Bitwarden vs. 1Password

Bitwarden maintains an open source structure, with the highest cybersecurity standard to date. This architecture is also cyclically evaluated for its effectiveness, evolving with the support of our internal experts and active global community. Bitwarden reinforces its commitment to security and transparency, even offering a bug bounty program to incentivize bug reporting. This proactive approach results in the best possible cybersecurity experience for all.

1Password: Only certain components of the 1Password ecosystem are open source; such as SDKs and passkey authentication libraries.

Bitwarden has the biggest global community compared to other password managers, verifying every step of the password management and data security process.

1Password has a limited global community, especially when compared to Bitwarden.

Bitwarden offers services across 50+ languages, and is committed to expanding its translation efforts to support (even more) global businesses.

1Password currently supports just 11 languages, making it less accessible to the global audience.

Bitwarden offers more premium features, supporting user permissions across the invitation, membership, and group view panels. Security is further enhanced by self-hosting if the user chooses. 

1Password offers limited user permission options that, at times, are walled behind certain membership tiers.

Bitwarden is one of the most compliant password managers available to date and is approved by several data privacy frameworks: AICPA SOC2 Type 2, GDPR, CCPA, and EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework(s), respectively.  

1Password is GDPR and SOC2 compliant, but the password manager offers little public insight into what other compliance certifications it has—limiting functionality for certain user classes. 

1. Open the 1Password application on your device.*

2. Click the ellipsis triple-dot bar at the top of your sidebar area.

3. Choose “Export.” 

4. Select the account you wish to export. 

5. Enter your account. 

6. Choose the desired export format. You will be able to choose between a .1pux or a .csv. 

7. Export your data. 

8. Choose the location you want to export the data to. 

9. Click “Open.” 

*Please note that we referenced the Windows export instructions from 1Password directly. Experiences may vary by operating system (OS). 

1Password’s Business plans leave a lot to be desired, especially when compared to a comprehensive solution like Bitwarden.

The Bitwarden commitment to transparency shines through in related product tiers and offers. For example, Bitwarden offers a comprehensive free tier, as well as a family plan that supports up to six users—making it an affordable option for small groups that doesn’t compromise quality of product. 

1Password paywalls most of its key features—only offering basic integrations, niched admin controls and expected end-to-end encryption. 1Password divides plans and itemizes auxiliary features such as their overall password health score perk. Overall, many users feel that Bitwarden offers better value with a simplified structure. 

Unlike Bitwarden, 1Password offers far less insight into its primary architectural structure—only designating certain elements of the structure as open source. This, coupled with the higher costs, lack of a free tier, and clunky integration options, makes Bitwarden the preferred password manager for many individuals and businesses.  

Bitwarden maintains an open source structure, and is constantly refined by users, developers, and security specialists on a global scale. This collaborative approach holds integrity high, proactively identifying new opportunities for an even better outcome with each update.

In addition to salted hashing and advanced AES-256 bit encryption, Bitwarden engages experts who conduct ongoing reviews from the dedicated Bitwarden user community. This impressive list of third-party security auditors include 

• HackerOne (crowdsourced ethical hacking).

• Insight Risk Consulting (penetration testing).

• Cure53 (source code audits).*

1Password lacks this global network of support, and does not currently have a fully open source structure in place; causing concerns for some as they transition—despite their zero-knowledge architecture. 

*See bitwarden.com/compliance for a full list of Bitwarden security and compliance materials.

As you search for other password managers, consider looking for options with a browser extension, a desktop app, and a suite of features similar to what Bitwarden offers. Users love Bitwarden because of its comprehensive features—many of them from the free plan onward. 

Here’s what tech-savvy users should look for in their search for the best password managers: 

• A secure, open source structure that prioritizes transparency and security.

• Compliance with all major frameworks, including the Data Privacy Framework, GDPR, and others.

• Self-hosted options for maximum security and control.

• Support for over 50 languages.

• Clear, straightforward, value-based pricing.