1Password Review and Test Results 2026 (Pros and Cons)

Drowning in logins, tabs, and “forgot password” emails? If you want a password manager that keeps everything neatly locked away, syncs across devices, and only opens for you, 1Password is probably already on your radar. It’s sleek, security-first, and widely trusted — but there’s one catch that could be a deal breaker for some users. Curious what it is? Jump straight to our hands-on testing to see how it really performs.

This 1Password review looks at the highs, the hiccups, and whether it’s the right match for your everyday logins. Beyond passwords, it acts as a secure vault for cards, files, and private notes, wrapped in a sleek, beginner-friendly interface.

1Password hasn’t been standing still. Recent updates add smarter phishing protection, easier device-based unlocking on Mac and Windows, native Windows 11 passkeys, and a powerful Extended Access Management tool for business users.

Before diving deeper, let’s do a quick tour of 1Password’s core features.

Website	1password.com
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Brave, and Edge
Free version	14-day trial
Encryption	AES 256-bit
Support	Chatbot, email, knowledge base
Price	From $2.99/month
Deal	14-day free trial >

Is 1Password a good fit for your digital life? Let’s break down the highs and the hiccups.

1Password pros and cons

1Password features overview

Take a look at everything 1Password has to offer:

• Cross-platform friendly: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android app, iOS app, web app, and all major browsers
• Secure password generation and sharing: Built-in password generator creates strong, random passwords, with a handy dropdown menu for customizing length and character types
• Secure notes: Keep your confidential notes and private info encrypted and accessible only to you.
• Form filling: Save time by letting 1Password enter credentials easily via autofill for sites and apps.
• Password import/export via CSV file: Quickly transfer logins from other password managers or backup your vault.
• Family accounts and premium accounts: Secure your household or team with advanced password management tools.
• Private vault, personal vault, and separate vaults: Keep sensitive logins, notes, and documents in separate, secure spaces.
• Multi-factor authentication and integration with authenticator apps: Adds extra security with TOTP codes from authenticator apps.
• Single sign on (SSO) support for business users: One login grants employees access to all connected tools.
• Standout features like Travel Mode: A handy feature for travel and credential management, including effortless vault handling.
• Data safe and strong security: Data stays encrypted on-device, in transit, and at rest using AES-256 and SRP.
• Identifies reused passwords: Flags repeated logins so you can improve security.
• Security alerts: Stay informed when your accounts need immediate attention.
• Reports and analysis: Track your overall password health with detailed breakdowns.
• Focus is on paying customers: No permanent free tier, unlike with some free password managers.
• Solid support: Customer support options include email, forums, and help center, though live chat is not available.
• Company credibility: Parent company is AgileBits, ensuring transparency and credibility.
• After-death access: Digital legacy and inheritance options for managing access after death

Who’s behind 1Password? A look at the company

1Password is developed by AgileBits, the parent company of 1Password, and was first launched in 2006 as a Mac-only app. Since then, AgileBits has grown it into a full-featured password management solution that works across all major operating systems, browsers, and mobile devices, making it easy to stay secure wherever you log in.

However, being based in Canada, a member of the Five Eyes Alliance, raises privacy concerns due to potential data sharing with international intelligence agencies. From a privacy standpoint, services in these countries can raise red flags for some users.

1Password terms of service and privacy policy

When I checked 1Password’s Terms of Service (unchanged since September 12, 2024), nothing concerning popped up. The privacy policy, last revised on January 24, 2026, is crystal clear and ticks all the boxes for Canadian privacy laws and GDPR. Best of all, AgileBits keeps things minimal — collecting only service data, secure data, and optional diagnostic data, showing a real commitment to user privacy.

