1Password review: one of the best password managers to use | Digital Trends (2024)

The need for password managers like 1Password has never been greater as hackers gather more sophisticated tools and resources. While the free solutions built into modern operating systems like Windows 11 continue to improve, they lack many features.

1Password and top-rated password managers are easy to access from all your devices and include organization and sharing features that minimize the burden of managing hundreds of logins.

I reviewed 1Password to check which plan offers the features you need at a price you can afford. Despite not having a free version, 1Password offers great value and affordable subscription plans.

Tiers and pricing

Unlike competitors Bitwarden and Dashlane, 1Password doesn’t offer a free tier. If you’re unsure about subscribing after reading this review, you can get a 14-day trial for any 1Password plan to try it out before committing.

1Password offers monthly subscriptions, but you save more with annual plans. The Individual plan costs $36 annually and might have everything you need, supporting an unlimited number of devices, unlimited login management, and 1GB of secure cloud storage.

Password managers are great when you frequently share accounts with others. A 1Password Families plan brings substantial savings, covering up to five family members for $60 per year. The cost per person plummets to $12 annually with this plan.

For small businesses, the Teams Starter Pack provides password management for up to 10 members and increases secure storage to 5GB. At $240 each year, it provides a way to securely share work credentials and files with co-workers. There’s also a Business plan for bigger companies priced at $108 per member annually.

Design

I tested the 1Password Families plan and installed it on my Windows PC and iPhone. A smooth connection between devices from Apple and Microsoft is a game-changer for password managers.

From the 1Password website, I installed the browser extension on my computer, guided through the process of creating an account, verifying my email, and ensuring access before adding passwords.

I had to set a master password, a critically important code that I physically wrote on paper so it would be safe from hackers. When my browser offered to save the password, I declined, keeping it more secure. On the next page with payment options, I told 1Password I’d pay later to get the 14-day trial.

Next, 1Password used my PC to generate a very strong 128-bit Secret Key. Like the master password, it’s my responsibility to keep this code safe, and both are needed to use 1Password on a new device. I downloaded the PDF file containing my Secret Key.

To sign in on my iPhone, I installed the app, scanned a QR code on my PC, then filled in my master password. Afterward, I used Face ID to unlock my 1Password vault.

Switching back to my computer, I imported all the passwords saved in my browser. 1Password can import from Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Safari (on a Mac). It’s also easy to import from competing password managers like LastPass, Dashlane, and more. For other password types, a text file formatted as comma-separated values (CSV) will work.

1Password notes during this process that your credentials are encrypted before uploading this data to your vault. I make an effort to remove old passwords regularly. Still, I had over 450 logins on the list.

The 1Password iPhone app guided me through setup, which only required enabling 1Password in the Settings app. While I was there, I turned off iCloud passwords.

I tested the beta redesign, which looks nice but lacks some features. To get support, I had to revert to the original layout.

Features

The most basic feature of a password manager is automatically filling in credentials for various accounts. 1Password performed as expected, suggesting my username in a dropdown menu when I visited Netflix. After selecting my account, 1Password entered the password, making account access simple.

That’s nothing remarkable. Any web browser or mobile device can do the same thing. What makes password managers different is the effortless syncing of credentials between a wide variety of devices and people.

Switching from my Windows PC to my iPhone, I opened the Netflix app, and 1Password’s autofill worked there as well. Now, I can move freely from device to device without retyping passwords or scanning QR codes. It just works.

Like most other password managers, a 1Password subscription includes more than just password security and syncing across devices. I can also store details from multiple IDs, passport numbers, credit cards, notes, documents, medical records, and more. I can add items on any device and access everywhere else via encrypted cloud storage.

1Password has categories to choose from when creating a new item. Tags let me create my own organization. The 1Password vault features a search bar at the top that provides suggestions as I start typing, another time-saving feature.

It’s easy to share logins and other items from the vault with others. 1Password lets me specify how long an invitation link remains valid, specify email addresses, and limit the link to a single visit if you want maximum security. It’s also possible to generate a link to share with anyone.

I had a Families subscription so I could also move items to a Shared vault to make multiple credentials, files, and more available to any member.

The password managers included with antivirus software from Bitdefender and Norton are nice extras, but they can’t compete with the feature set of a dedicated solution like 1Password.

Support

1Password covers most topics thoroughly in support articles. I can narrow down topics by operating system, browse common questions, and learn more about migrating or importing passwords.

I selected the button near the top to contact support for personal assistance. To simplify communication, 1Password provides a few multiple-choice questions to identify the right support agent to help with my issue.

After a few clicks, I have the option of posting my question to the community, tagging 1Password’s account in an X post, or sending an email. Very few password managers offer support via live chat, so it’s not surprising to wait up to a day for support.

Privacy and security

1Password has never suffered a security breach that has been reported on. A temporary glitch in 2023 startled some customers who received an incorrect message that their secret key or master password had changed. 1Password received SOC 2 certification in an independent audit that verifies good security and availability of its services.

Since your data is end-to-end encrypted, 1Password can’t access any of your other credentials, files, or other data stored in your vault. 1Password specifically states in its privacy policy that it does not sell or rent your personal data to third parties.

Is 1Password right for you?

1Password works with nearly any device, supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux computers, as well as iOS, iPadOS, and Android devices. The subscription prices are affordable, and security is solid. A free version would be nice, but you get what you pay for.

It’s hard to go wrong with 1Password if the built-in solutions from Microsoft, Apple, Google, and others don’t meet your needs. There are plenty of alternatives to 1Password, but after testing it, I’ve found it to be one of the very best password managers.

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