TL;DR: Bitwarden is the best value: its free plan stores unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, and Premium is $19.80 a year. Proton Pass has the most generous free plan for privacy fans (unlimited logins plus 10 hide-my-email aliases) and Pass Plus costs $35.88 a year. 1Password has no free plan, costs $47.88 a year at its regular price ($35.88 in a first-year promotion at the time of writing), and is the most polished choice for families who want it to “just work.” All three support passkeys and two-factor codes on paid plans.
Last updated: October 23, 2026. Prices checked on bitwarden.com, 1password.com and proton.me in USD.
If you’re comparing Bitwarden vs 1Password, Proton Pass is now the third name on almost every shortlist. All three encrypt your vault so the company can’t read it, and all three work on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the major browsers. The real differences are price, free plans, family sharing and extras. This comparison is built from each company’s published pricing and feature pages; we haven’t run our own security audit or speed tests.
Which is better: Bitwarden, 1Password or Proton Pass?
Bitwarden is best for most people on a budget, 1Password is best for families who want the smoothest experience, and Proton Pass is best if you want email aliases and a privacy-focused ecosystem. The table below sums up each one’s published plans.
| Bitwarden | 1Password | Proton Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes: unlimited passwords, unlimited devices | No (14-day free trial) | Yes: unlimited logins, unlimited devices, 10 aliases |
| Individual paid plan | Premium: $1.65/mo, billed $19.80/yr | Individual: $3.99/mo billed yearly ($47.88); $2.99/mo first-year promo | Pass Plus: $2.99/mo billed $35.88/yr ($4.99 monthly) |
| Family plan | Families: $3.99/mo, billed $47.88/yr, up to 6 users | Families: $5.99/mo billed yearly ($71.88), you plus up to 5 members; $4.49/mo promo | Pass Family: $4.99/mo billed $59.88/yr, up to 6 users |
| Built-in 2FA codes (TOTP) | Premium | Yes | Pass Plus |
| File storage | 5 GB (Premium) | 1 GB per user | 10 GB (Pass Plus) |
| Passkeys | Yes | Yes | Yes, on all plans |
| Email aliases | Integrates alias services | Not built in | Built in (10 free, unlimited on Plus) |
| Open source | Yes | No | Yes |
Sources: Bitwarden pricing, 1Password personal pricing, Proton Pass pricing, read October 23, 2026. Taxes not included.
How much do Bitwarden, 1Password and Proton Pass cost?
Per year, Bitwarden Premium costs $19.80, Proton Pass Plus costs $35.88 and 1Password Individual costs $47.88 at its regular price. Bitwarden’s pricing page lists Premium at “$1.65 per month, billed annually at $19.80.” Proton lists Pass Plus at “$2.99 /month,” “billed at $35.88 every 12 months,” or $4.99 if you pay monthly.
1Password’s page says its Individual plan’s regular price is “$3.99 per month” and Families is “$5.99 per month” with annual billing. At the time of writing (October 23, 2026), 1Password is running a limited-time promotion for new customers: $2.99 and $4.49 a month “for the first 12 months.” Promotional prices change often, so check the current offer at checkout and expect the regular price from year two.
| Plan | Bitwarden | 1Password (regular) | Proton Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| One person, 1 year | $19.80 | $47.88 | $35.88 |
| One person, 3 years | $59.40 | $143.64 | $107.64 |
| Family, 1 year | $47.88 (6 users) | $71.88 (you + 5) | $59.88 (6 users) |
Prices at the time of writing (October 23, 2026). 1Password column shows regular prices, not the promotional first-year rates.
For UK readers: all three sell in other currencies, and checkout shows your local price plus VAT. We’ve quoted USD because that’s what each pricing page showed us.
Which password manager has the best free plan?
Bitwarden and Proton Pass both have genuinely usable free plans; 1Password doesn’t have one. Bitwarden’s free tier includes “unlimited devices, unlimited passwords,” apps for browser, mobile and desktop, and sharing with one other user. Proton’s free tier includes “unlimited logins, notes and credit cards,” unlimited devices, passkey support and 10 hide-my-email aliases.
1Password offers a 14-day free trial of Individual or Families with “no credit card required,” then you have to pay.
If you’ve been using your browser’s built-in password saver and want to move up for free, Bitwarden Free or Proton Pass Free is the easy first step.
