1Password review: A password manager designed for the Apple crowd

Price When Reviewed

14 day trial. From $2.99 per thirty days, $36 a 12 months

Best Prices Today: 1Password

1Password began as a macOS app, manner again in 2006—and you may nonetheless really feel that affect in its design. Even although the service now works throughout all main working methods, the workforce nonetheless leans into a specific strategy. This password supervisor is streamlined and runs easily, however customers shouldn’t anticipate to see behind the veil.

It feels very Apple, and as a predominantly Windows person, spending time in 1Password chafes a bit, even with how good it may be. Much like once I use Apple merchandise.

You should be a sure type of individual to love this service, and I don’t imply that as a euphemism. 1Password operates in a particular manner, and it’s a must to settle for that for what it’s—or doubtlessly get tripped up by its gotchas and quirks.

For some folks, these particulars shall be dealkillers. For others, they gained’t even register.

Read on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of the best password managers for comparability.

1Password in short

• Cost: $36 per 12 months (annual fee)
• Family plan accessible? Yes ($60 per 12 months, annual fee)
• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Brave
• Apps: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS
• Passwordless login: No
• Passkeys supported: Yes
• 2FA TOTP supported: Yes
• Emergency contact supported: No
• Account restoration attainable? Yes

What are 1Password’s plans and options?

1Password solely provides paid plans, both Individual or Family subscriptions. Family plans help as much as 5 members that may share limitless vaults and invite company to particular vaults. You may add extra members to a Family plan at $1.39/month per person.

Note: For 1Password, a “vault” is equal to folders in different password managers, relatively than the identify to your entire assortment of saved knowledge.

Individual plans embody anticipated options like storing passwords, passkeys, 2FA one-time codes, and safe notes. You can also share credentials and use as much as 1GB of cloud storage for necessary paperwork. Additionally, the service screens your knowledge for compromised passwords (through the HaveIBeenPwned database) and notifies you of saved websites that help two-factor authentication (2FA).

1Password additionally gives an distinctive function that hides specified vaults. Called Travel Mode, that knowledge will stay hidden even when you’re compelled to unlock the app by authorities officers. (For instance, border patrol.)

1Password lacks one main function in comparison with different password managers: It doesn’t permit you to set a legacy or emergency contact. For property planning, you could present your heirs a duplicate of your account password, Secret Key (extra on this in a second), and your 2FA technique (if relevant).

1Password platform help

You can use 1Password on many platforms and units. The firm formally helps Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Edge with browser extensions, and it has standalone apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

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You can join instantly on 1password.com with out having to obtain an app or browser extension—and in addition commonly use the supervisor this manner. However, the expertise is extra seamless within the extensions and apps.

1Password help choices

If you ever have questions or need assistance together with your account, you need to use the 1Password chatbot or go to support.1password.com 24/7. For direct questions, you possibly can fill out a kind on the 1Password web site to file a assist ticket.

How does 1Password carry out?

To consider 1Password for this overview, I used its desktop app for Windows 11, browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox in Windows 11, and the Android app. I additionally calmly used the iOS app.

Is it simple to join 1Password?

Creating a 1Password account is extra advanced than different companies, because it makes use of a two-secret system. Think of it as two-step password.

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The first half is your precise password, with a minimal of 10 characters required. Afterward, the system generates a Secret Key. This string of random letters and numbers can also be obligatory for logging in. If you suppose your Secret Key is compromised, you possibly can regenerate it—however you’ll have to recollect to save lots of the brand new information.

Speaking of, 1Password routinely generates an “Emergency Kit” PDF, which comprises your Secret Key. The concept is to print or save the PDF someplace you possibly can entry it once more, in case you want it. (Also, when you ever want it, 1Password routinely saves your account password and secret key as an entry in your Personal vault, too.) But whereas a immediate to save lots of the PDF occurs routinely, you continue to have to decide on to obtain it to your PC—which I feel is an oversight on 1Password’s half. A person may overlook this step after which lock themselves out down the highway.

