1Password Review: Is This Password Manager Worth It in 2025?

Look, I'll be honest with you right from the start. I've been using password managers for about eight years now, and I've tried pretty much all of them. Some were terrible. Some were just okay. And a few actually made me wonder how I ever lived without them.

1Password falls into that last category, but that doesn't mean it's perfect for everyone. So let's dig into whether this thing is actually worth your money in 2025, because spoiler alert: it's not free, and that alone might be a dealbreaker for some of you.

Why I Even Started Looking at 1Password

Here's the thing about passwords. We all know we're supposed to use different ones for every site. We all know they should be long and complicated. And yet, how many of us are still using some variation of our dog's name plus a couple of numbers? Yeah, I thought so.

I finally got serious about password security after a friend had their email hacked. The hacker got into their bank account, their social media, everything. It was a complete nightmare that took months to sort out. That was my wake-up call.

1Password caught my attention because it's been around since 2006. In tech years, that's ancient. Companies that survive that long usually do so for good reasons.

The Security Stuff (Without Getting Too Technical)

Okay, I know security talk can get boring fast, but stick with me for a minute because this is actually important.

1Password uses something called AES-256 encryption. That's the same level banks and governments use. But here's what really matters: your passwords get encrypted on your device before they ever leave it. That means even 1Password employees can't see your passwords. Like, literally cannot access them even if they wanted to.

Now, here's where 1Password does something a bit different from other password managers. When you first set up your account, they give you this thing called a Secret Key. It's basically a really long, random string of letters and numbers. You need both your master password AND this Secret Key to get into your account.

I'm not gonna lie, this annoyed me at first. It felt like an extra hassle. But then I realized what it actually means: even if someone somehow got my master password, they still couldn't get into my vault without that Secret Key. That's pretty clever.

The catch? You absolutely cannot lose that Secret Key. I mean it. If you lose both your master password and your Secret Key, your account is gone forever. 1Password can't reset it because they designed the system so they literally don't have access. I printed mine out and put it in a safe. Some people think that's overkill. I think it's better than losing access to all my passwords forever.

Actually Using the Thing Day to Day

Security is great and all, but if something is a pain to use, you're just not going to use it. I've tried password managers that were so clunky I gave up after a week.

1Password gets this mostly right. Once you've got it set up (which takes maybe 15 minutes), it just kind of fades into the background until you need it.

On Your Computer

The browser extension is where you'll use it most. You go to log in to a site, and 1Password pops up suggesting your login. Click it, and boom, you're in. Or you can use a keyboard shortcut if you're into that. Works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, all the main browsers.

Does it work perfectly 100% of the time? No. Some websites have weird login forms that confuse it. Maybe once or twice a week, I have to manually copy and paste a password. It's not a big deal, but I want you to know it's not magic.

On Your Phone

This is where password managers either shine or completely fall apart. 1Password does well here. It integrates with iOS and Android's built-in autofill, so when you're logging into an app, your phone just offers to fill in the password. You authenticate with Face ID or your fingerprint, and you're done.

The app itself is clean and easy to navigate. I can find what I need quickly, which matters when you're standing in line at the grocery store trying to remember your rewards card number.

The Features That Actually Matter

Let me tell you about the stuff I actually use regularly, not just the features that look good on a marketing page.

Password Generator

This thing creates random, strong passwords for you. You can customize how long you want them and what characters to include. I just leave it on the defaults most of the time, which gives you something like “Kp9$mN2@xL4wQ”. Good luck guessing that.

It can also create passphrases, which are random words strung together like “correct-horse-battery-staple”. These are easier to type when you occasionally need to enter a password manually, like on your TV or gaming console.

Watchtower (This One's Actually Useful)

Watchtower is basically 1Password being a security nag, but in a good way. It keeps an eye on your passwords and tells you about problems:

It'll flag passwords you're using on multiple sites. I had like 15 of these when I first started. Embarrassing, but at least I know now.

It tells you which passwords are weak. Apparently, “Summer2023!” is not as clever as I thought.

If a website you use gets hacked and passwords are leaked, Watchtower alerts you to change that password. This has actually saved me twice. Found out about breaches on sites I barely remember signing up for.

It also tells you which sites support two-factor authentication, but you haven't set it up yet. This one is annoying but helpful.

