Tracking your online login credentials while protecting your personal information is not only helpful but extremely important. The best way to do this is by using a password manager. But with so many options available, choosing the right one can be difficult. We compared two of the top password managers, Bitwarden vs. 1Password, to help you decide which is best for you.

Bitwarden vs. 1Password: At a Glance

Both Bitwarden and 1Password are leading password managers offering well-priced personal and business plans for a variety of needs. However, Bitwarden is the only one to offer a free tier while 1Password offers advanced features such as Travel Mode and data breach monitoring. We compared Bitwarden vs. 1Password on key criteria such as price, features, security, ease of use and customer support so you can choose the best password saver for your needs.

Bitwarden

Bitwarden
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

Free

$10 per year

Free trial

Seven days

Travel mode

No

Bitwarden
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Read Forbes' Review

Free

$10 per year

Seven days

No

Editor's Take

Bitwarden is an open-source password manager with personal plans starting at $0 per user per month and business plans starting at $2 per month, per user. All paid plans include a free seven-day trial. It offers a range of standard features including two-factor authentication, encrypted storage, web form autofill, a digital wallet and more. It also includes unlimited devices and syncing.

Pros & Cons
  • Free plan available
  • Unlimited devices and syncing
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • Interface not intuitive
  • Only offers email support
  • Autofill can be glitchy

1Password

1Password
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Starting price

$2.99

per month per user

Free trial

14 days

Travel mode

Yes

1Password
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On 1Password's Website

$2.99

per month per user

14 days

Yes

Editor's Take

1Password is a top-tier password manager with personal and business plans ranging from $2.99 to $7.99 per month and a 14-day free trial for all plans. In addition to standard features such as two-factor authentication, a password generator and biometric functionality, it also offers features that Bitwarden doesn’t. These include things such as dark web monitoring, Travel Mode and higher encrypted storage limits.

Pros & Cons
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Travel Mode protection
  • AES 256-bit encryption
  • No free plan
  • No phone or live chat support
  • Autofill can be glitchy

How Bitwarden and 1Password Stack Up

Both Bitwarden and 1Password offer a range of features. Let’s look at a detailed breakdown of each password manager’s offering and how they compare to each other:

  Bitwarden 1Password
Cost
$0 to $6 per month per user
$2.99 to $7.99 per month per user
Free Trial
Seven days
14 days
Encrypted Storage
1GB personal and 1GB for organizational items per user
1GB to 5GB per person
Two-Factor Authentication
Password Generator
Autofill Web Forms
Import Data From Browsers
Biometric Functionality
Digital Wallet
Monitoring
Watchtower
Travel Mode
Wi-Fi VPN
Policy Settings
On enterprise plans
On business plans
Learn more
Read Review

Bitwarden and 1Password both provide core password manager features you’d expect, such as two-factor authentication, web form autofill, biometric functionality, password generator, digital wallet and more. However, there are key differences between the two that might make one better for you than the other, which we discuss below:

Encrypted Storage

Encrypted storage protects documents uploaded to password managers using end-to-end encryption that prevents data breaches and unauthorized access. This is important if you’re trying to securely store or send documents.

Bitwarden and 1Password both offer encrypted storage. However, 1Password offers up to 5GB of storage while Bitwarden only includes 1GB of personal storage and an additional 1GB of storage for organizational items. If you need more than 1GB of encrypted storage, 1Password is the way to go.

Monitoring

Dark web monitoring is a feature that checks passwords stored in your password manager against any known passwords that have been leaked in a data breach. This is helpful since it alerts you if you need to change a password due to a data leak.

1Password offers monitoring via its Watchtower feature that checks for password security problems and offers a dashboard that automatically summarizes any breaches or vulnerabilities. Bitwarden offers a very similar module through its reports tab.

Travel Mode

Travel Mode is a feature that protects your passwords and data during travel. 1Password is one of the few password managers that offers this feature, allowing you to temporarily remove sensitive information from your devices while traveling. This is especially important if someone such as a customs agent requests to search your devices. Bitwarden doesn’t offer this feature, making 1Password better for those who travel often.

Wi-Fi VPN

Wi-Fi VPN is a built-in VPN that allows for private browsing, secure public Wi-Fi connections and a customizable server location. VPNs help protect you from malicious actors trying to steal your data over Wi-Fi and also let you access the internet from a country of choice.

