I never thought I'd see it happen; a free password manager as good as Roboform and maybe even better.
Unlike Roboform which is a utility that runs on your PC, LastPass uses a web service that works in combination with a program that runs on your PC.
It's a smart approach:
The webservice means your passwords are accessible from different computers: PCs, Macs or Linux boxes.
The stand-alone program that runs on your computer means that you can access and use your passwords even when you are offline.
But the thing I like best about LastPass is that, just like Robboform, it automatically fills in login forms as soon as you visit a website. This makes it quite different from other password managers that merely store your login information and require you to copy and paste your credentials.
And LastPass stores more than usernames and passwords, it also stores webform infomation, in a similar manner to Roboform's Passcards. It also securely stores your notes.
The security and privacy of your infomation is protected by strong 256 bit AES encryption. Furthermore your encryption key and master password never leave your computer so not even the folks at LastPass can read your data.
Plugins are available for both Internet Explorer and Firefox so it will not only work on Windows systems but Mac and Linux systems running Firefox.
Some other features:
- Portable version available
- Can import information from most other password managers including RoboForm
- Can import IE and Firefox passwords
- Has a useful "Favorites" list
- Partial iPhone integration
- Support planned for Safari and Chrome (but not Opera)
All up, a lot to like here. Goes straight to the top of my list as the best free password manager.
Gizmo
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FWIW, LastPass Free is also Neil Rubenking's top pick at PC Magazine amongst free password managers (2016.07.07; review at http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2475964,00.asp ). LastPass is now at version 4.1.33 (released 2016.11.18).
I would like to see a review here of Dashlane https://www.dashlane.com/passwordmanager which looks on the surface like it might be a pretty good free PW manager and web form filler.
I agree. Dashlane presents really well - the website looks great and the product is very good. But if you want a review then it would be best to make your request as a comment in the article Best Free Web Form Filler and Password Manager.
The main problem with the free version of Dashlane is that it is limited to one device. That makes it practically useless for many users who want access from their PC and phone, for example. I wouldn't even look at it for this reason but if you only use one computer device then it is a good option.
See the free versus premium comparison at https://www.dashlane.com/premium
Last Pass has been wonderful to use, since I figured it out. The information that you enter does not come from the cloud, it is generated on your computer. One could tweak how many hashes the passwords used, some time ago, but I don't know if that is still the case.
LastPass is great. it is Free, and, for free, it is a super good deal!
I'm sorry, but any personal data that's supposed to be kept from unwanted sources that has to go to a external website then back to my desktop thru 1000 encryptions, 264bit or greater, etc., etc. is still subject to any and all hacking, virus' and malware.
Just give me a stand alone program that stays on my desktop, PERIOD!
That way if I have problems, then, well, it'll have to come from my system and I don't have to worry about someone or some thing external that I can't control to worry about.
For those inclined more towards open source software, when it comes to entrusting passwords, and also not storing in the cloud (the cloud :D), then 2 or the best are:
Password Safe http://pwsafe.org/
Keepass Password Manager http://keepass.info/
Keepass is perhaps slightly more secure, but definitely has more options, configurability for auto-typing login data. But that can make it more complicated for those that don't need a lot of options. But either will handle just entering user name / PW.
PW Safe is a bit simpler, doesn't have the level of extra entropy that Keepass has.
I use PW Safe for forum PWs, etc., & Keepass for banks. In PW Safe, You must click to auto type (or drag / drop). OMG! Click a mouse?!? How lazy are we getting?
Keepass can find the DB entry that matches current web page "title" or other identifiers - so don't have to "search" in the current DB. It also offers "Two-Channel Auto-Type Obfuscation," (see help file or online help file), which attempts to defeat most keyloggers.
Both of these are 1st class programs, are actively maintained, have excellent help forums & bug trackers / feature request reporting. Much better than a lot of commercial software I've used.
I used Roboform (free) some yrs ago. It certainly may've changed since then, but at the time had little if any on Keepass or Password Safe. Plus, some password mgrs are not open source, which for many security experts, is a *drawback* for security / encryption software, etc. I don't think storing PWs is any less important.