1Password vs Bitwarden

1Password and Bitwarden are both excellent password managers. One is polished and premium. The other is open source and cheaper. Here is how they compare.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

1Password

Premium password manager with polished UX and Watchtower

$7.99/user/moper user/month, billed annually (Business)

Strengths

+Best-in-class user interface across all platforms
+Watchtower proactively alerts you to breaches and weak passwords
+Travel Mode hides sensitive vaults when crossing borders

Weaknesses

-No free tier - the cheapest plan is $2.99/mo for individuals (billed annually)
-Not open source - you have to trust their security claims
-More expensive than Bitwarden at every tier

Best for

Teams that want the most polished password management experience and are willing to pay a premium for it.

Bitwarden

Open source password manager with a capable free tier

$4/user/moper user/month, billed annually (Teams)

Strengths

+Open source - anyone can audit the code
+Free tier covers everything an individual needs
+Self-hostable for organizations that want full control

Weaknesses

-UI is functional but less polished than 1Password
-Autofill can be slightly less reliable in edge cases
-Admin console is not as intuitive for team management

Best for

Cost-conscious teams and privacy advocates who want an open source, auditable password manager that does not cut corners on security.

Feature Comparison

Feature	1Password	Bitwarden
Pricing (Teams/Business)	$7.99/user/mo	$4/user/mo
Free tier	No	Yes, full-featured
Open source	No	Yes
Self-hosting	No	Yes
Breach monitoring	Watchtower (excellent)	Vault health reports
Travel Mode	Yes	No
Browser extension	Excellent	Good
Passkey support	Yes	Yes
Secure sharing	Shared vaults	Send + shared vaults
CLI tool	Yes	Yes, more flexible

The Verdict

Both are genuinely good - you will not regret picking either one. 1Password is the better experience if you do not mind paying more. Bitwarden is the smarter financial choice and the right pick if open source and self-hosting matter to you. For most teams, the roughly 50% savings with Bitwarden is hard to ignore when the core functionality is the same.

How to switch from 1Password to Bitwarden

Full 1Password export guide →

1Export your data from 1Password: open the desktop app, go to File > Export, choose the vault, and save it as a 1PUX file (1Password's native export format that preserves item types and attachments better than CSV).
2Create a Bitwarden account and, if migrating a team, set up your Organization first so you can import directly into shared collections.
3In Bitwarden's web vault, go to Tools > Import Data, select '1Password (1pux)' as the format, and upload the exported file.
4Manually review and recreate anything the import missed - Travel Mode configurations, Watchtower-flagged items, and any 1Password-specific automations like Secrets Automation for CI/CD pipelines.
5Reinstall browser extensions and mobile apps, sign into Bitwarden, and disable/uninstall 1Password's autofill so the two don't conflict during the transition.
6Cut over the team by inviting members to the Bitwarden Organization, assigning them to collections, and setting a firm date to revoke 1Password licenses to stop billing.

1Password vs Bitwarden: common questions

How do I export my data from 1Password to move to Bitwarden?+

In the 1Password desktop app, go to File > Export, select the vault, and export it as a 1PUX file (or CSV as a fallback). 1PUX preserves item types, folders, and attachments better than CSV, so use it whenever possible.

What features do I lose by switching from 1Password to Bitwarden?+

You lose Travel Mode (hiding vaults when crossing borders) and Watchtower's more polished breach-monitoring dashboard - Bitwarden's vault health reports cover similar ground but are less proactive. You'll also give up 1Password's smoother autofill and more refined mobile apps.

Is Bitwarden's free tier enough for a small team, or do we need to pay?+

Bitwarden's free tier is unlimited for individuals but does not include shared organizational vaults, so a team needs at least the paid Teams plan ($4/user/mo billed annually) to share logins securely. If you only need personal password management with no team sharing, free is enough.

Does Bitwarden integrate with the same tools as 1Password?+

Both support browser extensions for all major browsers, CLI tools, and SSO/SCIM provisioning on their business tiers (Okta, Azure AD, etc.). 1Password has more polished native integrations with tools like Slack and 1Password's own Secrets Automation for DevOps, while Bitwarden leans on its open API and CLI for custom integrations.

How much do we actually save switching from 1Password to Bitwarden over time?+

At $7.99 vs $4 per user/month, a 10-person team saves about $479 per year (roughly $47.88 vs $48 - recalculated: $958.80 vs $480 annually), or right around 50% on licensing costs. Savings compound further if some users only need the free tier instead of a paid seat.