LastPass frees cross-device password sharing from subscription, goes ad-supported

Posted:
in iPhone
Password storage and retrieval tool LastPass is altering its pricing structure again, with the most recent opening up cross-platform password storage to all users with an ad-supported tier.




In a blog post on Tuesday the LastPass developers announced that the multi-device password service allowing users to access passwords from multiple registered devices was no longer bound to users paying a monthly fee. Users on the free tier need not do anything to enable the feature, and can start using it immediately.

A user's content in LastPass, including passwords and data, is protected by one master password, similar to that of the Apple Keychain. Information is encrypted with AES-256 bit encryption with PBKDF2 SHA-256 and salted hashes, with encryption and decryption taking place on the device itself.

LastPass can be used as extensions to Chrome, Firefox, Opera, or Safari browsers for home users, or as a system-wide utility on macOS or iOS.

The $1 per month premium subscription for home users allows for family sharing for up to five users, tech support, encrypted file storage, and removes the ads from all registered devices. Enterprise licensing is available, and pricing varies.

The first version of LastPass launched in 2008 as a series of browser extensions. The system-wide Mac utility for LastPass debuted in 2015.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    This is absurd. I use my password keeper (not LastPass) about 10-12 times a day. Putting up with the loading of ads each of those times would slow my life to a crawl. If people don't realize by now that the safekeeping of their online passwords are worth $1/month, perhaps they shouldn't be online at all. Wake up, people! LastPass, 1Password, and the like are excellent, simple to use utilities and require you to remember only one password for your entire life.
    magman1979
  • Reply 2 of 12
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    What chance that a malware ad could pillage your passwords?
    kolvasmagman1979
  • Reply 3 of 12
    Where in their blogpost does it say anything about ads?
  • Reply 4 of 12
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    I've always steered clear of LastPass, as I never felt good about their software, and heard they had security vulnerabilities before, and now, this decision to go ad-sponsored, has re-inforced my decision to stay the F away from them, and any software that's ad-sponsored, because it demonstrates they don't care about user privacy.

    I use SplashID, and also like 1Password, and that's what I will continue recommending going forward to all my friends and coworkers.
  • Reply 5 of 12
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member
    I don't see what's wrong with using Keychain. It's free and it works across all my devices. Of course, I guess if you have a mix of Android and iOS, it won't work so well, but it takes no time at all looking up a password.
    edited November 2016
  • Reply 6 of 12
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    cpsro said:
    What chance that a malware ad could pillage your passwords?
    No no, not pillage. They will present password relevant ads, is all.
  • Reply 7 of 12
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    kkerst said:
    I don't see what's wrong with using Keychain. It's free and it works across all my devices. Of course, I guess if you have a mix of Android and iOS, it won't work so well, but it takes no time at all looking up a password.
    Correct me if I'm wrong but Keychain is useless if you're out somewhere and need to sign in to an app with an iOS device. There's no way to access Keychain on an iOS device right?
  • Reply 8 of 12
    For iOS you can go to Settings → Safari → Passwords (under General)
    razorpit
  • Reply 9 of 12
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    For iOS you can go to Settings → Safari → Passwords (under General)
    Wow, never thought to look in the settings to see my passwords. Thanks!
  • Reply 10 of 12
    misamisa Posts: 827member
    NdnaJnz said:
    This is absurd. I use my password keeper (not LastPass) about 10-12 times a day. Putting up with the loading of ads each of those times would slow my life to a crawl. If people don't realize by now that the safekeeping of their online passwords are worth $1/month, perhaps they shouldn't be online at all. Wake up, people! LastPass, 1Password, and the like are excellent, simple to use utilities and require you to remember only one password for your entire life.
    You're missing the real issue. If you put ads in a "password keeper" , the ads can see the passwords. If someone really wants to create a password keeper tool, it has to be free, and can not be ad supported whatsoever. To do otherwise defeats the purpose. Yes it has to be free otherwise the the tracking mechanics from the purchase can be used to gleam who is using it to spear-phish them.


  • Reply 11 of 12
    I use both LastPass and 1Password and both work great for my needs.  LastPass is a solid cloud solution and its encrypted.  Pretty much every cloud service is or will likely get hacked at some point but it comes down to how well your data is encrypted that matters.

    I used SplashID back on the PalmOS days and frankly I just looked at it tonight since I didn't think they were still around  Bland, boring GUI and overall uninspiring product. 1Password would be a better choice over SplashID and a tie for LastPass.  
  • Reply 12 of 12
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    raptoroo7 said:

    I used SplashID back on the PalmOS days and frankly I just looked at it tonight since I didn't think they were still around  Bland, boring GUI and overall uninspiring product.
    Same here. I still use it. I've had a lot of frustrating syncing issues with it when they released their big cloud sync solution a few years back but things seem to have gotten a little better. While I don't know if I'd recommend any one new to it I'll continue to use it since I have a lifetime license. The second they add an asterisk to "lifetime license"  I'll probably just stick to Keychain since 1Password is $65. I think thats a little bit much.
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