LessPass Review 2024: Should You Consider Using It?

LessPass is a unique and completely free password manager that doesn’t store your passwords anywhere  —instead, it regenerates them on demand using inputs like the site name, username, and master password.

This approach prioritizes security, as it minimizes the risk of data breaches, but it comes with its own set of challenges. For example, you need to remember and input your exact login details, which can be cumbersome and a bit annoying, especially on mobile devices. This includes things like the web address you need to access to log into your account, your username, and your master password. At least the mobile app can save your master password on your device, but this feature might make it less secure, and it’s unavailable in the web application.

In my experience, LessPass can also be quite confusing at first. The lack of documentation means there’s a bit of a learning curve, and I often found myself struggling to regenerate passwords due to mistyped inputs. While it’s secure and functions well for those who can remember exact details, it lacks many conveniences found in other password managers, like auto-fill and secure password sharing.

If you value ease of use and extra features, you might find LessPass lacking compared to more mainstream options (like 1Password, for example). But overall, it’s a pretty good (albeit niche) solution, well suited to those willing to trade convenience for security.

LessPass Full Review

LessPass is a password manager that stands out by avoiding traditional data storage. While most password managers create encrypted databases to store sensitive information, such as passwords, website logins, and credit card numbers, LessPass generates passwords without saving them on your hard drive or in the cloud.

This approach minimizes the risk of data breaches by avoiding the storage of all your data in one place, which can attract hackers — but it requires you to remember exact details for password regeneration, which is pretty inconvenient. Top password managers like 1Password and Dashlane offer a far more intuitive experience.

LessPass Security Features

The way LessPass works is pretty unique and will likely appeal to tech-savvy users. Instead of storing passwords, it uses a pure function to regenerate your passwords when you need them. A pure function is one that, given the same inputs, will always produce the same output. In practice, this means that inputting your username, the URL of the page you want to access, and your master password will always result in the same output: your password for that site. That’s a pretty neat solution!

This approach comes with distinct advantages and disadvantages compared to standard password management solutions. To start off with the positives, it minimizes the risk of data breaches since there isn’t a place where all your passwords are stored that can be hacked. It also means you don’t need to worry about cross-device syncing. Finally (and I found this to be the most attractive feature of LessPass), you don’t have to install LessPass on a device to retrieve your passwords.

On the other hand, it means you have to memorize and manually input your username for each account. I use several email addresses and usernames across my online accounts, so remembering which one I used for signing up for a particular service is not the easiest task! LessPass also lacks common features like auto-fill, auto-save of your usernames, password auditing, master password recovery options, emergency access, secure note and financial information storage, and many other features all the top password managers offer.

Another big issue is password import. Since LessPass automatically generates all of your passwords on demand without storing anything, migration from another password manager is practically impossible.

Given the way LessPass works, the password generator is its central feature. It works seamlessly. You can choose the length that the app will use for each of your passwords — but I usually just stick to the default 16 characters. You can also choose to include lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Additionally, if you’re using the mobile app, you can automatically copy any generated passwords. If you want to change your password for an account, you can do so by clicking once on the plus sign below Counter.

Technically, you can share passwords using LessPass, but the process is neither secure nor convenient. If you press the Share button next to the password, LessPass will generate a link with the URL and your username, but you’ll have to share your master password separately with the recipient.

What’s more, if you don’t want the person you’re sharing the password with to be able to regenerate all of your passwords for accounts that use the same username, you’ll have to use another password as your master password. In reality, this means you’ll also have to change the password for the account you’re sharing, since it was probably created earlier, using your main master password. As I said, the process is far from practical!

LessPass Plans & Pricing

LessPass is entirely free. You can install it as a browser extension or mobile app on as many devices as you want, without any limitations whatsoever. It’s also open-source, meaning its code is available for anyone to inspect.

However, while the $0 price tag is very tempting, LessPass comes with the limitations typical of non-commercialized products. In addition to being pretty bare-bones when it comes to features, the entire project gives a strong impression of a “one-man show,” with that person only working on the password manager and improving it in their spare time.

Ease of Use & Setup

LessPass supports the following platforms and web browsers:

• iOS.
• Android.
• Chrome on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Firefox on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Command Line.

Setting up LessPass is incredibly easy. All you need to do is download it for your platform. On Android and iOS, simply head to the respective app stores, search for “LessPass,” download and install the app and start using it right away. There’s no need to create an account or log in, which is a major plus.

For Chrome or Firefox on a computer, just search for “LessPass [your browser] extension,” visit the appropriate extension web store, and install the browser add-on from there.

