Is It a Protected Password Supervisor?

1Password has earned a popularity for being among the best password managers round. It has an easy-to-use and sleek-looking interface, robust end-to-end encryption and fascinating integrations on prime of its service.

SEE: 10 Myths about Cybersecurity You Shouldn’t Consider (TechRepublic Premium)

Whereas it lacks a free model, its premium plans provide a ton of worth that makes the spend price it. For these in search of an all-around password administration answer, 1Password ought to positively be in your record.

Is 1Password free?

No, 1Password isn’t free. Should you’re in search of a free password supervisor, choices like Bitwarden and NordPass have free variations that enable limitless password storage at no additional price.

Nonetheless, 1Password has a reasonably beneficiant 14-day trial that’s obtainable for all its subscription tiers and plans. I like how these free trials don’t require bank card or cost data to entry, permitting customers to check drive their options with out handing over delicate particulars.

Beginning at $2.99 per thirty days for its Particular person plan, 1Password’s base pricing is cheap and falls in the course of the pack in comparison with the competitors. For instance, Bitwarden affords one of the inexpensive beginning plans at lower than $1 per thirty days, whereas fellow well-liked decide Dashlane is available in at a a lot greater $3.33 per thirty days. At $2.99 per thirty days, you’re nonetheless getting superb worth as this contains each limitless gadget assist and limitless password storage.

I consider 1Password’s Households plan at $4.99 per thirty days might be extra inexpensive. It begins at $4.99 per thirty days for 5 customers. As compared, Dashlane affords the identical worth of $4.99 however allots 10 member of the family accounts. In the meantime, RoboForm and Bitwarden provide Households plans for much less cash at $3.98 for five customers and $3.33 for six customers, respectively.

Like its Particular person plan, 1Password’s Groups Starter Pack is on par with different password managers and is an effective choice for small groups and companies, offering accounts for as much as 10 members.

Its Marketing strategy, priced at $7.99, is on the costly finish as Bitwarden has a comparable plan at simply $6 — a $2 distinction that ultimately provides up. 1Password Enterprise gives helpful extra options similar to single sign-on assist, free Households plan for all customers and customized utilization and breach stories for included customers. But when these options aren’t essential to you, Bitwarden’s extra inexpensive plan seems to be like a greater choice.

Earlier than buying any 1Password plan, I extremely advocate going for any of its 14-day free trials. Whereas having a free model is most popular, 1Password’s 14-day free trials are supplied throughout all plans, so you possibly can check out whichever subscription matches your wants finest.

Is 1Password protected?

Earlier than you begin transferring any of your passwords into 1Password, it’s essential to examine whether or not it will possibly maintain your delicate information protected and safe. Happily, 1Password affords top-notch safety on your passwords and credentials.

1Password information is end-to-end encrypted and makes use of the gold customary AES 256-bit encryption to maintain your information safe. It additionally makes use of a zero-knowledge strategy, which signifies that solely the person has entry to their very own data.

1Password gives all its customers with a 34-character Secret Key that’s created regionally on a person’s gadget. The Secret Key works in tandem with the account password to entry your passwords and acts as a further layer of safety on your information. As a result of it’s created regionally, 1Password doesn’t have entry to your Secret Key and prevents person information from being collected or bought to 3rd events.

1Password also needs to be counseled for its dedication to common safety audits performed by unbiased third events. As of Might 2023, 1Password has accomplished 19 safety assessments that regularly assess its safety and options.

In October 2023, 1Password introduced that it detected suspicious exercise on its Okta occasion that it makes use of to handle employee-facing apps. 1Password stated it instantly terminated the exercise and emphasised that no person information or delicate programs have been compromised. Whereas that’s excellent news, safety incidents like this are essential to pay attention to.

Total, 1Password is a safe password supervisor to make use of in 2024. Its high-end encryption, zero-knowledge structure and common safety audits present that it may be a dependable and protected method to securely retailer logins and passwords.

Should you’re curious to be taught extra about password managers typically, I extremely advocate testing our Password Managers 101 video function obtainable now on the official TechRepublic YouTube channel!

In that video, our crew covers why password managers are essential, how protected they’re to make use of and what advantages they supply to companies of all sizes and shapes.

Key options of 1Password

On prime of anticipated options similar to encryption and password sharing, 1Password comes with distinctive options similar to a Watchtower, Journey Mode and devoted integrations with different providers. Discover out how one can use 1Password right here.

Watchtower safety scoring

Watchtower is 1Password’s model of safety scoring that assesses person passwords and checks for publicity to breaches or information leaks. It additionally scores passwords for total energy and pings customers to vary at-risk passwords which can be weak or reused. It is a helpful function, particularly for customers who’ve older accounts that will have to have up to date passwords.

As well as, Watchtower additionally checks whether or not any customers’ lately visited web sites have evident vulnerabilities. It additionally flags customers each time they go to any compromised or unsecure web sites throughout their use.

Watchtower is beneficial for customers with a number of passwords and accounts, because it permits them to take care of good password well being throughout the board.

Journey Mode

Journey Mode is a standout providing from 1Password and is a function that isn’t discovered on different password managers. It acts as a profile you could flip on and off when touring and permits customers to mark specific vaults as “protected for journey.” Vaults not marked as such will likely be eliminated out of your 1Password app till Journey Mode is turned off.

On 1Password Enterprise, Journey Mode may also be turned on and off for crew members.

Journey Mode is ideal for people and organizations that take common enterprise journeys and are nervous about customs or border officers accessing their telephones or different units.

Devoted integrations with Fastmail and Privateness

1Password additionally options integrations with providers similar to Fastmail and Privateness. Fastmail customers can use 1Password to create “masked emails,” defending their actual electronic mail addresses when signing up for brand spanking new accounts. This provides customers elevated anonymity as a substitute of utilizing their precise electronic mail handle for much less essential accounts.

