Head-to-Head
Bitwarden vs LastPass
Bitwarden vs LastPass compared on security, breaches, pricing, and open-source transparency. Our 2026 analysis of why LastPass users must switch.
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security
Pros
- ✓Open source with auditable code
- ✓Self-hosting option for maximum control
- ✓Generous free tier with unlimited passwords
- ✓Cross-platform with excellent browser extensions
- ✓Strong security track record
Cons
- ✗UI is less polished than competitors
- ✗Auto-fill can be finicky on some sites
- ✗Enterprise features require paid plans
LastPass
security
Pros
- ✓Familiar interface with easy onboarding
- ✓Password sharing for families
- ✓Dark web monitoring included
- ✓Emergency access feature
Cons
- ✗Multiple devastating security breaches
- ✗Encrypted vaults were stolen in 2022 breach
- ✗Free tier restricted to one device type
- ✗Trust has been irreparably damaged
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Lock in $9.99/mo for life →Our Verdict
Bitwarden is the only responsible choice after LastPass suffered catastrophic breaches that exposed user vaults. Open-source transparency, self-hosting capability, and a clean security record make Bitwarden the password manager to trust.
Bitwarden and LastPass: the facts side by side
| What | Bitwarden | LastPass |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, plus sharing with one other user | One device type only, desktop or mobile, not both; shares one password with one person at a time |
| Paid plans | Premium $19.80 a year ($1.65 a month); Families $47.88 a year for up to 6 users (USD, billed annually) | Premium for all devices and Families with 6 Premium accounts, both billed annually after a 30 day trial |
| Hardware security keys | Premium and Families list up to 10 hardware security keys, Yubico OTP and Duo | Hardware multifactor options such as YubiKey are Premium only; the free plan is limited to authenticator apps |
| Emergency access | Included in Premium | Included in Premium, not in the free plan |
| Security record | Whole codebase public on GitHub; regular third party audits, Cure53 among the firms from 2023 to 2025 | A backup of customer vault data was copied in the 2022 incident; UK regulator fine of £1.2 million in December 2025 |
What happened at LastPass in 2022
LastPass disclosed on 22 December 2022 that an attacker had copied a backup of customer vault data. The backup held some fields unencrypted, such as website URLs, while sensitive fields such as usernames and passwords stayed encrypted with 256 bit AES, which only a key derived from each user's master password can unlock. LastPass says it never knows or stores that master password.
On 11 December 2025 the UK Information Commissioner's Office fined LastPass UK Ltd £1.2 million over the breach, which affected up to 1.6 million UK users, and said there is no evidence the hackers were able to decrypt customer passwords.
Bitwarden: published code and outside audits
Bitwarden publishes its entire codebase on GitHub under the AGPL v3.0 and the Bitwarden License, and it commissions regular third party security audits, with Cure53 among the firms it lists for 2023 to 2025. Its free plan covers unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, and its pricing page lists a self host option for running the Bitwarden server on your own network.
What each one costs
Bitwarden Premium costs $19.80 a year and Families $47.88 a year for up to six users (USD before tax, on bitwarden.com on 30 September 2026). LastPass sells Premium and Families plans billed annually after a 30 day trial, and its free plan works on one device type only, desktop or mobile, so moving to Bitwarden's free plan removes that limit at no cost.
Moving from LastPass to Bitwarden
Bitwarden's browser extension and desktop app can import straight from a LastPass account: open Import items and choose Import directly from LastPass. You can also export a CSV file from LastPass and import it in the Bitwarden web vault under Tools, then Import. Bitwarden notes that importing does not check for duplicates, so import each file only once.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these pages on 30 September 2026.
More on Bitwarden and LastPass from Open Real News
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between Bitwarden and LastPass?
- Bitwarden is the only responsible choice after LastPass suffered catastrophic breaches that exposed user vaults. Open-source transparency, self-hosting capability, and a clean security record make Bitwarden the password manager to trust.
- Which is better, Bitwarden or LastPass?
- Bitwarden is the recommended choice. Bitwarden is the only responsible choice after LastPass suffered catastrophic breaches that exposed user vaults. Open-source transparency, self-hosting capability, and a clean security record make Bitwarden the password manager to trust.
- What are the pros of Bitwarden?
- Open source with auditable code. Self-hosting option for maximum control. Generous free tier with unlimited passwords. Cross-platform with excellent browser extensions. Strong security track record.
- What are the pros of LastPass?
- Familiar interface with easy onboarding. Password sharing for families. Dark web monitoring included. Emergency access feature.
- What are the cons of Bitwarden?
- UI is less polished than competitors. Auto-fill can be finicky on some sites. Enterprise features require paid plans.
- What are the cons of LastPass?
- Multiple devastating security breaches. Encrypted vaults were stolen in 2022 breach. Free tier restricted to one device type. Trust has been irreparably damaged.
- Why choose Bitwarden over the alternative?
- Bitwarden is the recommended choice based on head-to-head comparison. Bitwarden is the only responsible choice after LastPass suffered catastrophic breaches that exposed user vaults. Open-source transparency, self-hosting capability, and a clean security record make Bitwarden the password manager to trust.
- Is LastPass safe after the 2022 breach?
- LastPass says the copied vault backup kept usernames and passwords encrypted with 256 bit AES that only a key derived from each user's master password can unlock, and that it never stores that password. The UK ICO found no evidence the hackers decrypted customer passwords, but website URLs in the backup were not encrypted, and the ICO fined LastPass UK Ltd £1.2 million in December 2025.
- Is Bitwarden free?
- Yes. Bitwarden's free plan includes unlimited passwords on unlimited devices and sharing with one other user. Premium, at $19.80 a year, adds features such as file attachments, an integrated authenticator and emergency access.
- How much does Bitwarden Families cost?
- $47.88 a year, billed annually, for up to six users, according to Bitwarden's pricing page in USD on 30 September 2026.
- Can I move my passwords from LastPass to Bitwarden?
- Yes. Bitwarden's browser extension and desktop app can import directly from your LastPass account, or you can export a CSV from LastPass and import it in the web vault under Tools, then Import. Import each file once, because Bitwarden does not check for duplicates.
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