You may arrange 2FA, both by way of an app that generates one-time passwords or with a {hardware} safety key (e.g., a YubiKey or Google Titan Security Key).

How simple is it to get better a 1Password account?

You can create a restoration key for a 1Password account, however just like the Emergency Kit PDF, it’s not an automated course of. I’d favor to see this step integrated under consideration setup, in order that customers instantly comprehend it’s an possibility and create one immediately.

HOWEVER: If you allow two-factor authentication, 1Password does not supply backup or restoration codes for particular person accounts or Family Organizers (accounts that handle different household accounts). If you lose entry to your 2FA app or safety key, you’ll find yourself caught. I extremely advocate organising 2FA on one other system, on an additional safety key, or creating an encrypted backup of your 2FA app so you will get entry to the one-time codes once more. (Or the entire above.)

YubiKey

Advanced customers gained’t discover this a problem, since this technique will really feel comfy and acquainted. But determining a DIY restoration course of for 2FA feels unnecessarily handbook within the 12 months 2025, particularly in comparison with rival companies. For common customers, this “gotcha” for 2FA isn’t clear sufficient and makes utilizing 1Password extra cumbersome than obligatory.

Users a part of a household plan managed by one other individual can ask the Family Organizer for assist with recovering entry to the account.

As for knowledge retention, when you finish a 1Password subscription, your knowledge will transition to a read-only state (“frozen account”). It gained’t be deleted instantly. However, you’ll solely be capable of export your knowledge—to make any modifications, edits, or additions, you could renew your subscription.

What will delete an account is a Family Organizer kicking a member of the family out of the group. The account doesn’t revert to a person account. So in case you are a part of a household group, make backups of your knowledge, simply in case an administrative mistake occurs.

How simple is it to signal into 1Password?

If signed right into a telephone, 1Password enables you to arrange different units by way of a QR code—which fits far, far quicker than the two-secret login technique.

Arguably, this function does make your account doubtlessly much less safe when you by accident allow an undesirable system. But for most individuals, this danger needs to be low, as long as you management all of the units being logged into.

1Password doesn’t help passwordless login right now—so you possibly can’t use biometrics or a passkey to get into your 1Password account, not like with rival companies.

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Is it simple to import passwords into 1Password?

1Password lets you import passwords through CSV from different password managers. If coming from Bitwarden, you possibly can import extra securely by way of an encrypted .json file. 1Password will even help the FIDO Alliance’s Credential Exchange Protocol (CXP) beginning in early 2026, which permits safe switch of passkeys along with passwords between apps and companies with CXP enabled.

The import course of for CSV recordsdata is clean, with a streamlined and clear strategy to knowledge classification earlier than the data will get pulled in. I fed 1Password a pattern set of about 30 passwords with minimal points. The exception was my Best Buy entry, which was inexplicably marked as a weak password. (To my finest information, it’s distinctive and never compromised.)

Weak and compromised passwords like password and 123456 had been flagged instantly upon import, as did one in all my very own {that a} web site leaked way back.

How simple is 1Password’s interface to make use of?

I like 1Password’s clear, polished interface, although its heavy reliance on navigation sidebars for desktop views feels dated. I tended to favor the cell app as a result of it didn’t have a number of cut up home windows. I additionally discovered 1Password’s restriction of sure settings to the online interface a bit complicated. (More on this within the “What else does 1Password let me do?” part beneath.)

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The Windows desktop app and browser extension put data for every entry seen on the identical display screen as your record of things. You can retailer quite a lot of knowledge, with a boatload of choices to select from for merchandise varieties:

• Login
• Secure Note
• Credit Card
• Identity
• Password
• Document
• API Credentials
• Bank Account
• Crypto Wallet
• Database
• Driver License
• Email
• Medical Record
• Membership
• Outdoor License
• Passport
• Rewards
• SSH Key
• Server
• Social Security Number
• Software License
• Wireless Router

To add recordsdata for storage, use the Document merchandise kind. 

