True Key vs. LastPass - Login Lockdown

True Key vs. LastPass

Katy Smith
February 18, 2021

Keeping your data protected at all times can be difficult. With many passwords and logins to remember, most users opt for a weak password to satisfy the basic requirements.

However, password protection doesn’t have to be cumbersome or even expensive. Password manager applications are a mainstay in the modern world that relies on digital identification and contracts.

McAfee is well-known for developing online solutions for various common problems, and their True Key software is a venture into password protection. 

LastPass, on the other hand, is a dedicated password security platform that you might have already heard of when browsing for options.

In this article, we’ll outline what each of these apps offers and what makes for a better password manager.

True Key vs. LastPass: At a Glance

First off, let’s take a look at how True Key and LastPass perform their basic function: password storage and protection.

True Key

McAfee’s True Key is a bit of an outlier. It is almost purely designed for personal use, and has very few options to make it attractive for business owners. 

While it does contain some of the standard safety features you expect from a password manager, the choice to entirely forgo a significant part of the client base is somewhat puzzling.

Key Features:

  • AES 256 encryption
  • Password management and autofill
  • Available on all major devices and browsers
  • Decent password generator

Pricing:

  • Free version that can save 15 passwords
  • $20/year for Premium
true key plans and pricing

You might’ve noticed that True Key lacks any support for password sharing, password changing, or password checking. 

It is almost useless in determining whether existing passwords are secure, and although their password generator provides solid passwords, there are improvements to be made. If you want to try True Key out for free, you’re limited to a paltry 15 passwords, which is not nearly enough to use comfortably.

LastPass

LastPass is one of the behemoths in password protection. It has every security measure that the industry requires and some additional features to separate it from the rest in its class. 

It also has impressive integration capabilities and password sharing that doesn’t require the recipient to be a LastPass subscriber.

Key Features:

  • AES 256 encryption
  • Zero-knowledge model
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Excellent free features
  • Password sharing
  • Checking for repetition and weak passwords
  • Password autofill and generation
  • Automatic password replacement

Pricing:

  • Free version with no device limits
  • $3/month for personal use
  • Starts at $4/month/user for companies
lastpass plans and pricing

LastPass makes use of the zero-knowledge model, meaning that the passwords aren’t stored on the cloud, and you can only access them through the master password. 

Additionally, it supports password sharing by default and has an excellent security checker to automatically replace weak passwords.

Which One Should You Use?

While True Key is a decent solution for personal use, the 15-password limit for free users is too much of an inconvenience to make it a real contender.

If you’re a business owner, not even the Premium version of McAfee’s True Key is enticing, since it lacks sharing or password checking options. LastPass comes out as a clear winner on all counts.

Password Protection

True Key is a good try at expanding a popular business venture into password protection. However, McAfee still has a long way to go before it can be a real competitor to some of the top password manager apps on the market.

LastPass has clearly been well-thought-out and features that anyone can use. Plus most of the basic functions are free and can upgrade your password security in a matter of moments.