1Password Review: Pros & Cons, Features, Ratings, Pricing and more

An affordable and effective password manager with functionality on loads of platforms

1Password website screenshot
(Image: © 1Password)

TechRadar Verdict

1Password is affordable and effective, so it’s an ideal password manager for individuals and businesses – and its broad platform support, browser functionality, and clean interface design make it versatile too.

Pros

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    Easy to use

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    Broad device compatibility

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    Some subscriptions include document storage

Cons

  • -

    No free option

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    Logging in online can be a faff

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Using a password manager is critical if you want to protect your important information and ensure that you’re covered if you forget one of those all-important codes. If you’re on the hunt for the best password manager, 1Password is worth consideration.

This app has a top-notch business pedigree, with companies like IBM, GitLab, and Slack trusting the software to keep passwords secure and consistent. With customers like that, it’s undeniably a top option for your family or organization.

We’ve evaluated 1Password’s family and business plans to see if this app is worth using – or if you should seek out a competitor instead. And if you want to explore those alternatives, take a look at our roundup of the best business password managers

1Password pricing July 2023

(Image credit: 1Password)

1Password: Plans and pricing

1Password’s subscription model is divided into personal and business options. Under the personal umbrella, you’ll find individual and family packages – the former costs $2.99 / £3 / AUD$5 per month when billed annually, while the latter costs $4.99 / £5 / AUD$7.50 per month and accepts five family members. You can also add additional members to the Family plan for a small fee ($1 per month).

Multiple platforms are supported, including macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. These packages support unlimited passwords and 1 GB of document storage. You can also restore deleted passwords up to 365 days later, and it has 2FA for security. Upgrading to the family package adds management features, account recovery, and guest accounts.

The lack of a free option may be disappointing to some prospective customers, but free plans are typically limited in what they can offer. Many rival companies go down the route of limiting the number of active devices (usually to one), so in reality, unless you can make do with those limits, you’ll end up paying for the features you want anyway.

Head over to the business section and you’ll find the Teams Starter Pack, which costs $19.95 / £20 / AUD$30 per month and includes support for 10 users. Each user gets 1 GB of document storage and unlimited shared vaults for secure document sharing. Team admins can manage permissions for each individual. Note the distinct lack of per-user pricing at this level, you’ll have to fork out for the maximum of ten users regardless of your team’s size.

The business plan costs $7.99 / £8 / AUD$12 per month. It has VIP support, 5 GB of storage per user, custom security controls, and other advanced features. Large businesses can also get a custom quote for an Enterprise subscription, including a dedicated account manager, setup training, and an onboarding engineer.

It's worth seeing what 1Password promo codes are currently available for extra savings too.

1Password: Setup

You can start using 1Password after taking a few quick steps to create your account. These include setting a master password, which secures all of your information. 1Password doesn’t require credit card information during setup, so you can sign up without taking on any risk.

The setup process includes an option to create and download an emergency kit – a PDF with all the information needed to recover your account if you get locked out.

After creating an account, you can start adding items and vaults. Changes are automatically synced across all devices, so you can use 1Password seamlessly on all your devices, including your computer, tablet, and phone.

1Password interface

(Image credit: 1Password)

1Password: Interface and performance

1Password provides convenient access on virtually all devices. Along with mobile apps for iOS and Android, the platform also provides desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux, plus a command-line tool and extensions for popular browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, and Safari. There are also some more quirky options, like Apple Watch support.

It’s a very intuitive app. On the left-hand side, there’s a navigation column that allows users to access their private or shared vaults, tutorials, and their popular passwords. Here you’ll also find the Watchtower, which keeps track of security breaches and lets you know if your details have been compromised. In the main window, you can see all your passwords, messages or alerts, and the search box – which is extremely fast.

Adding new passwords is simple and comprehensive. You’re able to choose from more than two dozen security categories – from straightforward login and credit card details to medical records and passports – and each category collects different kinds of relevant information. It makes creating passwords easier – and speeds up categorization, too.

This is a highly responsive app, too, with changes on one device showing up on other devices almost instantaneously. We’re really fond of the small highlights than run across the top of the UI and throughout the experience, such as Wi-Fi passwords, medical records, identity information, and payment details.

Logging in online is a little more of a task than it is with other password managers. You still use your master password to get in, but you also need to authorize it by copying and pasting a so-called secret key to verify it’s you. We feel this could be handled a little easier, even if by manner of notification to the apps that are already signed in. Dashlane does something similar, and emails a one-time code to the account holder too, just for that extra layer of protection.

1Password: Passkeys

Passkeys are coming and upcoming versions of iOS and Android in 2023 are planning to make them even more accessible, but 1Password refuses to let the new passwordless login method take away from its business. Instead, like many of its popular rivals, it has been quick to confirm passkey compatibility.

Set up an iOS or Android passkey and you’ll be locked into that platform, unless you’re willing to go through and change every passkey you have. Should you work across multiple operating systems (not to mention desktop OSs), a password manager bridges that gap. So while Apple and Google are key to making passkeys available, password managers like 1Password are crucial in making sure they work fluidly.

1Password says it’s going “all-in on passkeys” and support is coming as soon as summer 2023, but it’s more likely that snippets of features will be added over time as companies begin to collaborate. There’s also an early access program for those who are really keen.

1Password security

(Image credit: 1Password)

1Password: Security

1Password uses a wide range of tools to keep your information as secure as possible. Accounts are locked by a master password, which is never shared with 1Password or any third parties. Beyond that, you’ve got your Emergency Kit, which includes a secure key you’ll need to use when logging in.

1Password provides two-factor authentication with Authy and Microsoft Authenticator, and it comes with security breath alerts, protection against keyloggers, and AES 256-bit encryption. Your passwords are also protected with Secure Remote Password (SRP), which adds another layer of credential authentication. 

1Password help center

(Image credit: 1Password)

1Password: Support

With 1Password, you’ll have access to 24/7 support via email. The website states that Business users get VIP support, but it doesn’t explain the difference between regular and VIP—just that help is available “whenever you need it.” As mentioned above, Enterprise subscriptions come with a dedicated account manager and onboard engineer.

The 1Password site also provides helpful articles covering a variety of support topics. These are a great place to start if you run into technical issues or want to learn more about the service’s features. Users can also access security white papers if they’d like a deeper dive into how the service works.

1Password: The competition

Lastpass, one of the most popular password managers, comes with some notable pros and cons compared to 1Password. Unlike 1Password, Lastpass offers a surprisingly robust free plan that enables users to store and share passwords across all their devices.

Furthermore, Lastpass Emergency makes it easy to configure a digital will that automatically transfers your information in case of an emergency or death. The only way to set this process up on 1Password is to pay for a family or team plan and create multiple admins or organizers. That said, Lastpass and 1Password come with many of the same features, and their pricing is mostly similar aside from the Lastpass free plan.

If you’re after more than a password manager, Dashlane and Proton Pass are among the handful that offer VPN connections for certain plans, all in a bid to keep your identity protected.

1Password: Final verdict

1Password offers everything individuals and businesses need to store and share passwords and other sensitive pieces of information. The spread of pricing options means it’s a low-cost way to keep your data safe.

In addition to mobile apps, the service is also compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux along with several browsers. Its flexibility, affordability, and ease of use make it a great option for companies and home users.

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Mike has worked as a technology journalist for more than a decade and has written for most of the UK’s big technology titles alongside numerous global outlets. He loves PCs, laptops and any new hardware, and covers everything from the latest business trends to high-end gaming gear.