I most frequently used the Login, Membership, Password, and Wireless Router merchandise varieties. A substantial quantity of element could be added to some merchandise varieties. You can pack in data for a single entry, like electronic mail, telephone quantity, and different particulars, in addition to further passwords (like when you’ve got associated subaccounts or PIN codes to retailer as effectively).

1Password can be utilized to retailer and generate 2FA one-time codes to your accounts as effectively, and it really works effectively. But I usually advocate having a standalone app for two-factor authentication, simply as a precaution. If you lose entry to 1Password, you lose every little thing.

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For the desktop views, the far-left column enables you to leap between shortcuts. The column subsequent to it exhibits the entries for the view you’re at the moment in, whether or not that’s All Items, a search outcome, or a subcategory you’ve clicked on.

On cell, you get a single display screen view and may leap between classes by clicking alongside the choices on the backside of the display screen. You may customise the Home display screen with favourite shortcuts.

1Password is environment friendly at capturing and filling in login data for login pages and apps. Like most rivals, by default it can routinely supply to fill in your credentials on acknowledged web sites. You can change the settings so 1Password requires your enter earlier than autofilling knowledge, in addition to turning off automated login upon fill. (I like to recommend both tweaks as a security precaution.)

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1Password additionally has among the finest interfaces for handbook retyping of passwords—the flexibility to point out a password in giant kind on display screen. Clearly seeing the distinction between a capital O and a zero in massive characters is a godsend. It’s completely one in all my favourite options and I want different rival companies provided it.

Tip: For higher cell safety, flip off Keep system energetic for Large Type in your settings. Otherwise, it can override your display screen’s automated sleep and you may find yourself by accident having your final used password exhibiting indefinitely for all to see. And losing battery life, too.

Also cool: You can use Markdown formatting for Secure Notes. My solely minor gripe with this function is that it gained’t show correctly within the net interface. You’ll see the Markdown notations for formatting, not precise formatted textual content. It’s a slight bummer, since I used to be within the net interface semi-often.

How effectively does 1Password handle passwords and passkeys?

1Password detects the creation of latest passwords and passkeys persistently, with seamless saving of them to your vault. Autofill works as easily, too. If requested to generate passwords, 1Password by default suggests ones which are 20 characters lengthy. You can generate passwords as much as a most of 100 characters.

For your saved objects, you possibly can type them in numerous vaults—primarily what different companies would name folders. These vaults can then be grouped collectively in collections.

Individual objects may also be tagged, which means that you simply don’t want infinite vaults. Instead, you possibly can retailer a number of objects below greater umbrellas, and seek for subgroups by tag. For instance, you may have a “Travel” vault, with tags for airways, rideshares, and bus companies.

As somebody who likes to loosely set up and let search deal with the remainder of the work, this technique labored effectively for me. I had a way of group, with out the rigidity of constructing certain every little thing is in particular folders that I’d have to observe and handle.

How simple is it to share passwords in 1Password?

1Password is among the many simpler companies to share passwords by way of. For particular person accounts, you possibly can solely share passwords briefly, with intervals of 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days, 14 days, or 30 days. You may enable anybody with the hyperlink to view, or you possibly can limit it to particular electronic mail addresses. For the latter state of affairs, the individual you’ve shared with might want to enter their electronic mail tackle, then enter a verification code despatched to the tackle.

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For household accounts, a shared vault is routinely created for the household administrator. Once a member of the family creates their account, the administrator should verify their addition to the household for the shared vault to look for them. (The invite and affirmation is completed by way of the Invitations panel within the Manage Account a part of the administrator’s profile.) 

All objects saved within the Shared Vault are equally editable by relations. To limit entry to View-Only, you’ll should create a vault after which share it with particular person relations. That will permit you to set their permissions stage (Allow Viewing, Allow Editing, or Allow Managing).

What else does 1Password let me do?

1Password’s signature function is its Travel Mode, which lets you conceal vaults when the mode is energetic. Only these marked as Safe for Travel will seem.

