1Password vs Bitwarden: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
1Password Individual is $2.99/month; Business is $7.99/user/month. Bitwarden Premium is $1/month; Teams is $4/user/month; Enterprise is $6/user/month. At team level: Bitwarden Teams ($4) vs 1Password Business ($7.99) — Bitwarden is half the price for comparable core functionality. Bitwarden's open-source architecture is the philosophical differentiator: the source code is on GitHub, independently audited annually, and self-hosting is supported (run your own Bitwarden server, keep all credentials on infrastructure you control). For security-sensitive organizations, this is not an abstract benefit — it eliminates the 'what happens to my passwords if 1Password is acquired or has a security incident' question. 1Password's advantages over Bitwarden are concrete: the Travel Mode feature (hide designated vaults when crossing borders) is unique and used by journalists, executives, and frequent international travelers. 1Password's developer tools (CLI, SSH key management, secret references in .env files, Secrets Automation API) are more mature for engineering workflows. 1Password's form-fill reliability on non-standard web forms is consistently better. The browser extension UX is more polished. For personal use: Bitwarden Free is unlimited across all devices (most competitors limit free tier to one device type) — it is the best free password manager available. For teams: security-conscious organizations where open-source auditability matters → Bitwarden Enterprise at $6/user. Teams where UX polish and developer tools justify the premium → 1Password Business at $7.99/user. Most teams will be satisfied with either.
At a glance
| 1Password | Bitwarden | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 89/100 | 85/100 |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | The most loved password manager | Open source password management |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | 1Password | Bitwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Password vault | Yes | Yes |
| Browser extension | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile apps | Yes | Yes |
| Password generator | Yes | Yes |
| Secure sharing | Yes | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing 1Password means going without Self-hosting, Open source, TOTP authenticator (which Bitwarden offers). Choosing Bitwarden means losing Travel Mode, Watchtower, SSH keys. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
What company size tells you
Bitwarden (51-200 employees) has the engineering bench to ship features across many fronts but may iterate slower on individual requests. 1Password (201-500 employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose 1Password if...
- You're ready to invest from $null/mo
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Choose Bitwarden if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Frequently asked questions
Is 1Password or Bitwarden better?
1Password scores 89/100 compared to Bitwarden's 85/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — 1Password excels at ease of use (9/10) while Bitwarden scores 8/10.
How much does 1Password cost compared to Bitwarden?
1Password starts at free. Bitwarden starts at free (free tier available). 1Password is the more affordable option.
Does 1Password or Bitwarden have a free plan?
Bitwarden offers a free tier. 1Password does not — its cheapest plan starts at $null/mo.
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