NordPass and 1Password are among the best choices when it comes to top password management solutions. While both solutions share similar functions—to help internet users create, save, manage, and use passwords across different online services—their features and capabilities differ.
NordPass is great for individuals and families with an option for free and budget-friendly long-term plans, an easy-to-use interface, and full mobile features. 1Password offers tools such as tags and categories for organizing passwords, plus Travel Mode for on-the-go security and Watchtower for actionable alerts.
Given their similarities, how do you make a choice between the two? In this article, I compare NordPass vs 1Password to help you choose the best password manager for you and your organization’s needs.
NordPass vs 1Password: Comparison table
The table below summarizes and compares the key features offered by both password managers.
| Our Rating | ||
| Self-hosted authenticator app | ||
| Two-factor authentication | ||
| Passkey support | ||
| Single Sign-on (SSO) | ||
| Free plan available | ||
| VPN | ||
| Starting price | ||
| Free trial | ||
| Money-back guarantee | ||
| Dark Web monitoring | ||
| Number of devices | ||
| Passkey support | ||
| Alerts and reporting | ||
| Encryption type | ||
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NordPass and 1Password: Pricing
NordPass has two usage tiers, each with three subscription plans: Personal & Family and Business.
Personal & Family
- Free Plan: Restricted features for one user per session and includes a 30-day Premium trial.
- Premium Plan: $1.89/user/month billed annually or $1.59/user/month for two years; includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Family Plan: $3.69/user/month billed annually or $2.79/user/month for two years; includes a 30-day money-back guarantee and supports up to 6 users.
Business
- Teams: $1.99/user/month billed annually or $1.79/user/month every two years for up to 10 users.
- Business: $3.99/user/month billed annually or $3.59/user/month every two years; supports 5 to 250 users.
- Enterprise: $5.99/user/month billed annually or $5.39/user/month billed every two years. It includes six extra months when subscribed for either of the billing cycles; supports unlimited users.
1Password has four subscription tiers: Individuals, Families, Teams Starter Pack, Business, and Enterprise.
- Individual: Starts at $2.99 per user per month when billed annually; $3.99 for a monthly plan; supports one user on unlimited devices.
- Families: $4.99 per user per month when billed annually; $6.95 for a monthly plan; supports up to five users.
- Teams Starter Pack: $19.95 per user per month when billed annually and monthly; supports up to 10 users.
- Business: $7.99 per user per month when billed annually; $9.99 for a monthly plan.
- Enterprise: Contact 1Password for quote.
NordPass vs 1Password: Key Features
NordPass and 1Password both offer a comprehensive set of features for secure password management. Let’s see how they compare.
Encryption
Winner: NordPass
NordPass and 1Password excel in security offerings. Both offer strong encryption and multi-factor authentication. NordPass uses XChaCha20 encryption, which supports two different lengths of keys, with the 256-bit encryption being the strongest.
1Password offers AES-256 encryption, which encrypts data in fixed-size blocks (128 bits in the case of AES-256), using a complex algorithm to transform the data. I appreciate how both NordPass and 1Password offer a zero-knowledge structure and prioritize user privacy in their respective services. In my view, however, NordPass has an edge with its innovative encryption choice.
I give NordPass the point for its implementation of XChaCha20 — a newer and more modern encryption algorithm. While AES-256 in 1Password is certainly secure, I appreciate NordPass going the extra mile in making sure their password management service is future proof, especially as threat actors and hackers continue to evolve.
SEE: NordPass Free vs Premium: Is it Worth the Upgrade? (TechRepublic)
Monitoring
Winner: 1Password
NordPass uses a Breach Scanner, which is a built-in NordPass Premium feature that automatically scans leaked databases and compares them to items saved in your vault. If any of my email addresses, passwords, or credit card details had been leaked, NordPass would list them, highlighting which breaches could affect me the most.
In comparison, 1Password employs Watchtower, a feature that enables you to see if any of your passwords have appeared in data breaches. It also flags weak or duplicate passwords and websites where you can turn on two-factor authentication.
Of the two, I slightly prefer 1Password’s Watchtower feature. This is due to it having both data breach scanning and convenient password health functionality. To NordPass’ credit, it also has a dedicated Password Health feature in a separate tab. However, I like how 1Password conveniently integrates both breach scanning and password strength scoring into a single, integrated dashboard.
SEE: Top 1Password Alternatives for 2024 (TechRepublic)
Password sharing and history
Winner: NordPass
Looking at its password sharing and history capabilities, I give NordPass the win. NordPass and 1Password both offer secure password sharing in encrypted vaults. 1Password facilitates password sharing through vaults and links available on Teams and Business plans. NordPass offers free link-based sharing for 24 hours and allows paid users to share passwords and passkeys within their vaults. Users can give full access or limit the access shared.
To me, having linked-based sharing at no cost is a big advantage on NordPass’ part. This makes it a very accessible entry-level password manager that doesn’t compromise on basic functionality.