Service data

Service data is the behind-the-scenes info AgileBits uses to keep 1Password running smoothly — like internal maintenance logs that stay private and are only accessed by staff when needed. This category usually contains:

• Server logs
• Billing information
• Client IP addresses
• The number of vaults you have
• The number of items in vaults
• Company or family name
• Email addresses
• Your profile name
• Any image you upload as part of your profile (optional)

Secure data

When you save something in 1Password — whether it’s a login, a private note, or any other sensitive detail — it’s wrapped up in layers of strong encryption before it ever leaves your device. Your master password never leaves your hands, and 1Password has no way of peeking inside. The heavy lifting is done with AES-GCM-256 encryption, while PBKDF2 adds an extra shield against brute-force attacks, making your data virtually impossible to crack.

Your secure data can be stored in the United States, Canada, or the European Union, depending on the 1Password domain you use. Regardless of location, your secure data remains robustly encrypted, ensuring that even if handed over to authorities, decryption is virtually impossible without the proper credentials.

Diagnostic data

When things go wrong, 1Password support might ask for a bit of diagnostic data to help figure out the issue. Rest easy, though — this never includes your secure data, and you’ll never be asked to share your master password or secret key.

1Password security audits and other third-party tests

On its Security Audits page, 1Password showcases its extensive testing as a secure password manager, including links to more than two dozen third-party security audits and other tests. This extensive testing makes us comfortable recommending their products despite being under Canadian jurisdiction. AgileBits deserves kudos for the number and variety of third-party audits they have conducted so far.

1Password apps

What started as a Mac-only tool has grown up fast — 1Password now offers an Android app, iOS app, and web app, working smoothly across every major operating system, plus browser extensions for all the big-name browsers.

1Password hands-on testing

For this review, I didn’t just skim the features — I installed 1Password for Windows directly on my test machine. The process was simple, and right away, I could start experimenting with storing credentials, using autofill, and syncing data.

Testing the Android app, iOS app, and web app gave me a solid feel for how 1Password performs across platforms. It was easy to enter credentials, form filling handled logins and payments well, and the web app made managing passwords simple. I also reviewed the customer support options, limited to help articles and email.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the whole process.

Installing 1Password

To install 1Password for Windows, start by creating an account on their website. You'll need to provide a valid email address and a credit card to begin the free 14-day trial.

During installation, 1Password generates your secret key and Emergency Kit. AgileBits assures that the secret key is generated on your device and remains unseen by them. This key, along with your password, adds an extra layer of security when signing in from new devices.

Since AgileBits doesn't have access to your secret key, it's crucial to safeguard it yourself. The Emergency Kit helps by storing all necessary account information. Ensure you download and securely store this kit, perhaps even printing a copy for added security.

For account recovery, 1Password relies on your secret key and optional recovery contacts if you get locked out.

Be sure to download the kit, and store the file in a safe place. You might even want to go so far as to print it and stash a copy in your strongbox or other secure physical location.

Setting up two-factor authentication is a breeze: Just scan a QR code with your authenticator app. Then grab the apps, browser extensions, or 1Password X from the store.

Storing passwords and info in 1Password

Once you have your account set up and the 1Password apps and extensions you want are installed, you’ll want to get your passwords and other data into 1Password. This is one place where 1Password has improved significantly since our last full review. 1Password now supports importing from many sources, and you can also use a CSV file to move data between password managers or create backups.

1Password imports passwords from other services and flags reused passwords, letting you replace them with strong random passwords via its built-in password generator.

Additionally, 1Password offers password sharing, allowing users to securely share login information with others through temporary links with various expiration options.

Adding passwords and other data by hand

The desktop app makes it easy: Choose a new item, start entering credentials, and rely on form filling to speed things up.

Once you choose a data type, form filling kicks in to handle addresses, payments, and more.

Letting 1Password capture a password itself

As you would expect from a password manager, if you install the 1Password browser extension, it can capture and store your login credentials. However, 1Password does things slightly differently. Most password managers wait for you to log into a site, then ask you if you want them to store the login credentials you used.

