Editor
Summary
Below is a quick snapshot of our review. If you want to dive straight into the
6 things you need to know before using 1Password, scroll down a bit further.
15+ million users trust 1Password
4.5 out of 5 star rating based on 2,700+ customer reviews
50,000+ businesses use 1Password
6 Things You Need to Know Before You Use 1Password.
Click on the icons below to discover more about 1Password and read our expert opinion.
1) Security
Security is the foundation on which 1Password rests and they take the task of keeping your data safe and secure very seriously.
Your data is protected by end-to-end encryption which scrambles your passwords and other sensitive data into random strings, making it impossible for someone to learn anything about your sensitive data by intercepting while it’s in transit or even sitting on 1Password’s servers.
1Password also uses a host of security features that are all aimed at limiting your exposure to threats that sit outside of the password manager.
Overall, 1Password can be considered a safe and secure option.
End-To-End Encryption Module
1Password’s end-to-end encryption uses six different features to protect your data, and only the user has access to the master password. These features include:
- End-to-end encryption: Used on all your devices and in the cloud when you save documents online. This makes it impossible for someone to learn anything about your sensitive data by intercepting your data while it’s in transit or even sitting on 1Password’s servers.
- 256-bit AES encryption: Considered to be one of the most secure encryption standards available today.
- Secure random numbers: Encryption keys (a random string of information created for scrambling and unscrambling data) and initialization vectors (arbitrary numbers, otherwise known as nonces) are used for data encryption. These are used only once before being regenerated to re-encrypted data.
- PBKDF2: Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2, PBKDF2 for short, makes it harder for a hacker to determine your Master Password while making repeated guesses in a brute force attack.
- Secret master password: Your master password is always stored separately from other passwords and is never sent in an unencrypted format. Think of it as taking the precaution to not keep the key to a safe right next to it.
- Secret Key: In addition to your master password, 1Password uses a secure 128-bit key to keep your data safe. Your Secret Key is 34 letters and numbers (separated by dashes) and works with your Master Password to encrypt your data. The Secret Key can be likened to a super-strong password. For clarity, Your Master Password is used to protect your data on your devices. Whereas your Secret Key protects your data sitting on 1Password’s servers. Hackers won’t be able to decrypt your data without your Secret Key.
We discuss some of these components in more detail later on in the review.
Smart Features
1Password uses up to eight different smart features that are all aimed at limiting your exposure to outside threats. We found this “prevention is better than cure” approach quite clever.
- Clipboard management: 1Password can automatically detect and remove passwords from your clipboard to prevent the possibility of passwords to be viewed in clear text.
- Code signature validation: 1Password automatically verifies that your browser is safe and digitally signed, this reduces the risk of entering sensitive information on a fake browser.
- Auto-lock: 1Password can automatically lock your PC when you leave it unattended for added security.
- Secure input fields: 1Password uses secure input fields to prevent other apps from seeing your sensitive data when you enter it. This prevents keyloggers from logging your password information.
- Watchtower vulnerability alerts: When any website is suspected of being hacked, 1Password can send you an automated warning in the form of a push message or on-screen notification.
- Phishing protection: 1Password will only auto-fill your information when you visit the authentic website, protecting you from phishing attacks.
- Your input is required: As an additional safety measure, 1Password will only fill password information when you tell it to. This means that malicious programs cannot gain control of 1Password.
- Biometric access: If your device supports biometric access, you can use it to unlock your device. This means using your fingerprint as your Master Password.
Full Transparency
1Password was developed using publicly available open-source standards. This approach allows for continuous community development and improvement whilst also allowing industry experts to put 1Password’s protection claims to the test with ease.
2) Features
Whether you are looking for a password manager to manage your own, your family’s or even your business’ data, 1Password has all the features you need.
Alongside the market standard features such as password vaults – where you can safely secure all of your sensitive data, autosave and fill – which quickly and automatically fills your login and other information like credit cards for online shopping, and device syncing – which automatically syncs your vaults onto all of your authenticated devices, 1Password goes above and beyond.
They offer 365 day historical data which lets you easily restore any previous or deleted items as well as travel mode to allow you to remove vaults from your devices which you don’t want to be available while you travel, and last but not least, WatchTower which guards your account and alerts you of any weak passwords and security issues as a result of data breaches on other websites.
