A digital password manager can ease day-to-day experiences when logging onto websites, keeping private information secure, securely storing credit card information, and tracking subscriptions.

In addition to storing account passwords, a password manager will be able to suggest completely secure passwords, autofill passwords when on a recognized website, and encrypt stored data so users do not have to worry.

If you are looking for a password manager to protect personal or business information, secure passwords for productivity apps, store and fill the business credit card information, and protect legal documents, then using a password manager is your best solution.

1Password, LastPass, and Dashlane are all top-rated password protectors and password manager services. However, each provides offerings that are unique to a business or individual’s needs.

Jan 12, 2021 Dashlane’s cheapest individual plan, at $59.99 a year, is almost twice as much as LastPass Premium, and the $89.99 annual cost of a family subscription is also relatively expensive. Feb 08, 2018 1Password, Dashlane and LastPass Features. Despite being password managers at their core, all of these services offer some unique features that might be beneficial in the workplace.

Consider the following product comparison for a better sense of how each service might benefit your business:

1Password Overview

• While taking a look at password managers, you will come across many different options. Locating the best option out of them can be quite overwhelming. When you go through password managers, you will figure out that 1password, Lastpass and Dashlane are some of.
• But what about when you want to decide between 1Password vs Lastpass or 1Password vs Dashlane? We’ll review these three options in detail and help you with knowing the most appropriate password manager out of them. 1Password is a modern looking tool, which you can use to store your passwords securely.

1Password will allow users to securely store and manage passwords, important files, and important documents. 1Password has both an app and an online access option, which allows multi-factor authentication, 1GB of document storage, and admin controls. Upgraded business features include the ability to bring on 20 guest accounts, 5GB of document storage per person, fine-grained access controls, an activity log for vault changes, custom roles, and usage reports.

Features included in family plans are family and team management consoles, the ability to securely share passwords, credit cards, and secure notes to those within a team and to outside members. Upgraded features will allow users unlimited passwords and encrypted 1GB of storage.

Of course, features range by subscription type. With apps for multiple operating systems (i.e., Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, and Chrome), 1Password can be used for both personal uses and for corporate teams. Free trials are available, but users can only use 1Password with a subscription; subscription options include USD 3.99 per team user each month, USD 7.99 per business user per month, and customizable options for enterprise solutions. Personal subscriptions are also available.

LastPass Overview

LastPass is a password manager, vault app, and enterprise SSO that allows users to securely store, save, and organize passwords, logins, credit cards, and other personal information. As a password manager, LastPass also provides multi-factor authentication, autofill, and access to the passwords through the password vault.

LastPass has a number of pricing options, for personal use (i.e., single users and families) and for business plans. Free access is available (with no credit card required) for a password manager, vault access, secure password generator, free access on all devices (i.e., iOS, Android, web browser, and Chrome extension) and much more. LastPass also provides security features, such as multi-factor authentication, security challenges, and secure notes.

Transfer Lastpass To 1password

The premium plan for one individual starts at USD 4.25 a month (billed annually) to provide additional benefits, such as 1GB of encrypted storage, dark web monitoring, emergency access, and advanced multi-factor options, and premium for families, which comes with six premium licenses, and a family manager dashboard at USD 5.50 a month (billed annually).

Dashlane Overview

Password manager app Dashlane is a cross-platform password manager and digital wallet. Dashlane offers a management solution designed for password organization including password storage, form and password autofill, storage scalability, personalized security alerts, two-factor authentication, dark web monitoring, and VPN for wifi protection.

Dashlane’s free individual service is fairly comprehensive and provides a single user up to 50 passwords, one device to use, form and payment autofill, multi-factor authentication, secure sharing with five other accounts, and personalized security alerts.

There is only one option for families, which is a premium family plan at USD 4.99 per month, billed annually at USD 59.99. Families get to enjoy very similar features compared to business plans, but for the most part, family plans have unlimited device access and unlimited password storage. Each family can have a private account for each member.

Service Comparisons

Choosing high-quality password protection should be done carefully to avoid potential vulnerabilities. 1Password, LastPass, and Dashlane are all completely secure and offer significant security for passwords. Usability with each service is highly-rated. Each provides users with a clear customer dashboard, customer support, and easy navigation.

