Which One Ought to You Select?

As two of the highest password managers right this moment, each Bitwarden and 1Password provide high quality password administration — albeit in numerous methods. Bitwarden is an open-source resolution with a powerful emphasis on affordability and transparency. In the meantime, 1Password is a closed-source service that gives a streamlined person expertise with top-tier safety.

On this article, we check out which password supervisor is greatest for you and your group.

Bitwarden vs 1Password: Comparability

Bitwarden vs 1Password: Pricing

Each Bitwarden and 1Password divide their paid subscriptions into Private and Enterprise tiers. By way of free plans, solely Bitwarden has a free model, whereas 1Password doesn’t at present provide a devoted free plan.

SEE: LogMeOnce vs Bitwarden (2024): Which Password Supervisor is Higher? (TechRepublic)

Happily, each password managers have free trials for his or her paid subscriptions. Of the 2, 1Password is extra beneficiant because it supplies a 14-day free trial for all its plans, aside from its Enterprise subscription. In distinction, Bitwarden has a decent seven-day free trial for each its Bitwarden Groups and Enterprise subscriptions.

Bitwarden pricing

Bitwarden Private:

• Free: Limitless passwords, limitless gadgets.
• Premium: $0.83 per thirty days; limitless gadgets; built-in authenticator, file attachments, emergency entry, amongst others.
• Households: $3.33 per thirty days; as much as 6 customers; limitless sharing, limitless collections, group storage.

Bitwarden Enterprise:

• Groups: $4 per thirty days per person; knowledge sharing, occasion and audit log monitoring, person teams, listing integration, amongst others.
• Enterprise: $6 per thirty days per person; all Groups options plus enterprise insurance policies, passwordless SSO integration, account restoration capabilities.
• Customized quote: Contact gross sales for pricing; scalable subscription.

If you wish to be taught extra, learn our full Bitwarden assessment.

1Password pricing

In comparison with Bitwarden’s month-to-month subscriptions, 1Password supplies an choice for both a month-to-month or an annual plan. Beneath is an outline of pricing of 1Password’s plans for each contract choices:

1Password Private

1Password Enterprise

If you wish to be taught extra, learn our full 1Password assessment.

Bitwarden vs 1Password: Function comparability

Safety and encryption

Winner: Tie

Each Bitwarden and 1Password provide high-end safety with their respective password managers. By way of encryption, each companies make the most of the AES-256 encryption algorithm — broadly thought-about the trade customary within the area.

SEE: Bitwarden vs KeePass (2024): Battle of the Greatest — Who Wins? (TechRepublic)

As well as, I’m completely satisfied to report that each Bitwarden and 1Password take third-party testing critically. Within the realm of safety software program, security and safety claims can solely accomplish that a lot. That’s why having unbiased safety audits is a crucial function to look out for.

For Bitwarden, they’ve proven a powerful dedication to third-party testing with its suite of safety audits courting again to 2018. It’s additionally SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA-compliant. Its most up-to-date third-party audit was an evaluation of its Net App carried out by safety agency Cure53 again in August 2023.

However, 1Password likewise provides a formidable portfolio of third-party audit outcomes. As of Might 2024, 1Password has 24 third-party audits masking varied points of its password administration service.

1Password has additionally achieved SOC 2 kind 2, ISO 27001:2022, 27017:2015, 27018:2019, and 27701:2019 certifications — exhibiting it meets trade and worldwide requirements for data safety.

On August 6, 2024, 1Password shared {that a} vulnerability on 1Password 8 for Mac (variations earlier than 8.10.36) was found, presumably affecting the applying’s platform safety. Per 1Password, the difficulty “allows a malicious course of operating regionally on a machine to bypass inter-process communication protections.”

Happily, 1Password has patched the difficulty with 1Password for Mac model 8.10.36 and has mentioned that there have been no reviews of the difficulty being exploited by anybody else. On this occasion, I commend 1Password for its easy, swift, and clear response to the difficulty.

Lastly, the 2 password managers differ in software program distribution. Bitwarden is open-source, permitting the general public to freely view its supply code for doable holes or vulnerabilities. On the flipside, 1Password is closed-source and has its full supply code personal.

Personally, I favor open-source software program because it supplies an extra layer of transparency. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that closed-source software program has its benefits — usually providing issues like extra premium buyer help.

All in all, I’ve no bother recommending both Bitwarden or 1Password by way of safety. Each password managers have the required safety measures to make sure your passwords will likely be protected and safe.

Multi-factor authentication choices

Winner: Bitwarden

In the case of multi-factor authentication or two-factor authentication, I give the win to Bitwarden. Bitwarden provides a spread of 2FA choices. For its free model, it helps 2FA through FIDO2 WebAuthn credentials, authenticator apps, and e mail.

