WorkOS vs 1Password

WorkOS and 1Password solve different problems — one is auth infrastructure for your product, the other is a password vault for your team. Here's how they actually compare and when each one makes sense.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

WorkOS

Enterprise-ready auth, SSO, and directory sync for B2B SaaS apps.

Freeup to 1M MAUs, then usage-based

Strengths

+Free User Management API for up to 1M monthly active users
+Prebuilt SSO integrations with 30+ identity providers (Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace)
+Directory Sync (SCIM) for automatic user provisioning/deprovisioning

Weaknesses

-Not a password manager or vault — it's developer infrastructure you integrate into your own app
-SSO/Directory Sync pricing jumps to $125 per connection/month after the first free connection
-Requires engineering time to implement; not a plug-and-play tool for non-developers

Best for

SaaS companies that need to sell to enterprise customers requiring SSO and SCIM provisioning.

1Password

Password manager and digital vault for teams to securely store and share credentials.

$19.95/month flat (Teams Starter Pack, up to 10 users)

Strengths

+Simple, end-to-end encrypted vaults for passwords, API keys, and secure notes
+Business plan includes SSO login, provisioning, and admin controls
+Apps and browser extensions for every platform, including CLI

Weaknesses

-Not built for adding login/SSO to your own product — no customer-facing auth APIs
-No permanent free tier for teams, only a 14-day trial
-Per-user pricing scales cost as your team grows

Best for

Teams that need a secure place to store and share their own internal passwords and secrets.

Feature Comparison

Feature	WorkOS	1Password
Core purpose	Auth-as-a-service API for building login/SSO into your product	Password manager/vault for storing team credentials
Free tier	Free up to 1M MAUs for User Management	14-day free trial only, no permanent free tier for teams
SSO for your product's customers	Yes — prebuilt SSO connections (SAML, OIDC) for 30+ identity providers	No — not an SSO provider for your own app
SSO login into the tool itself	N/A — WorkOS is the SSO provider layer	Yes, on Business and Enterprise plans via SCIM bridge
Directory sync / SCIM provisioning	Yes — dedicated Directory Sync product	Yes, on Business plan
Secrets/API key storage	No	Yes — vaults for API keys, SSH keys, secure notes
CLI/CI-CD secrets injection	No	Yes, via 1Password CLI and Connect Server
Audit logs	Yes — Audit Logs API	Yes, on Business and Enterprise plans
Pricing model	Usage-based (MAUs, per SSO/Directory Sync connection)	Per-user, flat monthly/annual billing
Implementation effort	Requires developer integration into your codebase	Install app/browser extension, no coding required

The Verdict

WorkOS and 1Password aren't real substitutes — WorkOS is infrastructure you embed to sell SSO and provisioning to your enterprise customers, while 1Password is a vault your own team uses to store passwords and secrets. Most companies that use WorkOS still need something like 1Password internally, and vice versa. If you're trying to secure your team's own logins cheaply and fast, 1Password wins; if you're shipping SSO as a feature to your customers, WorkOS is the only real option here.

How to switch from WorkOS to 1Password

1Export your user, organization, and SSO connection data from the WorkOS Dashboard (or via the Users API) as JSON/CSV to keep a backup before making changes.
2Audit which WorkOS features you actually use — if it's only SSO/Directory Sync for your product's customers, know that 1Password cannot replace that; only proceed if you need internal password/secrets storage for your own team.
3Create a 1Password Business account and import existing passwords using 1Password's CSV or 1PIF importer from your prior password manager (Chrome, LastPass, etc.) — WorkOS holds no password data to import.
4Recreate any secrets automation (API keys, CI/CD credentials) using 1Password's CLI or Connect Server instead of custom code built around WorkOS.
5If you still need customer-facing SSO for enterprise clients, keep WorkOS active in parallel — 1Password does not cover that use case.
6Once confirmed unnecessary, deprovision unused WorkOS SSO or Directory Sync connections to stop being billed for them.

WorkOS vs 1Password: common questions

How do I export my data from WorkOS before switching?+

WorkOS lets you export user records, organizations, and SSO connection configs as JSON via the Dashboard or the Users/Organizations API. There's no vault data to migrate since WorkOS never stores end-user passwords — it only manages authentication flows, so the 'export' is really a config backup, not a password migration.

What do we lose by switching from WorkOS to 1Password?+

You lose customer-facing SSO and SCIM provisioning entirely — 1Password has no equivalent feature for authenticating users into your own product. If your app relies on WorkOS for enterprise login, you'll need to keep WorkOS running alongside 1Password, since they cover different jobs.

Is 1Password's free tier enough for a small team?+

1Password doesn't offer a permanent free tier for teams, only a 14-day free trial. After that, a team of even 2-3 people needs the $19.95/month Teams Starter Pack (covers up to 10 users), so budget for that cost from day one.

Does 1Password integrate with our existing identity provider like WorkOS did?+

Yes, on the Business plan ($7.99/user/month annual) 1Password supports SSO via Okta, Azure AD, and Google Workspace, plus SCIM provisioning. But this only authenticates users into 1Password itself — it doesn't provide SSO for your product's customers the way WorkOS does.

How does the cost compare over a year for a 10-person team?+

1Password Teams Starter Pack runs $19.95/month flat for up to 10 users ($239.40/year), or Business at $7.99/user/month annual ($958.80/year for 10 users). WorkOS stays free for User Management up to 1M MAUs, but each SSO or Directory Sync connection beyond the first free one costs $125/month ($1,500/year per connection) — so total cost depends entirely on how many enterprise customer connections you need.