LastPass Pricing Changes
Dan DeMichele (via Jason Koebler, MacRumors, Hacker News):
LastPass offers access across two device types – computers (including all browsers running on desktops and laptops) or mobile devices (including mobile phones, smart watches, and tablets). Starting March 16th, 2021, LastPass Free will only include access on unlimited devices of one type.
[…]
In addition to this change, as of May 17th, 2021, email support will only be available for Premium and Families customers.
[…]
If you’d like unlimited device type access and email support, you can upgrade from Free to LastPass Premium for a limited time, for $2.25 per month (billed annually).
1Password is $2.99/month, billed annually, with a native Mac app.
m000:
A few years back, their free/premium tiers were looking similar to what they announced today. Only they charged a mere $15/year for premium, which I gladly paid.
Then, overnight, they offered syncing across all types of devices for their free tier. The premium tier was only adding some niche features. I would have continued to pay $15/year just to support them, but at the same time they bumped up premium to $36/year. That was a deal-breaker: not paying 2.5x for features I don’t use.
Now, they switch back to not syncing across all types of devices, but the premium price stays $36/year.
Previously:
- LastPass to Drop Support for Native Mac App
- Local 1Password iOS Vaults No Longer Free
- 1Password Standalone Vaults and PasswordWallet
Update (2021-02-19): Vítor Galvão:
This is a major (but seldom discussed) reason why so many hate subscription software. The rent price (or what it allows you) can change at any time. It’s a Darth Vader deal.
“Classic” licenses don’t suffer from that issue.
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I switched from 1Password to Secrets a year and a half ago. It’s not a subscription (I think I paid 20€ for the app), it’s native, packed with “OS based” features, simple but still powerful to use. Secrets macOS app is, in my opinion, way superior to 1Password.
Bad deals also exist for classic licenses. They drop support for your version, an OS update breaks it and the update gets more expensive. You might have assumed to be buying a few years of support, but it turns out that was never part of the deal. Do you either pay or love on, just like with subscriptions.
At least the developer will need to risk giving up the money from customers that cancel after to the price increase. So there is some deterrent. For classical licenses, the developer can just pick the price for the next version that maximizes profit.
@Peter The huge difference is that with classic licences you always have choice. If support for your bought version ceases, what you had keeps working. If an OS upgrade breaks it, you can not upgrade. If you have to search for an alternative, you can do so at your own pace when it’s convenient.
With a subscription, pricing changes catch you with your pants down and you’re forced to find an alternative on their time frame, whether it’s convenient or not. It’s always worse.