In case you go for their paid model, you get 2FA by Duo Safety with Duo Push, SMS, cellphone name, and safety keys, in addition to YubiKey help. I respect how Bitwarden nonetheless provides MFA/2FA to its free customers — actually making it a sensible free choice that doesn’t sacrifice important security measures like MFA.

That isn’t to say that 1Password is lagging behind. 1Password helps 2FA by authenticator apps and safety keys like YubiKey and Titan. Particularly, 1Password helps authenticator apps like Authy, Microsoft Authenticator, or Okta Confirm.

That being mentioned, should you’re particularly in search of a greater variety of MFA choices, I like to recommend going for Bitwarden over 1Password.

Ease of use and efficiency

Winner: 1Password

In the case of ease of use and efficiency, I’ve to present it to 1Password. 1Password’s desktop utility has a contemporary and intuitive person interface that I discovered nice to make use of all all through my testing.

The entire person expertise felt polished and effectively thought out. To me, that is crucial for companies that plan to combine 1Password of their workforce, because it helps much less tech-savvy customers be snug with the software program and maximize worker adoption.

SEE: The Prime 5 1Password Options for 2024 (TechRepublic)

However, Bitwarden implements a extra minimalist interface with an easier design. Subjectively talking, I don’t have any main points with Bitwarden’s UI. It’s respectable and will get the job accomplished.

Nonetheless, it’s clear that Bitwarden has the extra dated-looking utility of the 2. After testing each password managers, I personally desire 1Password’s extra user-friendly and refined utility.

For efficiency, I discovered Bitwarden and 1Password had been related in providing a strong — however not excellent — password administration expertise. Each companies had no bother producing passwords or saving new log-in credentials.

Nonetheless, I did expertise a couple of quirks with each companies with their respective autofill capabilities.

For Bitwarden, I discovered it peculiar that autofill wasn’t toggled on by default. Throughout my first time utilizing Bitwarden, I needed to manually click on on the recommended password from the browser extension to insert my log-in particulars as a substitute of Bitwarden routinely filling in. Whereas this may be modified within the settings menu, I want this was turned on out of the field.

On the 1Password facet, I had situations the place it outright didn’t autofill my credentials, even after I made positive it was turned on.

Happily, these hiccups from each companies had been typically outliers. For probably the most half, each Bitwarden and 1Password supplied a dependable password seize and replay expertise. That being mentioned, it have to be talked about that little quirks right here and there are to be anticipated.

Additional options

Winner: 1Password

For additional options, I give the sting to 1Password. Whereas each password managers provide dependable password storage and password technology, 1Password comes with distinctive performance that helps it standout.

One distinctive 1Password function I discovered noteworthy was its inclusion of Journey Mode. Journey Mode permits customers to take away a vault of their selection when touring.

I envision this to be helpful for customers who incessantly go on enterprise journeys and need to shield sure logins when going by customs or border companies. 1Password additionally has a complete Watchtower dashboard that routinely scores all of your passwords by way of password well being and energy.

I notably like how Watchtower additionally acts as a knowledge breach monitor, alerting customers if any of their credentials have been compromised or uncovered in a breach. To Bitwarden’s credit score, it additionally has a model of this known as Vault Well being Experiences — which may create summaries of uncovered passwords, knowledge breach knowledge, and the like.

Nonetheless, I discovered 1Password’s Watchtower to be extra handy because it creates all this knowledge routinely. Compared, Bitwarden customers need to manually generate every Vault Report on their very own.

One clear benefit Bitwarden has over 1Password is its devoted free model. The place 1Password fully lacks a free plan, Bitwarden has among the finest free password managers because it provides limitless password storage for limitless gadgets.

That is vital since different free password managers, like Dashlane or McAfee True Key, restrict the utmost quantity of passwords free customers can retailer.

Bitwarden additionally has Bitwarden Ship, its end-to-end encrypted textual content and file-sharing function that can be utilized to share passwords, monetary or authorized paperwork, and different delicate data.

Whereas each companies present their very own standout options on high of password storage, I really feel 1Password’s Watchtower and Journey Mode capabilities, amongst different options, present considerably extra worth than Bitwarden’s function set.

If you’d like extra in-depth protection on 1Password’s high options, try TechRepublic’s Prime 5 1Password Options video.

Buyer help

Winner: 1Password

Whereas each Bitwarden and 1Password embrace a wholesome quantity of help choices, I discovered 1Password was barely higher within the customer support division. For Bitwarden, we get their devoted Assist Heart that includes data base articles and tutorials; an e mail and ticketing system; and its Bitwarden Group Discussion board.