1Password jumps in early, offering to save your login credentials as you enter them — and even generate a random password on the spot:

Working with your secure passwords

Open 1Password. You can do this with either the desktop apps or the browser extensions, which look like this:

Separate vaults are where 1Password shines — private vaults and personal vaults help keep things clean and secure. You can search instantly, but full browsing lives in the desktop app, which takes a moment to warm up to.

1Password's password generator

1Password has a perfectly functional built-in password generator. While it lacks some of the customization options that other products have, I like its ability to generate PINs (numerals only) as well as easy-to-speak, type, and remember passwords like who-mushroom-dracula-chuckie.

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The built-in password generator lets you create random passwords right inside the extensions, or while adding a new item in the desktop app. A simple dropdown menu controls length and format, proving why a password manager like 1Password is the easiest way to create truly secure passwords.

Watchtower reports

One of the nicest features of 1Password is the Watchtower, which is available in the desktop apps. It will help you ensure that your passwords are secure. To see it, log in to 1Password.com, select a vault, then select Watchtower in the menu on the left side of the window. 1Password generates a Watchtower report, which will look something like this:

Watchtower keeps an eye on reused passwords, weak passwords, and compromised logins, helping you maintain strong security — just like other top password managers such as NordPass and Dashlane.

Using 1Password day to day

Once you are done with all the preliminaries, you are ready to see 1Password in action. Whenever you visit a web page that 1Password has data for, it will display the 1Password icon in any of the data fields it “knows.” Click on the icon to fill in all the relevant fields.

Form filling takes the hassle out of entering credentials, and when multiple logins are available, 1Password lets you pick one and fills everything in instantly.

Additional 1Password features: Extra tools and perks

Now that we’ve touched on 1Password’s core features, let’s talk about some of the additional features you might find interesting or even important.

One handy feature lets you hide vaults while traveling to keep sensitive data safe. Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection using authenticator apps, set up quickly via a QR code. Teams benefit from single sign-on (SSO) integrations with Azure AD, Google Workspace, and Okta.

Up next, we dive deeper into these extra features to see how useful they really are.

Travel Mode

One handy feature that really stands out is 1Password’s Travel Mode. It lets you mark certain vaults as travel-safe, automatically removing the rest from your device when the feature is active. If your device is inspected, only approved data is visible — a level of control that’s rare among password managers.

For the complete rundown on Travel Mode, visit this 1Password support page.

Sharing passwords

1Password supports sharing, both with other 1Password users and with outsiders. You share passwords and other data safely by sending them a link.

You can control who can access the password, how long the password will be accessible using the link, and even set the link to only be viewed once by each recipient.

User management

With 1Password’s Family plan (and multi-user business plans), you’re not dumping everyone into one shared vault. These family accounts come with separate vaults, easy management, and built-in recovery if someone forgets their master password. The families plan includes five premium accounts, with simple controls to add users and manage access.

Secure file storage: 1 GB+

Passwords aren’t the only things worth locking up. 1Password gives you secure, encrypted storage for files, too — 1 GB per person on Personal and Family plans, and a generous 5 GB+ per person on Business plans. Think of it as a digital safe deposit box for scans of passports, legal documents, or even those awkward “don’t-lose-this” spreadsheets. Everything is locked down with the same encryption that protects your vault.

365-day item history

We’ve all had that “Well, that was a mistake” moment — deleting or overwriting a password you actually needed. Thankfully, 1Password’s 365-day item history has your back. You can rewind changes, restore deleted items, and pull things out of the trash long after panic sets in. It’s basically a time machine for your vault, and it rescued us more than once during testing.

1Password’s customer support: How it stacks up

High-quality support is one of the perks you get with 1Password — and it shows. While you won’t find a free version of the product, the paid plans come backed by strong customer service. Many Trustpilot reviews highlight just how responsive and helpful the support team is, which isn’t something you see every day in this industry.

