LastPass is Restricting its Free Plan to One Device Type

From March 16th, LastPass users of its free package will only be able to use the password manager on one “device type” at a time, down from two.

LastPass is claiming that the decision was necessary as it “need[s] to adapt our offerings to keep up with the constantly evolving digital world.” We’ve long informed readers that password managers really are worth paying for, and this latest move by LastPass makes it even more so.

Here’s everything you need to know about the changes to LastPass’ free plan.

LastPass Free: What’s Changing?

From March 16th, LastPass free users will get unlimited access on devices of one type — at the moment, LastPass free user offers access across both computers and mobile devices.

LastPass offered some helpful examples of what that’ll look like in practice:

Sarah is a Free user with Computers as her active device type. She can use LastPass on her laptop, desktop and her dad’s laptop (anyone’s computer!), but she can’t use LastPass on her phone, tablet, or smart watch unless she upgrades to LastPass Premium, which has unlimited device type access.

Steve is a Free user with Mobile Devices as his active device type. He can use LastPass on his iPhone, Android work phone, tablet, and smart watch, but he can’t use LastPass on his desktop or laptop unless he upgrades to LastPass Premium, which has unlimited device type access.

What’s more, email support will only be available for Premium and Families subscribers from May 17th.

What Can You Do?

Well, your choices are pretty simple. You can either continue with the limited version of LastPass free or you can upgrade to a premium LastPass plan.

LastPass’ Premium plan costs $3 per month and lets you access the store and access your passwords across an unlimited number of devices. It also gives you 1GB of storage and admin controls over your account and a security dashboard to maintain security across all your accounts.

LastPass also offers a Families plan which costs $4 per month and lets six users access the service across an unlimited number of different device types.

Of course, you could also switch to a different service. We’d pick 1Password, it costs $3 per month and has a great set of features to help keep you safe online.

Is it Worth Paying for a Password Manager?

Free password managers have always come with restrictions, whether it’s the number of devices it’s available on, the included features, or level of support. Our recommendation has always been to pay for a service like this, especially as you can find great solutions, such as LastPass or 1Password for a few bucks a month. A price worth paying to never have to remember a password ever again.

The best paid for password managers don’t just remember your passwords for you. They’ll also suggest robust, secure passwords (much better than relying on the name of your beloved pet or favorite band), audit your passwords to make sure that different ones are being used for each service you visit, and some will even monitor the web and alert you should your password ever be compromised.

You’ll also find that some will offer secure vaults to store other sensitive data such as passport or financial information, and will also allow you to name another person to be granted access in an emergency. We think all this is well worth your $3 a month.