We rely on a ton of online services, which means having to remember many usernames and passwords. Thankfully, today, we have password management tools to do all the hard work for you. Keeping track of unlimited passwords in your head isn't ideal, so you should consider getting a reliable password manager to do the work for you. If you're looking for the best password manager to replace LastPass since its data breach, you don't have to look much further. We've found the best LastPass alternative to keep your information secure.
Using a password manager is among the most helpful and vital data protection security measures a person can take. Yet I know far too many people who keep writing down and forgetting the same old passwords and regularly have to reset passwords. I've even seen folks with password sticky notes on monitors, which is terrifying (and the worst kind of password sharing). If that sounds like you, it's time you get yourself a solid password manager.
You don't have to worry about the pricing, either. Many secure password managers have very capable free versions. But those versions -- including those we've included in our roundup of the best password managers-- are limited in one key way: You only get to use your saved passwords on a single device.
My top alternative to LastPass doesn't have that limitation; it synchronizes your passwords with all your devices. It's calledBitwarden. The free version even includes some advanced security features, like the Data Breach report, a basic tier of its dark web monitoring reports.
What is a password manager, really?
Simple. It's an encrypted database of all your passwords. Instead of trying to remember that same handful of (probably not very secure) passwords you use everywhere you go online, you just have to remember one master password: The one that unlocks Bitwarden.
Why choose one of these over the likes of 1Password, Dashlane, Keeper, Password Vault, Sticky Password and other products, all of which are perfectly good? As noted above, only the free version of Bitwarden supports password synchronization. That means you can access your data on your phone, tablet and PC -- a benefit that's absolutely essential if you use more than one device.
Beyond that, they offer common helpers like a strong password generator, automatic form-filling, encrypted credit card storage (for easier online shopping), a digital vault and so on.
Read more: The Best Password Managers and How to Use Them
Useful features like those help explain why I prefer a proper password manager to the rudimentary capabilities built into Android, iOS and your web browser. Once you get accustomed to having such tools at your disposal, you'll wonder how you managed so long without them.
Make no mistake, there's a learning curve to Bitwarden -- and any password manager, really. It doesn't have the most user-friendly interface, so it might take you a few weeks to really get accustomed to using the app and banishing your old password habits.
But any such hassles are greatly overshadowed by the overall convenience. Your goal as an internet citizen should be to use a different, robust password for each app, site and service, and a password manager is the only practical way to make that happen. You should be using one. Bitwarden is, to my thinking, the best free option out there.
Other free password management options
Should you bother with the premium version? Bitwarden charges just $10 annually for it, a price that nets you 1GB of encrypted cloud storage and password health reports. There's also a family option ($40 a year) that gives you premium features for up to six users and adds unlimited sharing.
I'd say most of these features are superfluous for most people, though obviously, it's up to you to decide.
For the record, LogMeOnce Password-Less is another tool that supports password-syncing in its free version. I don't like it as much, but it's worth a look.
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If you're wondering, I'm now using Bitwarden full-time. Previously I was a Dashlane user but grew frustrated by its bloat and high price. Bitwarden has proven a solid product, one I have no qualms about recommending.
What's your preferred password-management method these days? And if you refuse to use one of these tools, I'd like to know why.