The concept is that whilst you’re touring, you may be compelled to unlock your system in opposition to your will—say at a border crossing. And maybe you don’t need your work or banking data to be accessible for scrutiny. Turning on this mode means knowledge in something not marked as Safe for Travel shall be invisible and inaccessible.

It’s an fascinating function, although the interface for activation feels hidden. You can solely toggle the mode on and off within the net interface—and a really particular a part of it at that. You should go to your profile’s Manage Account possibility, relatively than its settings. Any browser works, so you possibly can nonetheless do that on a telephone—simply navigate to my.1password.com/profile.

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1Password additionally has its model of darkish net monitoring known as Watchtower. This function used to even be a trademark providing, however rivals have added comparable notifications in recent times. 1Password’s variation nonetheless feels extra polished although, with a numerical score of your general knowledge safety and motion playing cards for areas of enchancment.

Watchtower evaluates your logins in opposition to the information in Have I Been Pwned, a web site that tracks notable knowledge breaches. If any of your logins have been compromised and are in that database, you’ll get an alert.

For my check account, Watchtower caught a number of weak passwords, jogged my memory to arrange 1Password restoration code, listed websites I may create passkeys for, and in addition instructed me which websites supported two-factor authentication.

I all the time say this type of function isn’t an end-all, be-all resolution to monitoring knowledge leaks and breaches. But 1Password’s integration with Have I Been Pwned helps pace up any obligatory updates to your passwords. I additionally like that numerical rating as a fast temperature learn on general credential safety.

How is 1Password’s safety and privateness?

1Password encrypts knowledge utilizing 256-bit AES encryption (AES256) with PBKDF2 SHA256, and makes use of present default of 650,000 iterations. This setting matches the Open Worldwide Application Security Project’s newest suggestions.

The next variety of iterations will increase the problem of cracking the safety in your saved knowledge, ought to it ever get leaked or stolen. 1Password isn’t clear about an account’s variety of iterations, nevertheless—you can’t search for this stat in your settings, as you possibly can with competing companies. So when you by no means search for this data on the time of making an account, you gained’t know the place you stand if advisable safety requirements change sooner or later. And accordingly, you gained’t know to reset your password or your Secret Key to ensure that your account to be reencrypted with the brand new default.

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When requested about its strategy, 1Password says its system ensures all accounts are safe with out requiring customers to dive into such element, as its two-secret mannequin provides extra entropy than a typical password-only system. A consultant additionally mentioned that account passwords are by no means transmitted instantly over a community. Instead, the corporate depends on the Secure Remote Password protocol, making 1Password extra phishing resistant than rivals.  

But as a semi-advanced person, this lack of transparency annoys me. I’d favor to know that data, even when proven as read-only knowledge. The LastPass fiasco burned my unquestioning belief in password managers to maintain older accounts correctly up-to-date. I additionally dislike that you could reset your password to replace an older 1Password account’s variety of iterations—there’s no different method to convey it present.

A remaining irritation: You can not change how briskly 1Password clears the clipboard in your PC or telephone when you copy a password. It is fastened at 90 seconds. You additionally don’t get the good thing about even this feature when you run 1Password in a browser extension alone.

Is 1Password value it?

1Password’s clear, polished vibe makes password administration much less of a headache—at the very least, that’s true for each day use.

But its extra advanced login system and a harmful gotcha for accounts held inside household plans makes it a more durable promote for much less technical customers who don’t know (or don’t need) to handle these sorts of particulars. 1Password’s extra opaque strategy additionally gained’t sit as effectively with extra superior customers accustomed to extra transparency and granular details about options.

But for superior customers who need exactly the alternative—the flexibility to close off their brains and let another person sweat the nitty-gritty—1Password could also be an ideal match. Same for reasonably tech savvy people comfy with proactively backing up their account and its knowledge. The workforce clearly cares about its strategy to safety, with a layered design that may really feel good to these accustomed to password administration and two-factor authentication.

For a majority of individuals although, extra easy, cheaper choices exist within the wild.