordable edition that you would need to pay more to get with LastPass.
Bitwarden vs LastPass: Supported Platforms
A major distinction between LastPass and Bitwarden is the variety (or lack) of supported platforms. While LastPass only has native desktop apps for macOS, Bitwarden’s native apps include Windows and Linux in addition to macOS.
Both providers have browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera browsers. However, Bitwarden offers additional integrations for Vivaldi, Brave, and Tor browsers. No matter what operating system or browser you are using, Bitwarden also offers a command line tool for better control of the application.
LastPass and Bitwarden both offer mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, so you and your employees can access password information on the go. However, if your team uses a wide variety of device types, you’ll have more flexibility with Bitwarden than with LastPass.
Bitwarden vs LastPass: Security
Bitwarden and LastPass are both based on some of the same security principles and tools. For example, both solutions are built using a zero-knowledge architecture with AES 256-bit device-level encryption, along with PBKDF2 SHA-256 encryption for master passwords. Both vendors also have bug bounty programs to stay proactive with any potential vulnerabilities.
However, there are two major distinctions to be made between the two password managers. The first and most important difference is that Bitwarden’s codebase is completely open source, which means it is accessible to anyone. On top of that, Bitwarden has been audited several times by third party security companies and has posted all of these reports on its website.
The second distinction is that LastPass has been at the center of several hacks in recent years. The most notable hack of 2015 exposed customer email addresses, password reminders, and authentication hashes, among other data. Although no encrypted data was lost, the vulnerability still posed a significant risk if users did not take immediate action to update their account information. The security breaches that occurred in the years that followed weren’t so alarming, but they made competitor’s security claims more appealing.
LastPass’s SSO and MFA capabilities are both important in creating a password-less authentication model, so LastPass might be better suited if building an advanced security ecosystem for your organization is one of your top priorities. . However, if the reputation of the security tools you use is more important to you, then Bitwarden might be a better choice.
Bitwarden vs LastPass: Cost
Neither provider offers a free edition for business use, but they do offer free trials: 14 days for LastPass and 7 days for Bitwarden.
LastPass offers two editions, with optional add-ons available to business users for an additional monthly fee:
- Teams: $ 4 / user / month
- Business: $ 6 / user / month
- Advanced SSO: + $ 2 / user / month
- Advanced MFA: + $ 3 / user / month
- Advanced SSO / MFA plan: + $ 4 / user / month
Bitwarden also offers two editions, but at a lower price than LastPass:
- Team organization: $ 3 / user / month
- Business organization: $ 5 / user / month
Bitwarden is not only more affordable at both price points, but it also offers more features for less money. If you’re looking for advanced features, LastPass will give you what you need for a premium. If MFA and SSO are not a priority for you, you might be able to save some money with Bitwarden.
Choose the right password manager
LastPass and Bitwarden are both important considerations for your business password management solution. LastPass is a solid choice if you need advanced features and can afford to spend a bit more. If you want something more affordable that can also be used on a wider range of devices, Bitwarden might be the right fit for you. To compare these two providers with other market leaders, check out our list of the best password managers and tools for 2021.
