Bitwarden vs 1Password: Price, Free Plan and Security Compared

Pick Bitwarden if you want a free password manager that works on unlimited devices, or the cheapest paid plan, with open source code you can check. Pick 1Password if you are happy to pay more for extras like Travel Mode, a Secret Key on top of your password, and guest sharing on the Families plan.

Both store your passwords end-to-end encrypted, work on every major platform and support passkeys. The real differences are price, the free plan, and whether open source code matters to you.

Bitwarden vs 1Password at a glance

Which is cheaper, Bitwarden or 1Password?

Bitwarden is cheaper, and it has a free plan. Bitwarden Premium costs $1.65 a month, billed yearly at $19.80. Its Families plan is $3.99 a month, billed yearly at $47.88, and covers six premium accounts. Bitwarden says its prices are in USD for a yearly subscription, without taxes.

1Password lists its regular prices as $3.99 a month for Individual and $5.99 a month for Families, billed yearly. Families includes the main account plus up to five family members, and five guest accounts for sharing vaults.

On 6 November 2026, we checked 1Password's personal pricing page. It was running a promotion for new customers: Individual at $2.99 a month and Families at $4.49 a month for the first 12 months with yearly billing, bought directly from 1password.com. Even at the promo price, Bitwarden Premium was less than half the cost of 1Password Individual.

Is Bitwarden's free plan good enough?

For most people, yes. Bitwarden's free plan gives you unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, a password and username generator, passkey storage, encrypted export and Bitwarden Send for sharing text. You can also share items with one other Bitwarden user.

Premium adds the built-in authenticator for two-factor codes, 5 GB of encrypted file attachments, emergency access and vault health reports.

1Password has no free plan. You can try Individual or Families free for 14 days, and 1Password says no credit card is needed for the trial.

Is 1Password more secure than Bitwarden?

Both use end-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption, so neither company can read your vault. They add different layers on top.

1Password protects your account with your password plus a randomly generated 128-bit Secret Key. Someone who learns your password still needs that key. 1Password also encrypts item titles and URLs, not just passwords, and says it is regularly assessed by independent security experts.

Bitwarden's main security argument is openness. Its source code is on GitHub for anyone to review, and Bitwarden says it completes annual source code audits and penetration tests for its clients and core application, plus annual network security assessments. It also states it is SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 certified and runs a HackerOne bug bounty program.

If you want to verify how the software works yourself, Bitwarden is the clear choice. If you prefer a second secret on top of your password, 1Password's Secret Key does that by default.

Which has better features?

1Password has more extras in its paid plans. Travel Mode hides selected vaults when you cross a border, and you can share items with people who do not use 1Password, with expiry dates and a history. It also offers developer tools for SSH and Git commit signing.

Bitwarden's standout feature is self-hosting. You can run the Bitwarden server on your own network or server, and it works with all the normal Bitwarden apps. 1Password's plans do not list a self-hosted option. Bitwarden also connects to email forwarding services so you can create email aliases from its generator.

For everyday use, both autofill logins, cards and addresses in the browser and on your phone, and both store passkeys.

Which works on more devices?

Both cover the same ground. Bitwarden has apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone and Android, browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge, and a command-line tool. 1Password has apps for macOS, iOS, watchOS, Windows, Android and Linux, and browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox and Brave.

The difference is the free tier. On Bitwarden Free you can use all of them at once. On 1Password you need a paid plan after the trial ends.

If you are weighing other password managers too, our list of 1Password alternatives covers more free and paid options.

Which should you choose?

• You want a free password manager: Bitwarden Free.
• You want the cheapest paid plan: Bitwarden Premium at $1.65 a month, billed yearly.
• You want open source code or to host the server yourself: Bitwarden.
• You travel and want to hide vaults at borders: 1Password, with Travel Mode.
• You want a Secret Key protecting your account by default: 1Password.
• You are buying for a family of six: Bitwarden Families covers six people for $3.99 a month; 1Password Families covers five family members plus guest accounts.

FAQ

Is Bitwarden really free?

Yes. The free plan has no limit on passwords or devices. Paid Premium adds the authenticator, file attachments and emergency access.

Does 1Password have a free version?

No. It offers a 14-day free trial of Individual or Families, then you need a paid plan.

Is Bitwarden open source?

Yes. Bitwarden's source code is hosted on GitHub, and anyone can review, audit and contribute to it.

What is the 1Password Secret Key?

It is a 128-bit key created for your account and combined with your account password to encrypt and decrypt your data, so your password alone is not enough.