Password Vaults
1Password allows users to store sensitive data in something called a password vault, this function can be likened to a safety deposit box at a bank. Instead of holding money or other valuables, the 1Password vault stores your digital keys or passwords safely.
Research conducted over the years has proven that password vaults are very important since they allow us to “sandbox” or separate our passwords and digital identity from online criminals and hackers. As a result, 1Password vaults lets you store passwords and other important digital files, including documents, digital videos, audio files, and more, in an encrypted strong-box that can be opened only with your master password.
We found it very easy and intuitive to create a password vault in 1Password. The software provides a step by step on-screen setup guide that you can follow. Once the vault has been created, its contents will be synced across all the different devices that you use, making the management of passwords effortless.
1Password also has a nifty password collection feature, you only need to manually enter all your passwords and login details once when you log in to a website. After that, the software can automatically record your credentials and store them in the password vault. For this feature to work, the simple and unobtrusive 1Password browser extension needs to be added to your browser.
What sets 1Password vaults apart from the competition is the fact that you can create multiple vaults to store and organize your data the way you want it. Other password managers like LastPass and Dashlane use one vault which can contain shared folders. We think having the ability to create and share multiple vaults is a great feature that can make finding login information and files much easier. Last, but not least, password vaults can also be shared with other users when you are subscribed to a family plan.
Password Sharing
There is nothing quite as frustrating as needing a password and not knowing it. 1Password makes it easier to share passwords amongst authorized users while limiting the risk of misuse.
Often, passwords are shared amongst employees using the simple sticky note method. This might be easy, but it can lead to unauthorized access. To cater to the need for safe and easy password sharing, 1Password has a built-in sharing feature that enables you to give others access to specific password vaults while still keeping your other vaults hidden away.
The password sharing feature is available on both the 1Password Family and Business plan.
We found that using the sharing feature is as simple as sending an invite to another user via the 1Password admin console. The program will then send an email with detailed instructions to the person who you wish to allow access to. They then create their master password to access the password vault. Simple as that, password sharing done!
Temporary access can also be given to guests, for instance, visitors and contractors. This feature has edit and management tools that can be used to add members, change or delete access, change permissions, and more.
From our experience, this is an effective, simple and safe way to share passwords between people without compromising the integrity of your sensitive information.
Password Generator
A password generator can be defined as a tool that makes use of a variety of methods to create strong and random passwords for online use. Hackers are using more sophisticated methods to try and gain unauthorized access to accounts which makes the use of strong passwords necessary, our dog’s names and birth dates don’t make the cut anymore.
What we like about 1Password is the fact that you only need to create and remember your master password and let all your other passwords be created by the password generator. 1Password will create strong, unique, passwords and fill them in whenever you revisit a site that requires you to log in.
To create strong passwords, the password generator uses randomness, cryptographic secure generation of numbers, uniformity and some 1Password magic.
The password generator can be set to conform to specified requirements that some websites might require. The passwords are then saved in your vault ready to be auto-filled when required.
The password generator can also be used to create and store strings of random characters and words as answers to security questions. As a result, we think the password generator is the answer to creating unique and strong login information with minimum effort.
Autosave and Fill
Autosave and fill is a feature that allows you to quickly and automatically fill information like your login information (username and password), as well as your address and billing info when completing online transactions. When used in conjunction with the random password generator, this feature not only delivers enhanced security but also an effortless experience whilst filling online forms.
It is important to note that all information used by autofill is encrypted with your master password and the use of the feature won’t compromise your security. Autofill only has access to the metadata like domain names and usernames, which is encrypted and saved onto a 1Password Autofill Keychain. This ensures that it cannot be accessed by other applications. The Keychain is a password system developed by Apple and operates by using a rotating sequence of keys for a limited period. This helps to reduce any risk when storing information in tools like autofill.
For autofill to work, you need to make sure that the information required by websites is saved beforehand in your 1Password account. As previously mentioned, this can be done manually or you can allow 1Password to automatically save the information you enter on new sites. Your information only needs to be entered or saved once in your account for 1Password to repeatedly use it in the future. However, 1Password’s autofill is not as automated as other password managers and will require you to click before logging you into a website. Nevertheless, it provides a one-click login which is much easier than having to type your username and password.
Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication, abbreviated as 2FA, refers to when an additional step needs to be performed during basic login procedures to log into a website or application.
With one-factor verification only your username and password are needed for verification, however, when 2FA is switched on, it requires another verification factor to be entered before you can log into your account.
Two-factor verification offers an extra level of protection to your 1Password account when you log in with a new device. Besides using your master password and secret key to unlock your 1Password account, an authentication code is also needed.
A separate authenticator app, which can store the device authentication codes for your 1Password account can be installed on your mobile device to use 2FA. This authentication app is used to obtain the 6-digit authentication codes for your devices when you want to log in to your 1Password account. It is available across all pricing plans and can be switched on or off as circumstances may dictate. Additionally, all authorized devices in use can be viewed and managed from your 1Password account.
2FA also allows 1Password to act as an authentication app for websites that also use 2FA authentication.
1Passwords 2FA feature is one of the best that is currently available.
Device Syncing
Device syncing is one of the great features offered by 1Password. In brief, device syncing is when the data from your 1Password account and your vaults are automatically synced onto all your authenticated devices, including Windows PCs, Macs, Android phones, iPhones, and iPads.
The device syncing feature offers many benefits:
- It makes using 1Password across an unlimited number of devices easy
- No setup is required. Simply authenticate your new device and all data will be synced.
- Any future upgrades will be applied uniformly across all your devices.
365 Day Historical Data
We all know the frustration when you, a family, or team member have inadvertently deleted the wrong item and the trash has been cleared. 1Password offers you the capability to easily restore any previous or deleted items when needed.
Whenever you make any changes to any item in your account 1Password will save the previous versions, just in case you need to restore them. Similarly, every time you clear the trash all the items are archived and stored for a year.
We found the 365 Day Historical Data feature to be unique to 1Password and extremely helpful when dealing with family, team and group passwords and data which has been inadvertently changed or deleted.
1Password Watchtower Security Alerts
Around the world, hackers are on the lookout for any weaknesses in online security to access personal data and information which they can use. According to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report, up to 63% of data breaches are caused because of weak or duplicate passwords being used.
Just like a sentinel keeping watch from a tower, the 1Password Watchtower guards your account to alert you of any security problems or password breaches on other websites, which can compromise the safety of your account.
The 1Password Watchtower feature offers the following:
- Automatic alerts for weak or compromised passwords so that you can change them to strong passwords before they pose a problem.
- A comprehensive range of security tools that check for weak or duplicate passwords as well as integrating with haveibeenpwned.com, a site that checks if you have an account that has been compromised in a data breach.
Digital Wallet
The Digital Wallet feature allows you to store all your credit card information and other wallet items such as social security numbers and driver’s license in a digital version for easy access when needed.
This feature allows you to enter and store information from different cards into your 1Password account. In your 1Password account, you can name and categorize all the different cards for ease of use.
When shopping, any card from your digital wallet can be used in the same way that you would use a card from your physical wallet. You can do your shopping, select the card you want to use at checkout, and let 1Password autofill the billing info, which you then confirm with one click.
This feature is ideal, especially if you regularly purchase online.
Travel Mode
Who doesn’t love a leisurely stroll down the beach with the waves gentle flowing and the sun kissing your skin? Well, we sure love it but depending on the reason you are traveling you may want to ensure your security and safety. 1Password realizes that having the ability to control what information you store on your devices is essential to maintaining online security and so, they created Travel Mode.
Travel Mode is a great feature that allows you to remove vaults from your mobile devices and computers which you don’t want to be available while you travel. When we travel, we don’t take all our belongings with us, we only take along what is needed. The same applies to 1Password vaults.
The Travel Mode feature is included with all 1Password subscriptions and can be turned on before you travel. Before going on your trip, you can mark the vaults which are safe for travel and the rest will be removed from the devices you are traveling with.
1Password business administrators can also use Travel Mode to manage vaults that are safe for travel. On return, Travel Mode can be turned off and all vaults are restored on your devices.
Admin Controls
1Password Business is designed to offer business admins, who are responsible for managing the communal password manager settings, tools with which they can effortlessly manage multiple accounts from one centralized console.
The following controls are available for administrators:
- Creating a team and inviting members to it.
