Starting March 16, 2021, popular password manager LastPass will restrict its free users to one type of device – Mobile or Computer. If you’re a free member you’ve probably received a mail already, notifying you about the impending change. The company also published a detailed blog post, including some examples to further clarify the matter:
- Sarah is a LastPass Free user with Computers as their active device type. They can use LastPass on their laptop, desktop, and their dad’s laptop (anyone’s computer!), but they can’t use LastPass on their phone, tablet, or smart watch unless they upgrade to LastPass Premium or Families for unlimited device type access.
- Steve is a LastPass Free user with Mobile Devices as their active device type. They can use LastPass on their personal iPhone, work-issued Android phone, tablet, and smart watch, but they can’t use LastPass on their desktop or laptop unless they upgrade to LastPass Premium or Families for unlimited device type access.
It’s a good thing that LastPass recognizes two main groups of devices – if you choose to use the free service on a computer, you’ll be able to access it from any desktop or laptop computer. The same goes for mobile devices – should you log in on a mobile phone, you’ll be able to use LastPass on iPhones, Android phones, tablets, etc. Also Read: 5 free password manager apps for Android & iOS that keep your codes away from the enemy
Basically, the type of device you’ll be using to log in after March 16 will determine the group you’ll be assigned to. It’s a bit unfortunate though because cross-platform functionality is one of the key strengths of such services and people would want to have it. Wait, maybe that’s the idea behind the switch? Sarcasm aside, there’s one more thing that’s going away for free users and that’s email support.
Effective May 17, 2021, LastPass Free users will have Basic support, while Premium and Families users will receive Personal support from LastPass.
- Basic support includes support center and Community
- Personal support includes Basic support options as well as Personal customer support via email
LastPass Premium and Families cost $3 and $4/mo respectively. If you don’t want to pay for your passwords but need to use a password manager on mobile devices and computers, there are alternatives. Check out this list of free password managers.