Choosing between the three options really depends on why you are using the service and the benefits you are seeking.

For example, LastPass is a great option if you are an individual and only looking for a free option. You can upgrade once you require multiple users or if you are interested in storing up to 1GB of data securely. One of the biggest benefits of LastPass is its affordability, as well as the ability to get premium options on some of the cheaper accounts. With free LastPass users have access to unlimited passwords and unlimited device login.

However, if you are looking for more variability in services, you may find LastPass limited. Dashlane premium plans for personal use (and there are only a premium and free plan for personal use) immediately upgrades users to unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, as well as dark web monitoring and alerts, and VPN on Wifi. At the moment Dashlane does have a team plan (which offers a laundry list of items, such as compromised password alerts, enforceable policy settings, and remote deletion of company accounts), but the business plan is still in preview or beta testing.

All platforms rely on a master password access to the vault and based on the team or family sizes, administrators will be able to access team and family consoles.

1Password vs LastPass vs Dashlane

1Password, LastPass, and Dashlane are subscription-based digital password managers that provide secure online storage for passwords, credit card numbers, and other forms of online security. The three platforms provide very similar services, each revolving around password protection.

Password managers, such as 1Password, Lastpass, and Dashlane are completely secure and often recommended by cybersecurity professionals in order to protect personal passwords. They usually offer secure password storage, password management, autofill features, and document storage.

If you have a larger team or multiple teams and you want to have a secure console to oversee all this, 1Passwords console and fine-grained access controls are perfect. Dashlane’s services are unique compared to both 1Password and Lastpass. For example, its team plan comes with U.S.-patented security architecture, a service unmatched by other password protectors.

Clearly, there are unique benefits to using each of the password managers, and what your business chooses will depend on how your business’s password protection requirements, the size of the team, and the security capabilities that you are looking for.

For businesses looking to streamline password protection services, then 1Password seems to be the more user-friendly and economical option. In addition to powerful password protection and extensive business plans, 1Password provides SAML provisioning, enterprise mass deployment, an added free personal Premium account for each user, and onboarding.

Lastpass Vs Dashlane

Overall, it seems that 1Password provides the most benefits when considering business and team plans. While nearly all of 1Password’s plan options are paid, they offer a range of features, such as grouping by teams, Active Directory, Okta, and OneLogin provisioning, usage reports, role delegating, and activity logging.

Unless you're living completely off the grid, you need a password manager. You probably use numerous online applications to run your business — from CRM apps to accounting software to email marketing tools. Accessing those accounts without a password manager is like leaving your house without locking the door. You hope no one will approach your home and discover that it's unlocked, but there's no way to actually prevent that from happening without security measures in place.

A password manager acts as a first line of defense against malicious actors who might see an open door and seize the opportunity to access your most sensitive business information. It's akin to the deadbolt that keeps your door locked and intruders at bay. As such, password managers have become an essential part of maintaining your business's cybersecurity. Keep reading to learn more about the numerous benefits these tools offer and compare the top solutions for your business.

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What does a password manager do?

A password manager is a software application that securely stores all passwords a user needs to access online accounts. As you take more and more of your business processes online, you and your employees will need to keep up with even more credentials on top of the ones you're already using. This is especially crucial if your team works remotely.

A basic password manager will store your passwords for you, but a great password manager will do much more. It will analyze your passwords for ones that are weak or reused, enable password sharing for shared accounts, and recommend strong passwords for new accounts or to replace existing passwords. It will also boast strong encryption and authentication features so you can store all the keys to the castle in one place without worrying about them falling into the wrong hands.

Why are password managers important?

Password managers are important because they eliminate the need to remember passwords or store them by other means like sticky notes or spreadsheets. Passwords comprise the largest cybersecurity vulnerabilities small businesses face, so monitoring and securing them is often a difficult task. With a password manager, everyone in your organization can maintain login credentials that are secure, difficult to crack, and unique to each application.

Related: World Password Day Reminds Us to Examine Our Weakest Security Link

Avoiding a data breach is among your top cybersecurity priorities, but a password manager can also benefit your overall user experience. You can use it to save all of your information in one central location and then log in to your accounts with a few clicks. Instead of spending time looking up the password for an account you don't access often, you can get in and start working right away.