- Opening private and shared vaults for members and different departments.
- Assigning people to manage and edit vaults whilst retaining control.
- Implementing a recovery plan.
- Enforcing and managing security policies.
- Creating and managing groups and assigning permissions.
- Auditing team activities and the creation of reports on members’ usage.
- Inviting guests such as contractors or consultants to use your vaults on a limited basis.
- Customizing to accommodate teams that have greater needs or where control must be refined.
Advanced Protection
The Advanced Protection feature is available to all 1 Password Business users to protect their online security.
The feature assists business users in different ways including threat prevention, monitoring of access, and security policies creation.
Each of the above has the purpose of ensuring that rules are developed, implemented and monitored to ensure that any possible threat to the digital identity of a business is identified and minimized. The advanced protection feature can be thought of as a sentry that guards the digital gates to your business. Similar to a firewall, this set of features constantly search-out phishing attempts and other possible intrusion attempts that can open your confidential data to prying eyes.
Advanced protection is an effective feature to ensure all employees follow a set of rules to safeguard the business from online threats.
3) Ease of Use
Setting up and continually using 1Password is easy but we feel it is on par with the likes of LastPass and Dashlane. You should base your decision on the features and price plans offered.
With apps available for operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Chrome OS, as well as browser extensions for Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Safari, 1Password can be used across the majority of desktops.
It can also be downloaded on mobile devices using either Android or iOS operating systems.
Using 1Password on Desktop
1Password is available for use with macOS, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS and can be downloaded and installed from the 1Password website.
The 1Password app is compatible for use with the following browsers: Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Safari. The app can be downloaded from the website for any of the operating systems with just a few clicks.
To get started it is as simple as opening an account. You can easily do this by:
- Go to the 1Password website and sign up for your 1Password account.
- Click on the 30-day free trial.
- Choose the type of account you want to open- personal, family or business.
- Enter your name and email address to receive an email with your 6-digit verification code.
- Enter the code after receiving it.
- Choose your master password and click enter to create your account.
- 1Password will send you a Secret Key. Print it out and store it safely.
- You can now proceed by selecting the apps for the operating system used on your desktop. Just click on your preferred OS logo and follow the prompts to download 1Password onto your desktop.
- Once you have installed 1Password, it will appear on your browser’s toolbar.
- Start adding passwords manually or let 1Password do all the heavy lifting for you by saving login information when you visit new sites. Whenever you visit the site again 1Password will autofill your information.
It is that simple.
Setting up and using 1Password on a continual basis is easy but we feel it is on a par with the likes of Dashlane and LastPass. You should base your decision on the features and price plans offered.
Using 1Password on Mobile
The 1Password app can be used with Android tablets and smartphones, and the Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
You first have to open accounts with 1Password before downloading the Android or iOS apps onto their mobile devices.
For mobile devices, the 1Password app can be downloaded from your respective app store and once installed, the app guides you through step by step instructions.
Similar to the desktop set up, we found that the on-screen instructions to install the 1Password app on mobile devices were very easy to follow, clear and concise.
It is also worth noting that you can make the process of logging into your account on your mobile effortlessly by using biometric access. In brief, if your device supports biometric access (your fingerprint) you can use it to unlock your 1Password account. This means using your fingerprint as your Master Password.
4) Support
1Password provides a wide range of online resources to help you self-serve and troubleshoot which is extremely helpful. In particular, the Support Hub can be compared to an encyclopedia of almost everything you need to know about 1Password and how to use it.
However, these self-serving resources are on an equal footing with its closest competitors, LastPass and Dashlane, so they shouldn’t be a deciding factor in your decision.
On the other hand, 1Password offers multiple ways to get in touch with them but there are fewer options available than it’s competitors, considering they provide live chat and chatbots in addition to the communication channels offered by 1Password.
Nevertheless, we rate 1Password’s help and support highly but you should consider how important it is for you to have chat tools. You can always email them!
Getting in touch
1Password provides multiple ways in which users can get in touch with them when they need help and support.
Email Support Requests
1Password makes getting in contact with them relatively easy.
The contact page is set up so that you can select the specific areas where you need help. We found this to be particularly helpful as your requests are directed to the team best suited to answer them.
