Bitwarden is free with no device limits, while 1Password costs $2.99/mo and has no free tier, so the decision is made for most people before they read the feature comparison.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Bitwarden | 1Password |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free available | No free tier |
| Paid price | $0.83/mo USD | $2.99/mo USD |
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 + Secret Key |
| Mfa | ||
| Passkey Support | ||
| Travel Mode | ||
| Secure Notes | ||
| Emergency Access | Premium only | |
| Browser Extensions | All major browsers | All major browsers |
| Biometric Unlock | ||
| Self Hosting | ||
| Open source | ||
| SSO support | Business plan only | |
| Offline Access | — | |
| Score | 8/10 | 9/10 |
Bitwarden
8
1Password
9
Runner-up
Bitwarden wins on value because its free tier is the best of any major password manager and Premium costs almost nothing at $10/year. 1Password is more polished, has more accurate browser extension filling, and offers deeper security architecture, but Bitwarden covers what most users need at no cost.
The Free Tier Gap
Bitwarden's free tier covers unlimited passwords across unlimited devices with sync, without one-device limits or expiry. A Cure53 security audit in 2022 found no critical vulnerabilities in the apps, browser extensions, or server code, and the audit is publicly available.
1Password has no free tier, only a 14-day trial before the $2.99/mo subscription begins, so the comparison ends there for many users.
Security Architecture
1Password's Secret Key is a differentiator because your vault needs both your master password and a locally generated 34-character key to decrypt. Even a full server breach at 1Password would yield nothing useful without the Secret Key.
Bitwarden uses AES-256 with standard client-side encryption, the same secure algorithm used across the industry, but unlike 1Password, it does not add a second factor to the decryption key. This distinction is academic for most personal use cases, though it is not for high-value targets.
UI and Polish
1Password is noticeably more polished, with more accurate browser extension filling on complex sites that use non-standard form fields. Its desktop apps are faster and better designed, while Bitwarden's functional UI has not reached the same level of refinement.
That polish is the main reason to pay for 1Password after trying Bitwarden.
Developer Features
Both have CLI tools, but 1Password's is more mature, with Terraform and GitHub Actions integrations for managing secrets in CI/CD pipelines, while Bitwarden's ecosystem is smaller.
Bitwarden has the edge for self-hosting because its official Docker setup and the community Vaultwarden fork give you full control over your data. 1Password is cloud-only.