Is Bitwarden or 1Password more secure?
Both use end-to-end encryption, so the company can’t see your vault; the difference is mostly in design, not strength. 1Password adds a Secret Key, a second secret generated on your device that’s combined with your account password, so a stolen password alone can’t unlock your data. 1Password says it is “independently audited by third party security experts.”
Bitwarden and Proton Pass are open source, meaning anyone can inspect the code. Bitwarden and Proton both publish third-party audits on their sites. In practice, the biggest risk for any password manager user is a weak or reused master password. Pick a long passphrase and turn on two-factor authentication for the password manager itself.
Do they support passkeys?
Yes. All three can store and sign in with passkeys. Bitwarden lists “sign in with a passkey,” 1Password lists “two-factor authentication, biometrics, passkeys,” and Proton says passkeys are “supported on all devices” even on its free plan.
A passkey replaces a password with a cryptographic key that can’t be phished. If you’re new to them, read our guide: Passkeys explained: can they be hacked, shared or moved?
Can they replace my authenticator app?
Yes, on paid plans. Bitwarden Premium includes an “integrated authenticator (TOTP)” that creates “six-digit, timed passcodes.” 1Password includes TOTP codes on its plans. Proton Pass Plus includes a “built-in 2FA authenticator.”
Keeping passwords and 2FA codes in one app is convenient, but it puts both factors in one place. Many security-minded users keep 2FA in a separate authenticator app. Bitwarden also offers a free standalone Authenticator app that needs no account. For a deeper look at 2FA options, see is SMS 2FA safe?
Which is best for families?
Bitwarden Families is the cheapest at $47.88 a year for six people; 1Password Families is the most polished at $71.88. Bitwarden’s plan includes “a shared vault for six users” and 5 GB of family storage. Proton Pass Family covers six users with an admin panel for $59.88 a year.
1Password Families lets you “invite up to 5 family members” and “share unlimited vaults,” with simple admin controls. Its recovery options for locked-out family members are a common reason families choose it.
What does Proton Pass do that the others don’t?
Hide-my-email aliases. Proton Pass creates a unique forwarding email address for each sign-up, so if one site leaks or sells your address, you can turn that alias off. The free plan includes 10 aliases; Pass Plus includes unlimited aliases plus dark web monitoring.
Aliases cut down on spam and make data breaches less damaging. They pair well with our guide to removing your personal info from the internet for free. If you already pay for Proton Mail or Proton Unlimited ($9.99/mo billed yearly), Pass Plus features are included.
Verdict
| You want… | Pick |
|---|---|
| The best free password manager | Bitwarden Free (or Proton Pass Free) |
| The cheapest paid plan | Bitwarden Premium, $19.80/yr |
| Email aliases and privacy tools | Proton Pass Plus, $35.88/yr |
| The smoothest family setup | 1Password Families, $71.88/yr |
| Open-source code | Bitwarden or Proton Pass |
Any of the three is a big upgrade over reusing passwords. Start with Bitwarden or Proton Pass free; pay for 1Password if your family values ease of use over price.
FAQ
Is Bitwarden better than 1Password?
For value, yes: Bitwarden has a free plan and Premium costs $19.80 a year, versus $47.88 for 1Password Individual at regular price. 1Password is more polished and adds a Secret Key, but has no free plan.
Is Proton Pass free?
Yes. Proton Pass Free includes unlimited logins, notes and cards, unlimited devices, passkeys and 10 hide-my-email aliases. Pass Plus costs $2.99 a month billed yearly ($35.88).
Does 1Password have a free version?
No. 1Password offers a 14-day free trial of its Individual and Families plans, with no credit card required, then a paid subscription.
Which password manager is cheapest for families?
Bitwarden Families at $47.88 a year for up to six users. Proton Pass Family costs $59.88 a year for six users, and 1Password Families costs $71.88 a year at regular price.
Do Bitwarden, 1Password and Proton Pass support passkeys?
Yes. All three can save and use passkeys, and Proton supports them on its free plan.
Can I move my passwords from one to another?
Yes. All three support importing from other password managers and browsers; export from the old one, import into the new one, then securely delete the export file.
Sources checked October 23, 2026: bitwarden.com/pricing, 1password.com/pricing/personal, proton.me/pass/pricing. Prices in USD before tax. We haven’t run our own security audits of these products.