To start, you are guided through several possible topics that you can select, ranging from needing help to use 1Password to upgrading your account, and much more. If you can’t find a topic related to your question you can select the “I don’t see my problem listed” and continue to fill out a support request form. This may seem like a trivial feature but having the option to request support even if your issue is not listed as a topic, is extremely helpful, especially as not being able to do so would be frustrating.
1Password has two Twitter accounts namely 1Password and their 1Password Status account which we will discuss separately.
Twitter allows for real-time support to be available around the clock and makes it easy to ask your questions quickly and easily.
The 1Password Twitter account is an excellent starting place and the use of the widely used social media platform to provide actionable customer help must be applauded.
Forum
The 1Password support forum offers you the opportunity to interact with a team of experts on a vast range of questions that you may have.
The forum is available 24 hours, 7 days a week and is one of the quickest ways to get help.
The forum home page is very simple to use, just click on one of the many displayed themes or use the search function to find what you are looking for. Once you have opened a theme all the recent topics and the replies will be displayed. It also has a lounge section where you can interact and share your thoughts on a variety of topics.
Diagnostics
1Password offers its diagnostic tool to help you get a solution to any issues you may have.
It is very easy to use (one-click process) and 1Password will only ask for the information needed to diagnose your problem and will never request your master password, safety key or any of your sensitive data, such as passwords.
The diagnostic report will be used by the 1Password support team to diagnose issues and troubleshoot your problem and the information you send will never be used for any other purpose.
The support feature is like having a full-time technician available to help solve your problem, getting help has never been easier.
Help Resources
1Password offers a variety of Help resources, all accessible from their home page. In this section, we look at some of them and the benefits that using them have for the 1Password user.
Support Hub
The Support Hub can be compared to an encyclopedia of everything you need to know about 1Password.
We found the Support Hub to be well designed and the guides easy to digest. The guides use a variety of text, images, gifs, and videos to break down information into easy to follow step by step guides.
Whenever you need to know more about 1Password the Support Hub should be your first port-of-call.
Resources
Similar to the Support Hub, the Resources section provides tips, as opposed to step by step guides, to help you improve your online security. You can select to either view all the articles or the family and business articles separately.
The articles provided help build your general knowledge of password managers and how to stay safe online but we recommend going straight to the Support Hub for any questions you may have.
The resources are nice to have but shouldn’t play a role in whether or not you opt to sign up with 1Password.
YouTube Tutorials
1Password makes extensive use of YouTube to offer users a large number of informative videos to explain their product and to help users with any queries they might have.
Overall, the 1Password YouTube channel offers an excellent opportunity to get to know the password manager better, especially if you are like us and prefer to watch a video tutorial than to read one.
Status Page & Twitter Status Account
With the 1Password Status page, administrators and other users can immediately establish the current operational status of the password manager in real-time.
We often liken this to that of website hosts. You may have seen that they state that they have 99.99% uptime. This means that if you host your website with them, it will be online 99.99% of the time. Website hosts, just like password managers, can go offline at any time due to technical issues. However, the most important thing to be aware of is that the period that these services go down tends to be a matter of minutes each year and even more important, your data that is stored in your account remains safe.
You can use either the status web page or the 1Password Status Twitter account to stay aware of any issues that might be affecting 1Password.
5) Pricing
If you are looking for a password manager that offers great value for money, 1Password could be right for you. Plans are available for individual, family and business use.
In addition to 1Password’s fortified security model and standard password vault management, all plans benefit from:
- Unlimited password storage
- 365-day item history to easily restore deleted passwords
- Two-factor authentication data to add an extra layer of security when you log in to your account with a new device
- Travel mode to remove sensitive data from your devices when you cross borders
- Digital wallet allowing you to securely store credit card info and auto-fill it while online shopping
- WatchTower which alerts you of weak passwords and any compromised websites that you have accounts with.
- 24/7 support
Although 1Password does not offer a free version, a 30-day free trial version is available.
1Password
1Password, available for individuals, offers the ideal solution to manage passwords as an individual user.
The Personal plan offers the following benefits:
- Ability to use 1Password across an unlimited number of devices to store an unlimited number of passwords, sensitive information items (such as credit card information), and 1GB of document storage.
- Automatic data synchronization across all devices making 1Password effortless to use no matter which device you are using.