Compared with other password managers, 1Password’s customer support options are a little lean. Email, X, and community forums cover most questions, plus the Support Center has plenty of articles — but don’t expect live chat with a human agent.

On top of that, 1Password has rolled out an AI-powered assistant (chatbot) that can provide quick, on-the-spot answers to common questions. It’s a handy addition that speeds up the process when you need help fast.

Still, the customer support options mostly come down to email and community forums, and the lack of live chat is a noticeable drawback compared to competitors with more robust support.

Overall, between the AI assistant, detailed self-help resources, and responsive email support, 1Password’s customer service remains one of its strongest selling points.

How secure and private is 1Password?: A closer look

There’s a lot to like about 1Password, but what about the security and privacy of your information?

Well, 1Password is often seen as an all-in-one password manager thanks to its strong security and polished feature set. Unlike some free password managers that may compromise privacy, 1Password focuses on protecting user data and has never experienced a security breach. Its strong security features, including AES-256 encryption, make it a trusted choice for both individuals and businesses.

1Password security

1Password doesn't just meet security standards, it exceeds them. At its core lies a dual-key encryption model: Your master password combines with a unique, 128-bit secret key, both required to unlock your vault. This additional secret key layer makes brute-force attacks virtually impossible

On top of that, every piece of data is secured with AES-GCM-256, reinforced by PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 key derivation to resist relentless guessing attempts. All encryption occurs end-to-end — meaning your data is scrambled before leaving your device, and only you can decrypt it.

1Password also layers in modern security conveniences:

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can be enabled to add an extra layer of security to your account, helping protect against hacking and unauthorized access.
• Secure Remote Password (SRP) ensures your master password is never sent over the web.
• Clipboard auto-clear removes passwords you copy as soon as you're done pasting.
• Code-signature validation ensures only trusted browser extensions can access your vault.
• Auto-locking protects your vault when your device goes idle or is closed.
• Phishing protection blocks auto-fill attempts unless you’re on the exact site where the credentials were saved.
• Watchtower alerts warn you of breached or weak passwords without ever exposing your data.

In short? With its strong encryption, thoughtful safeguards, and design that keeps you in control of your keys, 1Password offers a level of security that’s modern, comprehensive, and among the best you can get.

1Password privacy

How private your data is with 1Password requires more of a conversation. 1Password does collect some personal data, and they may have to share it with third parties and governments. All this is explained in 1Password's privacy policy we have covered above.

Since 1Password isn't open-source software (unlike competitors such as Proton Pass and Bitwarden), we have to take their word for it as to what data they collect and what they do with it. But as of today, I've seen no reason to doubt them on this. Besides, the extensive amount of third-party testing they have done seems to back up their claims nicely.

Lastly, remember that all data stored in 1Password is heavily encrypted, above and beyond the norm. AgileBits states that they never see your master password or your secret key. This means that they have no way to decode your data. This ensures the privacy of your data, even if some government agency forces AgileBits to hand over your (encrypted) data files.

1Password plans and pricing: Is it worth the cost?

While 1Password has plans for different users, it skips the free tier entirely. There’s no free version here — only paying customers can use the full feature set, and Premium accounts come with extras reserved strictly for premium users.

1Password plans	Individual	Family	Teams Starter Pack (up to 10 users)	Business
1-month	$4.99/month	$7.99/month	$24.95/month	$9.99/user/month
1-year	$2.99/month	$4.49/month	$19.95/month	$7.99/user/month

Deal: Get the best deal on 1Password's yearly plans >

The 1Password “Family” plan supports up to five family members. For this price, you get everything in the single-user version, a management console for the family, the ability to recover locked family member accounts, and more.

Got a big family? You can invite additional members to join the plan for $1 per person per month.

There are also “Teams” plans, “Business” plans, and “Enterprise” plans, which you can learn more about on the 1Password website.