Unfortunately, neither Bitwarden nor 1Password offers a Wi-Fi VPN. However, you can use third-party VPNs to help protect yourself when using these password managers. If you’d rather have a built-in VPN instead, check out alternative options such as NordPass and Dashlane.


Cost of Bitwarden vs. 1Password

Bitwarden and 1Password both offer competitive pricing tiers for personal and business plans. Bitwarden’s tiers range from $0 to $5 per month per user with a free seven-day trial for paid plans. 1Password’s tiers range from $2.99 to $7.99 per month per user with a longer, 14-day free trial for all plans.

Cost of Bitwarden

  • Free: $0 for a single user
  • Premium: Less than $1 per month for a single user
  • Families: $3.33 per month for up to six users
  • Teams: $4 per month, per user
  • Enterprise: $6 per month, per user

Cost of 1Password

  • Individual: $2.99 per month for a single user
  • Families: $4.99 per month for up to five users
  • Teams Starter Pack: $19.95 per month for up to 10 users
  • Business: $7.99 per user, per month

Customer Reviews and Reputation

While Bitwarden and 1Password both have ratings of 4.7 on G2, 1Password outscored Bitwarden on Trustpilot with a score of 4.7 to 4.1, respectively. Bitwarden users love its password generator, multi-device use and its browser extension. However, customers report that the overall usability on both desktop and mobile can be improved.

Similarly, 1Password users enjoy its password generator and multi-device use, and also report that its quick login functionality is better than average. However, its mobile app usability and browser extension could be better.


Customer Support

Fast and helpful customer support is always important, especially with password managers that protect your sensitive data. Bitwarden and 1Password both offer an online knowledge base and robust online community. However, Bitwarden only offers customer support via 24/7 email, and 1Password only offers support through 24/7 email, forum or social media. There are top alternative options such as NordPass that offer live chat support.


Top Bitwarden and 1Password Alternatives

While Bitwarden and 1Password are two of the best password manager options, they aren’t the only ones out there. In fact, there are alternatives that might provide a better mix of features and price for your needs. These password managers include NordPass, Norton Password Manager and Dashlane.

Norton Password Manager is rated as our top overall password manager as well as our best free password manager option. Dashlane is considered our best password manager for Mac, while Norton Password Manager was rated in the top three for best overall password manager as well as the best password manager for Mac and the best password manager for PC.

  NordPass Norton Password Manager Dashlane
Rating
Starting Price
Free; $1.69 per month for the first year, plus three months free (billed annually)
Free
Free; $4.99 per month, per user
Travel Mode
Monitoring
Wi-Fi VPN
Learn More
Read Review

Bottom Line

Bitwarden and 1Password are two leading password managers with a range of features at attractive pricing. Bitwarden is great if you’re looking for a free or lower-priced option. 1Password is the best if you want monitoring, added storage or if you travel often. However, there are alternatives such as NordPass, Norton Password Manager and Dashlane that may better suit your needs.

Bitwarden is best for:

  • Affordability
  • Open source

1Password is best for:

  • Encrypted storage
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Traveling

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the downsides of Bitwarden?

Bitwarden is a solid password manager, but it doesn’t offer some advanced features such as data breach monitoring or a built-in VPN. While it offers a free tier, its free trial for paid plans is short at seven days. Plus, it’s not as intuitive as some options, can be glitchy at times and only offers limited customer support.

What are the cons of 1Password?

1Password includes a range of features you’d expect from a leading password manager, but it doesn’t offer a built-in VPN for Wi-Fi. It also doesn’t have a free tier and its web fill functionality can sometimes be glitchy. Not to mention, it only offers limited support via email, forums and social media.

What are the upsides of Bitwarden?

Bitwarden offers attractive pricing with a free tier and low-priced paid options. It offers all the core features you’d expect such as encrypted storage, two-factor authentication, a password generator and digital wallet. It also includes unlimited devices and syncing as well as AES 256-bit encryption.

What are the pros of 1Password?

1Password has well-priced plans with a 14-day free trial that include up to 5GB of encrypted storage and dark web monitoring. It offers virtual payment cards within its digital wallet, as well as core features such as two-factor authentication and a password generator. It even offers AES 256-bit encryption.

Is 1Password better than Bitwarden?

Determining if 1Password is better than Bitwarden depends on your specific needs. 1Password is better if you need an easy-to-use option with monitoring, large document storage limits and travel capabilities. Bitwarden is better if you’re looking for an open-source option with free and lower-priced tiers.