LastPass vs Bitwarden

LastPass was the default password manager for years. Then it had multiple serious security breaches and lost a lot of trust. Bitwarden is open source, transparent, and has a genuinely useful free tier. This comparison used to be closer. It's not anymore.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

LastPass

The well-known password manager with a trust problem

$7/user/moper user per month (Business plan, billed annually)

Strengths

+Familiar interface that many people already know
+Good browser extension and autofill
+Admin console for business management is decent

Weaknesses

-Major security breaches in 2022 - encrypted vaults were stolen
-The breach response was slow and inadequate
-Free tier was gutted - now limited to one device type

Best for

Organizations already locked into LastPass who haven't migrated yet

Bitwarden

Open source password manager you can actually trust

$4/user/moper user per month (Teams plan, billed annually; free tier available)

Strengths

+Fully open source - anyone can audit the code
+Excellent free tier - unlimited passwords, unlimited devices
+Regular third-party security audits published publicly

Weaknesses

-Interface isn't as polished as some competitors
-Autofill can occasionally miss fields that LastPass catches
-Business admin features are less mature than LastPass

Best for

Anyone who wants a trustworthy, affordable password manager - individuals and teams alike

Feature Comparison

Feature	LastPass	Bitwarden
Free tier	Severely limited - one device type only	Excellent - unlimited passwords and devices for individuals
Business pricing	$7/user/mo (Business), $4/user/mo (Teams, up to 50 seats)	$4/user/mo (Teams, billed annually) or self-host the open-source server for free
Open source	No - closed source	Yes - fully open source
Security track record	Multiple breaches, encrypted vaults stolen in 2022	Clean record, regular public audits
Self-hosting	Not available	Available - full control over your data
Browser extension	Good autofill	Good autofill, slightly less polished
Mobile apps	Solid on iOS and Android	Solid on iOS and Android
Password sharing	Yes, with shared folders	Yes, with organizations and collections
Admin console	More mature for enterprise	Good and improving, less enterprise polish
MFA options	TOTP, push notification	TOTP, FIDO2, Duo, and more

The Verdict

Bitwarden is the better choice for almost everyone at this point. It's open source, has a clean security record, offers a genuinely useful free tier, and costs meaningfully less for business plans. LastPass had a catastrophic breach in 2022 where encrypted vaults were actually stolen, and their response did not inspire confidence. The only reason to stay on LastPass is if migrating your organization would be too disruptive right now - and even then, you should be planning the move. For new setups, there's no good reason to choose LastPass over Bitwarden.

How to switch from LastPass to Bitwarden

Full LastPass export guide →

1In LastPass, go to Account Settings > Advanced Options > Export and download your vault as a plain-text CSV file - this is the only built-in export format LastPass supports.
2Create a Bitwarden account (or organization for a team), then use the Import Data feature in the web vault, selecting 'LastPass (csv)' as the source format, and confirm all logins, notes, and folders came through correctly.
3Recreate any LastPass shared folders as Bitwarden collections inside your organization, then reassign team members and permissions to match your old sharing setup.
4If you relied on LastPass's admin console for provisioning or reporting, set up the equivalent in Bitwarden - directory sync (Azure AD/Okta) and SSO require the Enterprise plan, so upgrade if you need those.
5Roll out Bitwarden browser extensions and mobile apps to the whole team, have each person verify their vault, then deactivate LastPass licenses once everyone has confirmed access.
6Securely delete the exported CSV file from wherever you stored it, since it contains every password in plain text - this step is easy to forget and easy to regret.

LastPass vs Bitwarden: common questions

How do I export my passwords from LastPass?+

Log into your LastPass vault, go to Advanced Options > Export, and download an unencrypted CSV file containing all your saved logins. LastPass may prompt for your master password again before allowing the export. Store the file securely and delete it as soon as you've imported it elsewhere, since it's plain text.

What do I lose by switching from LastPass to Bitwarden?+

You lose LastPass's slightly more polished autofill and its more mature enterprise admin console, including some reporting and provisioning features that took LastPass years to build out. Bitwarden's admin tools are solid and improving but still feel a step behind for large, complex organizations. For most small and mid-size teams, this gap doesn't matter much in daily use.

Is Bitwarden's free tier enough for a small team?+

The free individual plan gives unlimited passwords and devices, but shared team vaults require an Organization, and free organizations are capped at 2 users. For anything beyond a two-person team, you'll need the Teams plan at $4/user/month, which is still cheaper than LastPass's equivalent tiers.

Does Bitwarden integrate with the tools our team already uses?+

Bitwarden has a CLI and REST-like API for scripting and automation, plus browser extensions, desktop apps, and mobile apps across all major platforms. Directory sync with Azure AD/Entra ID or Okta, and SSO via SAML/OIDC, are available on the Enterprise plan rather than Teams.

How much will switching actually save us over time?+

For a 10-person team, LastPass Business runs about $840/year versus Bitwarden Teams at about $480/year, a savings of roughly $360/year. If your team is small enough to fit under Bitwarden's free organization limit, the savings are even larger since you'd pay nothing at all.