However, 1Password provides related buyer help with its 1Password Assist web page housing first-party guides; e mail and ticketing system; and its 1Password Group buyer discussion board.

Sadly, each password managers don’t have reside chat help to attach customers with an precise help agent. Nonetheless, 1Password provides an AI chatbot that acts as a reasonably useful substitute.

It was capable of reply many of the questions I had with an inexpensive quantity of accuracy. In fact, a human help agent is extra preferrred, however I feel having the chatbot to handle fast questions is an underrated benefit. This may be particularly helpful should you’re pressed for time and don’t essentially need to scour by help articles to reply a easy query.

I additionally respect how the chatbot itself is on the market for non-1Password customers, not requiring an energetic 1Password subscription to entry and use.

Worth and value

Winner: Bitwarden

The place Bitwarden excels is in its reasonably priced pricing. At $0.83 per thirty days, its base premium plan is sort of 3 times extra reasonably priced than 1Password’s equal subscription at $3.99 per thirty days. Its Households plan can also be less expensive, priced at $3.33 per thirty days for six customers in comparison with 1Password’s Households choice at $4.99 for 5 members of the family.

That’s to not say that 1Password doesn’t have any worth plans. 1Password’s Groups Starter pack at $19.95 per thirty days covers as much as 10 customers, which comes out to round $2 per person. It is a whole lot contemplating Bitwarden’s Groups plan would require round $40 for a similar quantity of customers.

By way of enterprise plans, Bitwarden is as soon as once more extra reasonably priced with its $6 per thirty days Enterprise plan in comparison with 1Password’s equal Enterprise subscription at $9.99 per thirty days, per person.

I additionally need to point out Bitwarden’s free model with limitless password storage and limitless system help — strengthening Bitwarden’s case as a first-rate choose for budget-oriented customers. If affordability is a giant precedence, Bitwarden is the clear selection.

Bitwarden execs and cons

Execs

• Open-source software program.
• Reasonably priced pricing throughout paid subscriptions.
• Free model with limitless storage, limitless gadgets.
• Huge platform help and in depth MFA/2FA choices.
• Independently audited.

Cons

• Much less polished person interface.

1Password execs and cons

Execs

• Refined and intuitive person expertise.
• Distinctive Journey Mode and Watchtower options.
• 24 third-party audits since Might 2024.
• Presents AI chatbot for buyer help.
• Worth-laden Groups subscription.

Cons

Ought to your group use Bitwarden or 1Password?

Whereas this round-up noticed an in depth battle between two high quality password managers, 1Password comes out on high over Bitwarden. Per my testing, I discovered 1Password’s refined person expertise, distinctive additional options, and barely higher buyer help to have vital benefits over Bitwarden.

SEE: Find out how to Run a Cybersecurity Danger Evaluation in 5 Steps (TechRepublic Premium)

Even with its much less reasonably priced subscriptions, I feel 1Password’s extra user-friendly utility is effectively well worth the extra spend. That is very true within the context of a enterprise making an attempt to combine a password supervisor of their group, because it reduces the educational curve for much less tech-savvy people and staff.

Don’t get me improper, I nonetheless assume Bitwarden is an excellent password supervisor in its personal proper. Its  open-source nature will likely be appreciated by each privateness lovers and builders. As well as, its beneficiant free model and reasonably priced paid plans are excellent for these on a tighter funds.

Select Bitwarden if:

• You need an open-source password supervisor.
• You’re in search of a free password supervisor with limitless password storage.
• You’re a budget-oriented person in search of an reasonably priced but high-quality password supervisor.
• You desire a various set of MFA choices.

Select 1Password if:

• You need an all-around password supervisor that gives a well-designed and intuitive person expertise.
• You favor closed-source software program.
• You need an reasonably priced Groups plan that covers as much as 10 members.
• You desire a set-and-forget password well being and knowledge breach monitoring system.
• You’re a frequent traveler that wants a technique to safe passwords whereas overseas.

Try our full evaluations of Bitwarden and 1Password for extra particulars.

Evaluation methodology

My match-up of Bitwarden and 1Password concerned a complete evaluation of every password supervisor’s options, value, and real-world efficiency.

Each password managers had been scored on the whole lot from their MFA choices to their extra security measures. Specifically, we took under consideration 5 predominant pillars with their corresponding weights:

• Pricing (25%).
• Core password administration options (35%).
• Ease of use (15%).
• Buyer help (15%).
• Professional evaluation (10%).

I additionally supplemented my findings with real-world person testimonials and different respected assessment websites to spherical out my suggestions.

For extra data on how we assessment password managers, you’ll be able to view our full Evaluation Methodology for Password Managers.