How we reviewed this: this is a research-based review. We did not buy or test the product ourselves. We checked the official website, policies and independent customer feedback, and every fact below links to its source. Facts checked 2026-10-31. How we review · Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Quick verdict
1Password is one of the most secure and easiest-to-use password managers you can buy, and the Families plan is the best value. For $71.88 a year (about $6 a month), up to 5 people get their own private vaults, shared vaults, passkeys, breach alerts and Travel Mode. Its security design pairs your account password with a 128-bit Secret Key that 1Password never stores, and it publishes independent security audits and runs a public bug bounty.
The honest part: there is no free plan, annual prices went up $12 a year in March 2026, and 1Password does not give refunds once you’re charged. Free options are real alternatives: Bitwarden’s free plan covers unlimited passwords and devices, and Apple Passwords and Google Password Manager come built in. Pay for 1Password if you want the most polished app across every device and features like Travel Mode and secure sharing.
Pros
- ✓ Secret Key plus account password: 1Password never has the key to your vault
- ✓ Published audits, annual pentests, SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001 and a public HackerOne bug bounty
- ✓ 2023 Okta-related incident: 1Password found no compromise of user data
- ✓ Families: 5 people for $71.88/yr; 14-day free trial, no credit card
- ✓ Travel Mode, passkeys, SSH agent, secure sharing with non-users, 1GB storage
- ✓ Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, ChromeOS and the web
- ✓ Stop paying and your vault freezes but stays readable and exportable
Cons
- ✗ No free plan
- ✗ Annual prices rose $12/yr on March 27, 2026 (Individual about 33%)
- ✗ No refunds for past charges or unused time
- ✗ First-year promo prices renew at full price
- ✗ Bitwarden is free or $19.80/yr Premium
- ✗ 2025 research showed browser autofill clickjacking affected 1Password and 10 other managers
- ✗ Trustpilot complaints about slow support and account-recovery lockouts
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How much does 1Password cost?
| Plan | Billed yearly | Month to month | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | $3.99/mo ($47.88/yr) | about $4.99/mo | 1 person |
| Families | $5.99/mo ($71.88/yr) | about $7.99/mo | Up to 5 people |
Prices from 1Password’s pricing page on October 31, 2026. New customers buying direct currently see a first-year promo ($2.99/mo Individual, $4.49/mo Families) that renews at the full yearly price. Both plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The month-to-month prices are from Security.org and Ubergizmo, since 1Password’s page showed yearly billing.
The March 2026 price hike: annual renewals rose $12 a year on March 27, 2026, taking Individual from $35.88 to $47.88 (about 33%) and Families from $59.88 to $71.88.
Is 1Password safe?
- Secret Key design: your vault is encrypted with both your account password and a 128-bit Secret Key created on your device. 1Password never sees either, so a breach of its servers alone wouldn’t expose your passwords.
- Audits: 1Password publishes independent security assessments (including ISE in 2020), runs annual penetration tests shared through its Trust Center, holds SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001, and has run a public bug bounty on HackerOne since December 2024.
- The 2023 Okta incident: in September 2023, 1Password spotted suspicious activity on its Okta employee login system, later traced to Okta’s own support breach. 1Password said it “found no compromise of user data or other sensitive systems.”
- Autofill clickjacking (August 2025): a researcher at DEF CON 33 showed a trick that could fool the browser extensions of 11 password managers, 1Password included, into autofilling on a malicious page. 1Password rated it “informative” and said browsers need to fix the root cause. You can reduce the risk by turning off automatic autofill and filling only on click.
Bottom line: no password manager is perfect, but 1Password’s design and track record are among the strongest. We found no breach of customer vault data.
1Password vs Bitwarden
| 1Password | Bitwarden | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes: unlimited passwords and devices |
| Paid individual | $47.88/yr | $19.80/yr Premium |
| Family plan | $71.88/yr for 5 | $47.88/yr for 6 |
| Travel Mode | Yes | No |
| Open source | No | Yes |
Bitwarden is the better deal if price matters most: its free plan is genuinely usable and its paid plans cost far less. 1Password wins on polish, ease of use for less technical family members, and extras like Travel Mode, which hides chosen vaults when you cross borders. Security.org, which compares both, concluded: “It’s close, but we have to go with 1Password” (April 2026).
