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Cybersecurity · head to head

LastPass vs Ory Kratos

LastPass logo

LastPass

Cybersecurity

Simplify online life with LastPass password manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: LastPass free plan limited to 1 device type only; Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • They diverge on capability: LastPass covers Password vault, Ory Kratos covers Headless API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LastPass and Ory Kratos actually diverge.

Attributes where LastPass and Ory Kratos differ
AttributeLastPassOry Kratos
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in LastPass

  • Password vault
  • Password generator
  • Autofill
  • Security dashboard
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Emergency access
  • Secure notes
  • Digital wallet

Only in Ory Kratos

  • Headless API
  • Self-service flows
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Pluggable identity schemas

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

LastPass

  • Password management and vault storagenot Ory Kratos
  • Multi-device access and autofillnot Ory Kratos
  • Dark web monitoring and security dashboardnot Ory Kratos
  • Team collaboration with shared folders and policiesnot Ory Kratos

Ory Kratos

  • Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot LastPass
  • Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot LastPass
  • Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot LastPass

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

LastPass

  • Free plan limited to 1 device type only
  • Premium plan costs ~$3/month annually (30% discount applied)
  • Business Teams plan limited to up to 50 users maximum
  • Teams plan offers only 25 security policies
  • Business plan pricing ~$4/user/month
  • Business Max plan costs ~$7/user/month for advanced features

Ory Kratos

  • Headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • More moving parts than a monolithic IAM: Kratos handles identity, and OAuth2 needs Ory Hydra alongside
  • Documentation assumes real familiarity with identity concepts and is not a gentle introduction
  • Self-hosting identity carries the security and availability burden that hosted providers absorb

Pricing, plan by plan

LastPass

Free
  • Free$undefined/mo
    • Unlimited password storage
    • Autofill
    • Dark web monitoring
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Unlimited passwords
    • All devices
    • Password generator
  • Families$undefined/month
    • Premium features
    • Shared folders
    • Family manager dashboard

Ory Kratos

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full identity server
    • All flows
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose LastPass if

  • You need password vault.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want password generator.
LastPass review

Choose Ory Kratos if

  • You need headless api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want self-service flows.
Ory Kratos review

Questions people ask

Is LastPass or Ory Kratos better?
Neither clearly leads. LastPass starts at Free and Ory Kratos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LastPass or Ory Kratos?
LastPass starts at Free and Ory Kratos at Free.
Does LastPass or Ory Kratos run on more platforms?
LastPass runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use LastPass for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is LastPass best used for?
LastPass is most often used for password management and vault storage, multi-device access and autofill, dark web monitoring and security dashboard, team collaboration with shared folders and policies. Of those, password management and vault storage and multi-device access and autofill are not what Ory Kratos is typically brought in for.
What can LastPass do that Ory Kratos cannot?
LastPass covers Password vault, Password generator, Autofill, Security dashboard. Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

LastPass: Does LastPass have a free version?

Yes, LastPass offers a free plan with unlimited password storage, autofill, dark web monitoring, and basic password sharing, but it is limited to 1 device type.

Source
Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?

Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.

LastPass: What devices does the free plan support?

The free plan is limited to 1 device type, meaning you must choose either desktop or mobile, not both.

Source
Ory Kratos: What does headless mean here?

Kratos provides identity flows as APIs and no user interface. You build the login, registration and recovery screens yourself.

Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.

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