Roboform vs. LastPass

Roboform vs. LastPass in 2024: An Expert‘s Take on Security, Features, and Value

Introduction
When it comes to protecting your sensitive login information across all your online accounts, using a reputable password manager is essential. Two of the most widely used options are Roboform and LastPass. As a cyber security professional with over a decade specializing in cloud data security, I‘ve analyzed both in-depth to help you determine which one is the better choice in 2024.

While they share many core features, there are some key differences between Roboform and LastPass in areas like security, pricing, device limits, and customer support. Let‘s dive in and compare them head-to-head.

Security and Privacy
The most critical aspect of any password manager is how well it secures your data. Both Roboform and LastPass use industrial-strength 256-bit AES encryption, which is virtually impossible to crack. However, their security reputations diverge from there.

Roboform touts its clean security record, having never suffered a known data breach since the company was founded in 1999. It also completed a third-party security audit in May 2023 by SecFault Security, which found no vulnerabilities.

LastPass, on the other hand, has experienced multiple security incidents, including two breaches in 2022 alone. While the company has been forthcoming about these hacks and claims user passwords remain safely encrypted, the repeated issues are still a serious concern.

Another difference is that Roboform only collects payment processing data if you sign up for a paid plan. It does not log or store any browsing data or personal information. LastPass collects more user data, including your IP address, device info, and even location in some cases (though you can opt out via its privacy policy).

For these reasons, I consider Roboform to have the edge over LastPass when it comes to trustworthy security and privacy.

Plans and Pricing
Roboform Plans:

• Free: $0, single device access only
• Everywhere: $1.99/month, 5 device limit, cloud backup, 2FA
• Family: $3.98/month, 5 separate accounts with 5 devices each, password sharing

LastPass Plans:

• Free: $0, unlimited devices, password sharing
• Premium: $3.00/month, dark web monitoring, emergency access, priority support
• Families: $4.00/month, 6 licenses, unlimited shared folders

Both offer free plans, though Roboform‘s limits you to a single device while LastPass includes unlimited devices and even password sharing. Paying for Roboform Everywhere gets you more features and up to 5 devices, while the Family plan is a good deal for households with multiple users.

LastPass paid plans are pricier, but come with extras like dark web monitoring and emergency access. Its Families plan is slightly more expensive than Roboform‘s but accommodates 6 users.

Overall, Roboform offers better value, especially if you don‘t need LastPass‘ advanced features. But LastPass‘ free plan is surprisingly fully-featured compared to most competitors.

Ease of Use and Compatibility
I found the user interfaces of both Roboform and LastPass to be clean and intuitive across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. They worked smoothly for capturing and replaying passwords. Both offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

One notable difference is that LastPass has an extension for Linux systems, while Roboform does not. But unless you‘re a Linux user, both are easy to set up and use on all major platforms.

However, in my tests I did encounter a small bug with LastPass on Safari where clicking some menu links did nothing, requiring a browser refresh. Hopefully issues like this will be fixed in future updates.

Customer Support
Neither service offers 24/7 live chat support, which is disappointing. Roboform has a support email address, but in my experience, response times averaged around 11 hours.

LastPass doesn‘t have email support at all outside of its Enterprise plans. Free and Premium users have to rely on the support forum and knowledge base. Phone support is available for the Families plan.

This lack of prompt, direct support from either provider is a drawback, though at least Roboform offers email support to all users.

Bottom Line
While Roboform and LastPass are both capable password managers, my recommendation for most users is Roboform. Its unbroken security record, more affordable prices, and greater privacy protection outweigh LastPass‘ slight edge in features. However, LastPass may still be preferable if you need unlimited devices or Linux support.

Ultimately, the right choice depends on your specific needs and budget. But in terms of core performance, reliability, and bang for your buck, Roboform is my pick as the superior password security solution in 2024.