- Travel Mode to protect vaults when you go on holiday.
- 365 days of historical data that gives you the option to revert to previous versions of passwords or restore deleted ones.
- Two-factor authentication to provide additional safety so you can make sure that you have control over which devices are allowed access to your 1Password account.
- 24/7 email support to help you with any troubleshooting issues you may have
This plan is available for use by only one user with a monthly cost of $2.99, billed annually as an amount of $35.88.
Considering that you get access to 1Password’s fortified security model as well as additional benefits like Travel Mode, the 1Password plan is extremely good value for money. After all, it costs less than a cup of coffee per month.
1Password Families
Unlike some other password managers, such as Dashlane, 1Password recognizes the need for families to safely share their passwords and other data among each other. The 1Password Family plan offers all of the benefits of the 1Password plan as well as:
- Sharing with up to 5 family members meaning your whole family can stay safe online. You can also add additional members for $1 extra per month if you have a big family which is a cost-effective solution to password management.
- Want to share a password vault with an extended family member? No problem, you can invite up to 5 guests for limited sharing.
- Securely share passwords, credit card information, and much more with your chosen family members.
- Management of permissions among family members.
- Recovery of locked out members.
This plan is available for use by a family of five at a cost of $4.99 per month, billed annually as an amount of $59.88.
Comparing the Family plan to the 1Password plan for one user, you get the additional benefits of 4 more user accounts, among sharing capabilities and management of permissions for just $2 more per month.
Teams
The 1Password Teams plan offers teams all the features you need to secure passwords and confidential information. The Team plan offers all the benefits of 1Passwords standard security features including two-factor authentication, document storage up to 1GB per user and 24/7 email support but also offers:
- Unlimited item storage and shared vaults so that employees can easily organize sensitive data
- The ability to create 5 guest accounts for limited sharing so that freelancers, contractors, and other external team members can access sensitive information that needs to be shared securely
- Admin controls for managing permissions of users so businesses can instantly deploy, grant and revoke access to shared vaults, as well as adding and removing new team members. Admins can also put rules in place that require all team members to use two-factor authentication to further protect their 1Password accounts.
The Team plan is available for use at a cost of $3.99 per user per month, billed annually as an amount of $47.88 per user. We recommend opting for the Teams package if you are a small business looking for protection against online threats.
Business
The 1Password Business plan recognizes that all businesses are not equal and offers control and flexibility that caters for individual business needs.
Besides all the password protection features of the Team plan, the Business plan includes a raft of features to ensure top-class protection of passwords and other sensitive information without compromising the productivity of employees.
The plan further recognizes that employees also need to protect their private passwords in addition to business information and so, to cater to this, the plan offers free family accounts and protection for all users who are subscribed to a business plan. The rationale is that when employees protect their personal information they will also protect the company better from threats.
Ultimately, the Business plan protects data and provides management tools needed by administrators to manage, supervise and control employee usage. Some of the great features include:
- Customized security, access controls, activity logs, and usage reports to ensure that you can build and create security policies, prevent threats by creating rules to allow, report, or deny sign-in attempts based on certain criteria (locations, IP addresses, etc), and review any reported, blocked, or failed sign-in attempts.
- Creation of roles to design and delegate responsibility. For example, you can use one of the five permissions: View Items, Create Items, Edit Items, Move Items to Trash, and Empty Trash to manage employee usage and control.
- VIP Support to ensure your inquiries are prioritized and answered quickly
- Up to 5 GB document storage per user
- Ability to create 20 guest accounts for limited sharing so that freelancers, contractors, and other external team members can access sensitive information that needs to be shared securely
All of the above and more is available at a cost of $7.99 per user per month, billed annually as an amount of $95.88.
Enterprise
The 1Password Enterprise plan is sculpted to each business making the cost unique to each use case.
In brief, the Enterprise plan offers all the features of the Business plan with the addition of your tailor-made configurations. Any business that makes use of a 1Password Enterprise plan will also benefit from having a dedicated account manager who’s sole remit is to ensure customer success, as well as an onboard engineer who will make sure your specific configuration is fully functional, and tailor-made training to set up all employees.
The cost of the program is customer-specific and can be obtained only with a quote.