1Password vs Apple Passwords and Google Password Manager
Apple Passwords (built into iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia and later) and Google Password Manager are free and handle passwords, passkeys, verification codes and breach alerts. They’re a fine choice if your whole household lives on one platform. 1Password is worth paying for when you mix Apple, Windows and Android devices, want shared family vaults that work everywhere, or need extras Apple lacks, like Travel Mode, custom fields, file attachments and an SSH agent.
1Password vs other paid password managers
| Manager | Price (individual, yearly) | Free plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1Password | $47.88 | No (14-day trial) |
| Bitwarden Premium | $19.80 | Yes |
| Proton Pass Plus | $35.88 | Yes |
| Dashlane Premium | $59.88 | No (since Sept 2025) |
Proton Pass and Bitwarden prices are from their official pricing pages; Dashlane’s are from Security.org because Dashlane’s page didn’t show prices when we checked.
Refunds and cancelling
If you cancel during the 14-day trial, you aren’t charged. After that, 1Password’s policy is blunt: “We’re unable to issue refunds for past charges or for any time remaining on your account at the time of cancellation.” When your subscription ends, your account is frozen: you can still view and copy your passwords and move them elsewhere, but you can’t add, edit or autofill until you pay again. That’s better than losing access.
What customers say
1Password scores 4.1 out of 5 from 12,516 reviews on Trustpilot. Complaints focus on slow or AI-assisted support, getting locked out during account recovery, and autofill not working on some sites. Long-time users also criticized the 2021-22 switch to version 8, which made it subscription-only and removed local vaults.
Who should buy 1Password
- Good fit: families or households with mixed devices who want one easy, secure app for everyone; people who travel and want Travel Mode; anyone who values a polished app and published audits over saving $30 a year.
- Skip it if: you want free (use Bitwarden, Proton Pass, or your phone’s built-in manager), or you’re on a tight budget and comfortable with a less polished app.
FAQ
Is 1Password safe?
Yes. Your vault is encrypted with your account password plus a 128-bit Secret Key that 1Password never stores, and it publishes independent audits, holds SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001, and runs a public bug bounty. In the 2023 Okta-related incident, 1Password found no compromise of user data.
Does 1Password have a free plan?
No. It offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. After that, Individual costs $47.88 a year and Families $71.88 a year.
How much is 1Password Families?
$5.99 a month billed yearly ($71.88) for up to 5 people, or about $7.99 month to month. New customers buying direct currently see a first-year promo of $4.49 a month.
Is 1Password better than Bitwarden?
1Password is more polished and adds Travel Mode, but Bitwarden is far cheaper: free, or $19.80 a year for Premium and $47.88 for a 6-person family plan. Pick Bitwarden to save money and 1Password for the easiest experience across a family.
Is 1Password worth it if I have Apple Passwords?
If everyone in your home uses only Apple devices, Apple Passwords may be enough and it’s free. 1Password is worth it if you mix Apple, Windows and Android, want shared family vaults everywhere, or need Travel Mode, attachments or custom fields.
Can 1Password be hacked?
We found no breach of customer vault data. Its Secret Key design means stolen server data alone can’t unlock vaults. Like 10 other managers, its browser extension was shown vulnerable to an autofill clickjacking trick in 2025; filling on click instead of automatically reduces that risk.
Does 1Password give refunds?
No. It says it is “unable to issue refunds for past charges or for any time remaining on your account at the time of cancellation.” Cancel during the 14-day trial and you aren’t charged.
What happens if I stop paying for 1Password?
Your account is frozen: you can still view and copy your passwords and move them elsewhere, but you can’t add, edit or autofill items until you resubscribe.
Sources
- 1Password pricing (official)
- 1Password security overview
- 1Password security design white paper
- 1Password security assessments
- ISE security assessment (2020, PDF)
- 1Password Trust Center
- 1Password bug bounty on HackerOne
- 1Password: Okta incident
- 1Password refund policy
- 1Password frozen accounts
- 1Password Travel Mode
- 9to5Google: 1Password price hike (Feb 2026)
- BleepingComputer: password manager clickjacking (2025)
- Security.org: 1Password review
- Security.org: Bitwarden vs 1Password
- Trustpilot: 1Password
- Bitwarden pricing
- Proton Pass pricing
- Apple: Passwords app
- TidBITS: 1Password price hike vs Apple Passwords