Now, actually using the app is a little bit more complicated — but it’s not too bad. To generate a password for your new account, visit the exact web address where you’ll create your account. I’ll be using the Walt Disney World Resort account creation page in my example.

In this particular case, you’ll need to go to the web address “disneyworld.disney.go.com”. Remember, to retrieve this (or any other) password moving forward, you’ll need to take note of the exact URL. LessPass will fill out that field automatically, but you need to visit the exact same page the next time; otherwise, the input will be slightly different and the password generated from it will not match the original one.

Then, decide on and create a username. In this particular case, Disney asks for an email address, so use that as your username. Then, type your master password (which can be the same for every password) and click Generate & Copy to paste it when prompted for it.

The mobile apps for Android and iOS function almost identically to the web application, which is one of the things I love most about LessPass. However, there is one small difference: on mobile, you can store your master password locally, accessible only via your fingerprint (Android) or FaceID (iOS).

Keep in mind that the app warns that this isn’t very secure. It’s always best to remember your master password, as this is the most secure form of “storage,” so to speak.

One area for improvement is the documentation — I really wish there was more guidance on how to use the app. Currently, the “knowledge base” comes down to a single blog post that explains how LessPass works.

Customer Support

Should you need help, you can reach out to contact@lesspass.com. I sent in a request for help with password sharing and received a response about an hour later — now that’s pretty impressive! And, not surprisingly, it was the developer of the app who replied.

As I mentioned, LessPass seems to be a one-man operation, and as far as I can tell, the developer takes pride in his work and likes to help people out. Since the app is free, I wasn’t hoping for much, but it’s always nice to be pleasantly surprised like this.

I also found some documentation in the mobile app by tapping on the Help question mark icon. The app does a fairly decent job of explaining how everything works, but I feel as though it could be fleshed out a little more for the average layman. The developer seems to have written the documentation with other tech-savvy users in mind — but this really is a minor complaint.

So, Should You Consider Using LessPass?

Yes and no. If you’re a fairly tech-savvy individual and can remember a lot of detailed information like web addresses and usernames, sure. It’s also a decent option for those who prioritize security and don’t want to pay for password management — but I do want to point something out here.

If you choose a great password manager that’s more mainstream, like RoboForm, for example, your passwords will be very secure, too. The best password managers on the market use 256-bit AES encryption, which is the same encryption protocol the military and banks use. It doesn’t really get more secure than that.

You also won’t have to fiddle around as much. You won’t be required to remember exact URLs or usernames — just your master password. And even then, many of the best managers allow you to log in using biometrics like your fingerprint.

The best password managers also allow you to securely share your passwords, auto-save and auto-fill them, and even sync them across any of your devices — all without requiring any direct inputs (unlike LessPass). You really have to weigh the pros and cons to decide if LessPass is the right password manager for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LessPass good?

LessPass is a decent option for people who value security and don’t mind a bit of a learning curve. It doesn’t store your passwords anywhere; instead, it generates them on the fly using the site name, your username, and a master password you provide. This approach helps reduce the risk of hacks or data breaches since there’s no database to steal. However, it doesn’t have convenient features like auto-fill and password sharing, which other password managers offer.

For those who prefer ease of use and additional features, LessPass might not be the best fit. You’ll need to remember specific details to generate your passwords, which can be a bit annoying. Plus, there isn’t much documentation to guide you if you get stuck. Compared to more user-friendly options like 1Password, LessPass can feel limited. While it’s strong on privacy, it may not suit users who want a straightforward and feature-rich experience.

Is LessPass free?

Yes, LessPass is 100% free, and it doesn’t even require signing up to be able to use it on as many devices as you want to. There is also no password storage limit since LessPass doesn’t store passwords. Instead, it generates them whenever you need them, using your username and master password as input.

Are password managers worth it?

Yes, password managers are definitely worth it for most users. The best password managers make it easy to keep track of all your passwords by storing them in one secure place. With features like auto-fill and password generation, they help you create strong, unique passwords for each account, which can significantly boost your online security and reduce the chances of getting hacked.

Password managers also save you time by automatically filling in your login details, making them super handy for anyone juggling multiple accounts. While there might be concerns about storing sensitive data, trustworthy password managers use strong encryption to protect your information, so you can feel confident about your online safety. Good password managers also help you easily share your passwords with family and friends and sync them across devices.

Which password manager is the most secure?

All of the password managers on this list are generally exceptionally secure. They use strong, 256-bit AES encryption to protect your passwords and personal data, ensuring that only you can access your information. These password managers typically offer features like two-factor authentication, secure password sharing, and regular security audits, making them a safe choice for anyone looking to protect their online accounts.