Plus, if you have an account you need to share with multiple members of your team (like social media accounts, for example), you can easily share the credentials while preserving their security. The right people will be able to gain access without ever actually seeing the passwords themselves. When someone no longer needs the credentials, you can also revoke access without needing to change the account password.

Additionally, advanced password management tools will support single sign-on (SSO) or universal login capabilities, so you and your users can access all of the tools you need without needing to log into each application individually. It may take extra time and effort to configure SSO or universal login up front, but over time it will save time by skipping the login and authentication process altogether.

Password management software vs. browser password managers

Regardless of which web browser you use, it most likely offers some level of password management capabilities. Of course, this is better than using a notebook or Word document to store your passwords. But do browser password managers measure up against dedicated password management software?

A separate password management tool that integrates with your web browser is a far superior solution than solely relying on a browser alone. First and foremost, password management software is browser-agnostic and compatible with most devices. This is ideal if you have a BYOD environment where you don't have as much control over the kind of devices your employees are using. It also means you'll have access to all of your accounts from any device while traveling or working away from your desk.

Password management software also offers more advanced features like password sharing, activity logging, multi-factor authentication, and administrative controls. You can easily onboard a new employee or freelancer so they have access to everything they need immediately and offboard them just as quickly. You can also assign roles to specific employees in your organization depending on the respective permissions they need.

Related: How Can SMBs Tap into the Gig Economy?

Top password manager comparison

1Password: Best password manager for security monitoring

Pros

1Password has been lauded among many users for its balance of features, ease of use, price, and versatility. Perhaps most significantly, it delivers some of the best password analysis capabilities via its Watchtower feature. Not only does it alert you if a password is weak or duplicated across other accounts, but it also integrates with Have I Been Pwned to monitor the internet for data breaches involving your information. 1Password will let you know if your credentials have been compromised, so you can maintain good password hygiene.

Cons

Some users have commented on 1Password's overzealousness when it offers to store what it thinks is a password. Sometimes a site you're using will ask you to enter something in a field that 1Password mistakes for a new credential and prompts you accordingly. This is a relatively minor inconvenience — and one that may be fixed in a future update — but it's still one that can be disruptive to your workflow.

Similarly, some users have expressed frustration with how well 1Password performs on mobile devices and how frequently it asks for the user's master password.

Pricing

1Password offers two different editions:

• Teams: $3.99/user/month
• Business: $7.99/user/month

LastPass: Best password manager for flexibility

Pros

LastPass is among the most versatile password managers on this list. In addition to storing passwords, you can use LastPass for a wide variety of items related to your personal security like drivers license or passport information and credit card numbers. LastPass also supports a number of advanced identity management features like single sign-on, federated login, and adaptive biometric authentication. If you're looking for a solution that will grow alongside your business and meet your password management needs at every step of the way, LastPass might be the right choice for you.

Cons

Over the last few years, privacy has become a major concern for LastPass users. In 2019, for example, a Google bug-hunter discovered a vulnerability in the LastPass app that exposed a user's credentials on a previously visited site. More recently, the Exodus Privacy app discovered seven web trackers within the LastPass application for Android devices. These trackers allow third parties to collect data on the sites a user visits. LastPass's recent history of privacy blunders has pushed many prospective users toward alternative solutions, so these concerns may outweigh the number of advanced features it offers.

Pricing

LastPass offers four different editions for businesses:

• MFA: $3/user/month
• Teams: $4/user/month
• Enterprise: $6/user/month
• Identity: $8/user/month

Also read: 1Password vs. LastPass: Which is Better? Which is Safer?

Bitwarden: Best password manager for small teams

Pros

Among all the password managers on this list, Bitwarden offers the most features for free users. If you only have two people on your team, you can enjoy unlimited item storage for all of your passwords, notes, and identities, as well as unlimited sharing with the other person on your team.

One unique feature included even in the free edition is Bitwarden Send, a one-to-one encrypted messaging tool. This lets you quickly share sensitive information with additional security parameters like deletion or expiration dates or password requirements.

You'll have to upgrade for more users or advanced features like audit logs and SSO, but even the top tier Bitwarden Enterprise edition is more affordable than most business-grade password managers.