See all 1Password prices here >

1Password review video

Conclusion: The good, the bad, and the value of 1Password

1Password does a solid job of keeping your digital life secure while staying easy to use every day. It syncs your passwords and sensitive info across all your devices, packs in clever features, and comes at a fair price — just $2.99/month when billed annually ($35.88/year).

We especially love Travel Mode, which temporarily hides vaults when you cross borders — perfect for jetsetters. And in 2026, 1Password has become a true Passkey leader, letting you go almost completely passwordless on many sites — a standout feature that few other password managers can match.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the highlights:

• ✅ Works across all major operating systems and browsers with near-perfect feature parity
• ✅ Flexible plans for individuals, families, and businesses
• ✅ Strong encryption plus the Secret Key for extra protection
• ✅ Watchtower alerts for weak, reused, or compromised passwords
• ✅ Pasted Login Phishing Defense warns you before pasting credentials into suspicious sites
• ✅ AI-assisted support can solve most issues instantly or escalate to priority email

But it’s not all perfect:

• ❌ No free tier — just a 14-day trial
• ❌ Human support is gated behind an AI chatbot, which can slow down complex requests
• ❌ Based in a Five Eyes country (Canada), though Zero-Knowledge encryption ensures your data can’t be read even if requested
• ❌ Slight interface learning curve remains for total newcomers, though unified design across platforms has mostly solved this

The bottom line? 1Password is a powerhouse password manager for individuals and families who want strong security, smooth syncing, and cutting-edge features like Passkeys. The 14-day trial lets you kick the tires before committing — so you can see if it fits your workflow.

And if you want to check some of 1Password’s competitors first, here is the full list of our password manager content:

• Bitwarden Review
• LastPass Review
• KeePass Review
• NordPass Review
• Dashlane Review
• Best Password Managers
• How to Create Strong Passwords

1Password FAQ

Is 1Password better than Bitwarden or Proton Pass?

It depends on whether you prefer a luxury armored vault or a high-quality toolkit. 1Password is the “Apple” of password managers — it’s more polished, offers the unique Secret Key for uncrackable encryption, and provides a much smoother experience for families and non-techies.

While Bitwarden is the hero for open-source fans on a budget, and Proton Pass is great for those already in the Proton ecosystem, 1Password’s 2026 updates to phishing defense and passkey handling keep it a step ahead in pure usability and “peace of mind” security.

How does 1Password Travel Mode work when I cross borders?

Think of it as a digital invisibility cloak for your most sensitive data. When you toggle Travel Mode on from your web dashboard, 1Password physically removes any vault not marked as “Safe for Travel” from all your devices. If a border agent asks to see your phone, those sensitive work or financial vaults simply aren't there to be found. Once you’ve cleared customs and are sipping a coffee at your destination, one click in your settings restores everything instantly — it’s like they never left.

Can I share passwords with someone who doesn't use 1Password?

Yes, you can securely “teleport” a login to anyone using the secure sharing feature. You don't have to force your friends or coworkers to sign up for an account; you simply generate a secure, encrypted link that allows them to view the credential. You can even set these links to self-destruct after a single view or expire after an hour, ensuring your Netflix password (or more importantly, your Wi-Fi key) doesn't live forever in someone else's chat history.

Will Watchtower alert me if my email is in a 2026 data breach?

It proactively cross-references your emails and logins against the Have I Been Pwned database and alerts you the second a breach is detected. It even goes a step further by identifying which of your accounts are still using old-school passwords so you can upgrade them to Passkeys before a hacker even tries to knock on your door.

Can 1Password stop phishing attacks if I paste my password?

As of the 2026 update, 1Password now acts as a safety net even when you’re about to make a manual mistake. While the browser extension has always refused to autofill on suspicious sites, the new Pasted Login Phishing Defense detects when you try to manually paste a password into a domain that doesn't match your vault. You’ll get a bright “Stop!” warning if the site is a known phishing lookalike, preventing you from accidentally handing your keys to a scammer on a silver platter.