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Comparison in Password managers

Bitwarden vs 1Password: which password manager should you use?

Bitwarden and 1Password compared on price, free plans, encryption, audits, platforms and features — every fact checked on both vendors' own pages.

By Updated 2 apps fact-checked against vendor sources

The short answer

Choose Bitwarden if you want a free or very cheap, open-source password manager — its free plan covers unlimited passwords and devices, and Premium is $19.80 a year. Choose 1Password if you'll pay $3.99 a month for a more polished app, a Secret Key on top of your master password, and developer tools like a built-in SSH agent.

  • Price: Bitwarden Premium is $1.65/month (billed annually); 1Password Individual is $3.99/month (billed annually).
  • Free plan: Bitwarden yes; 1Password no (14-day trial only).
  • Open source: Bitwarden yes; 1Password no.
  • Families: Bitwarden covers 6 users for $3.99/month; 1Password covers 5 for $5.99/month.

Bitwarden

Open-source password manager with a genuinely unlimited free plan.

Developer
Bitwarden, Inc.
First released
2016
Based in
Santa Barbara, California, USA
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web, Browser extension, CLI
Free plan
YesUnlimited passwords, notes, cards and identities on unlimited devices. The integrated TOTP authenticator, file attachments, emergency access and vault health reports need Premium. Send is text-only on Free.
Open source
Yes
  • Premium $1.65/mo
  • Families $3.99/mo
  • Teams $4/mo
  • Enterprise $6/mo

Checked against bitwarden.com on Oct 6, 2026

1Password

Polished, paid-only password manager with a two-key encryption model.

Developer
1Password (AgileBits)
First released
2005
Based in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension, CLI
Free plan
No
Open source
No
  • Individual $3.99/mo
  • Families $5.99/mo

Checked against 1password.com on Oct 6, 2026

Comparison table

Bitwarden vs 1Password: which password manager should you use?. Facts verified against each vendor's own pages on Oct 6, 2026.
App Free plan Paid from Platforms Open source EncryptionFamily planBuilt-in authenticatorDeveloper tools
Bitwarden Yes $1.65/mo Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web Yes AES-256-CBC + HMAC-SHA2566 users, $3.99/mo (annual)PremiumCLI
1Password No $3.99/mo Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android No AES-256-GCM + 128-bit Secret Key5 users, $5.99/mo (annual)YesCLI, SSH agent, secrets management

Price

Bitwarden is cheaper at every tier. Its free plan is usable on its own; Premium is $19.80 a year, and Families (6 people) is $47.88 a year. 1Password starts at $3.99 a month for one person and $5.99 a month for a family of five, both billed annually. 1Password periodically offers first-year discounts to new customers; those renew at the regular price.

Security

Both are zero-knowledge: your vault is encrypted on your device before it’s synced. The differences are in the details:

  • Bitwarden is open source, so anyone can inspect the code, and it lists third-party assessments every year — in 2025 from Cure53, ETH Zurich, Unit 42 and Fracture Labs.
  • 1Password combines your master password with a 128-bit Secret Key stored only on your devices. Even someone holding your encrypted vault and guessing your password can’t decrypt it without that key.

Features

1Password is the more complete package out of the box: Watchtower breach alerts, stored 2FA codes, expiring share links and a built-in SSH agent. Bitwarden matches most of this on Premium and adds Send, an encrypted way to share text or files by link.

The verdict

If cost or open source matters to you, Bitwarden is the clear choice. If you value polish and developer features and don’t mind paying about twice as much, 1Password earns its price.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bitwarden as secure as 1Password?

Both use end-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption. Bitwarden is open source and publishes yearly third-party assessments; 1Password adds a 128-bit Secret Key so a stolen vault can't be attacked with the master password alone, and holds SOC 2 Type 2.

Can I use Bitwarden for free forever?

Yes. Bitwarden's free plan has no time limit and covers unlimited passwords on unlimited devices. Premium features such as the integrated authenticator and file attachments cost $19.80 a year.

Does 1Password have a free version?

No. 1Password offers a 14-day free trial, then costs $3.99 a month for Individual, billed annually.

Can I move from 1Password to Bitwarden?

Yes. Bitwarden documents importers for other password managers in its help centre. If you create an unencrypted export file along the way, delete it once the import is done.

Sources & methodology

Every price, plan limit and platform on this page comes from the vendor's own pricing, download, security or help pages, checked on the date shown next to each app. We don't publish benchmark scores we haven't measured. Read the full methodology.

Update history

  • : First published.

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