Cons

Although it's one of the most affordable solutions, Bitwarden is also one of the least user-friendly. It's an open-source software, so you'll need some degree of tech-savviness to get it up and running.

Some users have also reported that the user interface isn't as intuitive as others and the process of importing or syncing passwords across multiple devices or accounts is a significant source of frustration. If you're looking for a solution that you can implement quickly and effectively with limited technical knowledge, Bitwarden probably won't be the right fit for you.

Pricing

BitWarden offers three different editions:

• Free Organization: $0 for up to 2 users
• Teams Organization: $3/user/month
• Enterprise Organization: $5/user/month

Dashlane: Best password manager for bonus features

Pros

From day one, Dashlane simplifies the process of managing your company's passwords. It walks you through each step of importing passwords from your browser or another password manager and alerts you if there are any vulnerabilities. It's also easy to onboard new employees or guest accounts and if someone leaves your organization, you can remotely wipe credential information from their devices just as easily.

Among other benefits like a bundled VPN and SAML provisioning, Dashlane also provides a separate, free family account for all Business users. This means your employees can keep track of their professional accounts as well as their private logins for up to five family members.

Cons

Some users report trouble with Dashlane's auto-filling functionality, but most cybersecurity experts recommend disabling this type of feature anyway. Auto-filling has the potential to undermine the whole point of password protection if a user's device falls into the wrong hands.

Dashlane also falls short when it comes to integrations and it has fewer pricing options, so you may need to look elsewhere for a solution that's more flexible.

Pricing

Dashlane offers two different editions:

• Team: $5/user/month
• Business: $8/user/month

Zoho Vault: Best password manager for user management

Pros

Zoho Vault, like most other Zoho products, was designed with small businesses in mind. Its scalable pricing structure allows you to start small and add more users and features as needed. Zoho Vault integrates with a wide range of applications, including Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox, Okta, and Zendesk.

It offers impressive user management tools so you can set fine-grained permissions for individual users depending on their role. If managing your users' access and permissions is your biggest priority, you'll be pleased with how easy it is to grant or revoke access and acquire or transfer ownership of your business accounts.

Cons

The focus on team management might make Zoho Vault a less valuable tool if you're working with a small team. If you only have a few users to manage or are looking for a password manager for just yourself, an alternative solution like Bitwarden will most likely meet your needs better than Zoho Vault.

You may also want to look elsewhere for more proactive security features like dark web monitoring or domain breach reporting.

There is no desktop application for Zoho Vault, so it won't integrate with your native applications as seamlessly as other password managers on this list.

Pricing

Zoho Vault offers four different editions:

• Forever free: $0 (for personal use)
• Standard: $0.90/user/month
• Professional: $4.50/user/month (minimum 5 users)
• Enterprise: $7.20/user/month (minimum 5 users)

Keeper: Best cross-platform password manager

Pros

Keeper offers the most consistent user experience across device types, operating systems, and web browsers among all of the password managers on this list. Its interface is very polished, intuitive, and easy to organize no matter what device or browser you're using. You can control whether Keeper prompts you to save new login information or automatically fills your credentials when it detects a new form or login field. Keeper creates a frictionless user experience that supports your existing workflows instead of creating frustrating disruptions.

Cons

Keeper's feature offering isn't as comprehensive as some other password managers, so that may be a drawback worth considering. If you want a password manager that will automatically update passwords for you, Keeper won't meet your needs. Additionally, you'll need to pay extra to generate alerts and reports for your company's password health or to monitor the dark web for credentials that are potentially at risk.

Pricing

Keeper offers two different editions:

• Business: $3.75/user/month
• Enterprise: contact for pricing
• Keeper offers separate add-ons for reporting/alerts, file storage, support, risk assessment, and secure messaging

The future of password management

As you narrow your search for the right solution for your business, it's worth considering what the future of password management looks like. Many large enterprises are already making a shift toward passwordless authentication methods like biometric authentication and identity access management (IAM), which effectively eliminate the need for traditional passwords altogether. It's never too late to implement a tool that will manage your passwords for you, but it's also important to keep in mind that your needs will likely change as methods of infiltrating passwords become more sophisticated.

Read next: Half of SMBs Have No Response Plan for a Cyber Security Incident

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