In collaboration with Privateness.com, 1Password permits customers to create Privateness Playing cards inside its app. With Privateness, customers can generate distinctive cost data for every service they pay for. This gives additional safety on your information as you received’t have to present away your personal card particulars to pay for various apps or providers.

These integrations are excellent for customers who have already got lively Fastmail and Privateness subscriptions. Whereas a bundled plan for these providers is right, having the choice to make use of these providers inside 1Password is a significant value-add.

1Password authentication and safety choices

Authentication is one other key side of a password supervisor. It provides a further layer of safety because it requires additional data outdoors of a username or password earlier than getting access to your account.

In 1Password’s case, vaults could be secured by means of two-factor authentication. 2FA requires an authenticator software like Microsoft Authenticator or Authy. Happily, 1Password affords a comparatively easy-to-follow information on its official assist web page on how one can set this up.

1Password additionally retains a listing of trusted units that provides the person management over which telephones or computer systems require authentication and which of them needs to be deauthorized.

When it comes to safety choices, 1Password contains sensible options that add as much as a safer expertise. Desktop customers can arrange both Home windows Hey or TouchID fingerprint biometrics to unlock their vaults. Customers can even activate an auto-lock function that routinely locks you out of the app after a set period of time — stopping hackers from glancing at your vault when left idle.

My private favourite is 1Password’s clipboard erase function. Toggling it on will routinely delete copied data and authentication codes after 90 seconds. This prevents copied data out of your clipboard from being unintentionally leaked or copied.

1Password interface and efficiency

Whereas safety in a password supervisor is essential, it needs to be introduced in an intuitive and pleasant-looking interface for one of the best person expertise. Fortunately, that is one among 1Password’s robust fits.

1Password’s desktop software has an easy-to-understand person interface that almost all customers can perceive. I personally like how 1Password doesn’t skimp out on offering tons of tutorials to information customers by means of utilizing the app.

When it comes to seems to be, 1Password additionally will get good marks. Its UI seems to be trendy and recent, and it even provides customers the flexibility to customise font density and set it to darkish mode.

For efficiency, 1Password was good however not excellent. Password seize and replay labored as anticipated and I encountered zero bugs whereas utilizing the desktop software.

I did, nonetheless, have just a few cases the place the autofill perform failed whereas utilizing 1Password’s browser extension. There could be instances the place it crammed in my credentials completely for an indication in, after which there could be moments the place it simply didn’t fill in.

This meant I needed to manually click on the copy button and paste my logins from the extension as a substitute of counting on the autofill. Not a dealbreaker, however it’s a level for enchancment in 1Password’s case.

1Password cell app

Accessible on each Android and iOS, 1Password’s cell app mimics the top quality UI of its desktop counterparts. Throughout my testing, I had 1Password’s cell model put in on my Google Pixel 6.

Per my use, 1Password on Android was quick and dependable. It additionally migrates many of the options we discover within the Home windows and Mac variations.

I cherished how 1Password cell routinely blacks out any screenshots taken on the app. It’s on by default and might solely be modified by means of the app’s Superior Settings. It is a delicate however essential function, because it protects vaults saved in your smartphone from being screen-grabbed and stolen by unhealthy actors.

All in all, 1Password’s cell app is a superb expertise and a worthy companion to its desktop software.

1Password professionals

• High-notch safety.
• Distinctive journey mode function.
• Integrations with Fastmail and Privateness.
• Straightforward-to-use and trendy UI.
• Excellent cell software.
• 14-day free trial that doesn’t require cost data.

1Password cons

• Pricing might be extra inexpensive.
• No free model.
• Autofill performance is hit and miss.

1Password alternate options

Whereas 1Password is a top quality password supervisor, it could not have the precise options for you. I’ve listed just a few alternate options that will fit your wants higher.

NordPass

NordPass is a password administration answer from well-known software program supplier Nord Safety. It’s best for organizations that need tons of subscription choices at completely different time durations. It affords one- and two-year plans for each particular person and enterprise customers and has a full-fledged free model that permits for limitless password storage.

Bitwarden

For these on a finances, Bitwarden is a best choice. It has a beneficiant free model that permits for limitless passwords and use on limitless units. It additionally operates on an open-source platform, making it an incredible answer for customers who worth transparency and collaboration of their software program.

Keeper

Should you personal a bigger enterprise, Keeper generally is a nice decide. Its enterprise subscription comes with occasion logging and reporting, superior two-factor authentication and automatic crew administration. Relying in your group’s priorities, Keeper additionally affords personalized bundles and curated pricing.

Is 1Password price it?

1Password is a worthy password supervisor that provides high-end encryption, affordable pricing for its particular person subscription and a top quality desktop and cell app expertise. Its Journey Mode is a standout and presents a tangible profit to frequent vacationers who need to defend their saved logins on the go.

Whereas I do want that 1Password had a full free model, its 14-day trial throughout all its plans is an effective sufficient compromise for these on a strict finances. Its autofill perform might additionally see a little bit of enchancment. Regardless of these drawbacks, 1Password is a strong password administration answer that I extremely advocate most individuals to check out.

Evaluate methodology

My assessment of 1Password concerned an in depth evaluation of its security measures, worth and real-world efficiency. I had hands-on expertise with 1Password by means of a 14-day free trial of its Particular person Premium plan.

To check 1Password, I used its net software and browser extension on my Home windows laptop computer and its cell app on my Google Pixel 6.

I rated 1Password on all the pieces from its password administration options to its pricing primarily based on an inside algorithm to get a ranking of 4.3 out of 5 stars. The scoring was primarily based each on 1Password by itself and in relation to different obtainable password managers.