6) Alternatives
1Password has two main rivals, LastPass and Dashlane. All three password managers have secure models that encrypt and protect your data, but it’s the features unique to each that separates them.
The first major difference is that 1Password does not offer a free version, both it’s competitors do.
The second difference is the way that 1Password allows you to organize your passwords. LastPass and Dashlane both give you one vault within which you can create folders to organize password information, whereas 1Password gives you the ability to create several vaults but doesn’t support folders. Choosing which is better is down to personal preference.
Unlike its competitors, 1Password offers travel mode and 365-day item history to restore deleted items. However, Dashlane’s Premium Plans offer a built-in Virtual Private Network (VPN), Dark Web Monitoring to scan the web for any leaked data of yours as a result of data breaches on other sites, and even Identity Theft Insurance.
1Password and LastPass are on a level playing field, whereas Dashlane is better for those wanting a fully comprehensive online security system.
LastPass
LastPass ranks as one of the best password managers for both password protection and ease of use.
It uses a combination of a zero-knowledge security model, multi-factor authentication, and user-friendly interface to make password management effortless for personal, family and business use.
It also has the best free version of all password managers, and offers premium versions for those who want extra layers of security to enhance the protection of their sensitive data.
Compared to 1Password, LastPass operates slightly differently in that you have one vault within which you can create folders to organize password information. 1Password, on the other hand, offers you the ability to create several vaults as opposed to one.
Additionally, features that are unique to 1Password are Travel Mode, which allows you to remove vaults from your devices which you don’t want to be available while you travel, and 365-day historical data, which lets you easily restore any previous or deleted items. LastPass only store deleted items for 30 days before permanently deleting them.
Dashlane
Unlike 1Password, Dashlane offers an excellent free version that can be used with one device and allows the storage of passwords and login data for up to 50 sites in a secure vault.
The password manager offers two-factor authentication for added safety and the premium service allows synchronization across all authenticated devices, similar to that of 1Password.
However, Dashlane offers a built-in Virtual Private Network (VPN) for increased protection against unsafe Wi-Fi networks, Dark Web Monitoring to scan the web for any data of yours that may be compromised as a result of a data breach on other websites, and even Identity Theft Insurance covering you up to $1 million in damages. Given the additional security features, we recommend Dashlane for those wanting a fully comprehensive online security system that will not only keep your passwords safe but also protect all your online activity.
FAQs
Security
1Password has never been hacked.
Even if 1Password was to be hacked, the hackers would not gain access to your sensitive data as all information is encrypted. Additionally, the two-factor authentication feature used in conjunction with your master password and secret key plays a vital role in keeping your data and passwords secure. To hack your account, hackers would need all of the above which is highly unlikely considering your master password and secret key are both encrypted and not stored on 1Password’s servers.
The data is stored in an encrypted format in your 1Password vault from where it is synced between all your devices. The encrypted contents of the password vault can only be decrypted with your master password and the security key provided by the authenticated device.
1Password can be trusted to keep your passwords and personal data safe. All your data is encrypted with bank-level encryption and protected by your master password and secret key, which is never stored by 1Password. The data in your vault can never be accessed by 1Password.
Pricing Plans
The cost of 1Password differs between plans but the price follows a per user per month structure.
The 1Password plan for individuals costs $2.99 per user per month, followed by the Family plan for $4.99 per 5 users per month.
Business plans start at $3.99 per user for the Team plan and $7.99 for the Business plan. The cost of the Enterprise plan is dependent on business requirements. All plans are billed annually.
All 1Password plans must be subscribed to and are not available without signing up for a 12-month plan.
It was possible in the past to buy a standalone version for Mac but currently, all the plans are subscription-based. This does hold many benefits though, for example, you can take advantage of updates to the platform at no extra cost which ensures your continual protection online.
The password manager offers great features which ensure that your passwords and data are safely stored and protected.
The addition of features like Travel Mode, which allows you to remove vaults from your mobile devices and computers which you don’t want to be available while you travel, and 365-day historical data, which lets you easily restore any previous or deleted items, go above and beyond standard password protection and as a result, we consider 1Password to offer great value for money.
General
1Password can be used across an unlimited number of devices. All the devices will be authenticated for use but once this has been completed, all of your data will be synced on all devices. You need to use your master password and secret key to log into the account on each device