Both password managers support a password history feature that allows you to view your previous passwords. For NordPass, this feature can be used to review your past passwords, revert to previous versions and track the timeline of any changes made to them. 1Password also comes with this feature, allowing users to easily view, restore and track changes made to passwords on different vaults.
Password generator
Winner: Tie
When looking at their respective password generators, I found NordPass and 1Password can serve most users well and had no trouble quickly generating secure passwords.
Using strong, complex passwords helps protect accounts from unauthorized access and potential security threats. 1Password’s strong password generator offers 20-character Smart Passwords, customizable length, and Memorable Passwords. I really like how 1Password also lets you create up to 12-digit PINs.
Meanwhile, NordPass defaults to 12-character unique passwords with customization options encompassing letters, numbers, symbols, and mixed cases. If needed, you can extend the password to up to 60 characters — which I find to be a bit overkill but is a nice option to have.
SEE: NordPass Review (2024): Is it a Safe Password Manager? (TechRepublic)
Device support and browser extensions
Winner: Tie
Once again, I have both NordPass and 1Password scoring a tie in terms of device support and browser compatibility. Either choice brings wide support for operating systems and devices commonly used today.
Both NordPass and 1Password support unlimited devices except the free version of NordPass, which supports only one sign-in per session. The two password managers work seamlessly on Windows, Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS. 1Password supports Single Sign-On (SSO), which simplifies the process of logging into sites or applications that have different login options, like Google, Facebook, etc.
SEE: How to Create an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program (TechRepublic Premium)
NordPass also supports SSO and offers quality Android and iOS apps with features like an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scanner, which allows users to upload their credit card details and notes. Also, both NordPass and 1Password offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, ensuring seamless password management across various web browsing environments.
Value
Winner: NordPass
If you’re on a tighter budget, I found NordPass to be the better choice. Looking at each provider’s starting price, NordPass has the more affordable package with its Premium Plan at $1.89 per month, compared to 1Password’s Individual subscription at $2.99.
NordPass also has two-year plan options that bring lower monthly fees than the annual plan. In contrast, 1Password has a monthly and annual subscription option. If you don’t mind locking in for longer than a year, NordPass’ two-year plan will bring you more cost savings.
Aside from that, NordPass currently offers a fully-free version, while 1Password doesn’t. I envision this to be useful for individuals who are interested in trying password managers but don’t want any strings attached.
SEE: Best Free Password Managers for 2024 (TechRepublic)
To 1Password’s credit, it offers a generous 14-day free trial for all its paid plans, except for its Enterprise subscription.
NordPass pros and cons
Below are pros and cons to consider when reviewing NordPass:
Pros
- Advanced encryption method.
- Easy-to-use interface.
- Zero-knowledge policy.
- VPN for Wi-Fi security.
- Money-back guarantee.
- Android and IOS apps with OCR scanner.
- Free version available.
- Offers 30-day Premium trial.
- Unlimited device connection for paid users.
- Biometric authentication available.
- Offers live chat support.
- Data Breach Scanner for web monitoring.
- Password health checkup.
- Variety of plans and pricing options.
Cons
- The free version is limited to only one device.
- Auto-fill requires some tweaks to work on mobile.
- Limited password sorting and filtering.
1Password pros and cons
Here are some positives and drawbacks that come with using 1Password:
Pros
- Travel Mode for cloud-free WiFi sync.
- Work on all devices and major web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and Safari.
- 1Password Watchtower for monitoring logins and highlighting any weak or reused passwords.
- Offers a desktop app.
- Offers 14-day free trial across the pricing plans except Enterprise.
Cons
- The user interface can be a bit overwhelming for new users.
- No free plan.
- No VPN support.
- No online chat for customer service.
Methodology
To compare NordPass and 1Password, I conducted a comprehensive test on the two password managers. I downloaded the apps on various platforms, including my Android device, Windows PC and added the extensions to Chrome. This allowed me to assess the user interface and how each runs on different operating systems and browsers. While both worked well on my devices, I noticed that NordPass auto-fill needed extra configuration to work on my Android device.
Additionally, I also read through the product pages for information on pricing and feature descriptions.
Check out our full reviews of NordPass and 1Password.
Should your organization use NordPass or 1Password?
After matching up these two quality password managers, I have NordPass coming out on top. NordPass’ XChaCha20 encryption, which is stronger, faster, and more resource-efficient — and its built-in VPN — makes it an ideal choice for organizations that value security but have a limited budget for another VPN solution. I especially appreciate NordPass’ affordable and varied subscription options, as well as its easy-to-access free version.
On the other hand, I’m confident that large enterprises will find 1Password an appealing option due to its robust security features and scalable business pricing. The platform’s broad range of third-party integrations, compatibility with desktop applications, and support for Intune and GPO deployment contribute to enhanced administrative controls for enterprises.