Storing More Than Just Passwords

This is where 1Password becomes more than just a password manager. You can store:

Credit card info, so online shopping is faster. Bank account details. Software license keys (because who actually keeps track of these?). Secure notes for anything sensitive. Copies of important documents like your passport or insurance cards.

I've got my car insurance info in there, my wifi passwords for when family visits, and even the combination to my bike lock because I can never remember it.

The Family Plan Thing

I'm on the family plan, which covers up to five people for $4.99 a month. My wife and I each have our own private vaults that the other can't see, plus we have shared vaults for stuff like streaming passwords or the alarm code.

Setting this up was easier than I expected. I sent her an invitation, she clicked it, and that was pretty much it. She's not super tech-savvy, and she figured it out fine.

The family organizer role (which I have) lets you help family members if they get locked out, which is a nice safety net. My wife's not great at remembering to save her Emergency Kit, so knowing I can help her get back in gives us both peace of mind.

One thing I really like: I can share specific passwords with her without giving her access to my whole vault. Like, she doesn't need to see my work stuff, but she needs the Netflix password.

What It Actually Costs

Let's talk money because this is probably what you're most curious about.

For one person, it's $2.99 a month if you pay for the whole year upfront. That's about $36 a year. Roughly the cost of taking your family to the movies once.

The family plan is $4.99 a month (again, billed yearly), so about $60 a year for up to five people. That breaks down to $12 per person per year if you max it out.

There's no free version. This bugs some people. I get it. But honestly, after trying LastPass's crippled free version and Bitwarden's bare-bones interface, I'm okay paying for something that actually works well and doesn't feel like I'm constantly being upsold.

They do give you a 14-day trial, so you can test it out before dropping any money.

The Stuff That Bugs Me

Nothing's perfect, and 1Password has its quirks.

That Dang Secret Key

I already mentioned this, but it bears repeating because it's probably the biggest pain point. Losing your Secret Key is catastrophic. You cannot recover your account. 1Password is very clear about this, but I still worry about people who don't take it seriously during setup.

I actually know someone who lost theirs. They'd been using 1Password for two years, got a new computer, and realized they never saved their Emergency Kit. Everything gone. Had to start completely over and reset passwords on 200+ sites. Learn from their mistake.

No Free Tier

If you just want to dip your toes into password managers without spending money, 1Password isn't for you. Bitwarden has a solid free version. So does the basic version of Dashlane for one device.

But here's my take: if we're talking about the security of literally everything you do online, $3 a month is pretty reasonable. You probably spend more on coffee in a day. But I understand not everyone wants another subscription.

Price Creeps Up

1Password used to offer a one-time purchase option. They killed that a couple of years ago and went subscription-only. Some long-time users are still salty about it. I get the frustration, but subscription models are how most software works now. At least they're not changing the price every six months like some services.

How It Stacks Up Against the Competition

You've got options in the password manager world. Let me give you the quick rundown.

Bitwarden

Cheaper, has a free version, and is open source. Interface isn't as polished. Customer support is slower. If money is tight, Bitwarden is solid. If you want something that just works smoothly and looks nice, 1Password edges it out.

Dashlane

More expensive than 1Password. Includes a VPN, which sounds cool until you realize you probably don't need it. I used Dashlane for about six months. It's fine. But I found 1Password more reliable, especially the browser extensions.

LastPass

Had a bad security breach in 2022. Like, really bad. Encrypted password vaults were stolen. The encryption held up, but still. Trust is hard to rebuild. Also, their free version now only works on one type of device (computer OR phone, not both). Pass.

Apple Keychain / Google Password Manager

Free, built-in, works great if you're all-in on one ecosystem. But if you use Windows and an iPhone, or Android and a Mac, you're out of luck. Also, way fewer features. No family sharing, no secure notes for documents, no breach monitoring. Fine for basic users who never leave their ecosystem.

Who Should Actually Buy This?

Let me break down who I think 1Password is actually right for.

You'll probably like it if:

You use multiple devices and operating systems. You want something that works well without much fuss. You're willing to pay for quality. You need to share passwords with family members securely. You want to store more than just passwords (documents, cards, notes). You take security seriously but aren't a tech expert.

Maybe look elsewhere if:

Money is really tight, and you need to be free. You only use Apple products, and iCloud Keychain works fine for you. You can't be bothered with the Secret Key thing. You want something open source (Bitwarden is your friend). You're perfectly happy with your current system and just browsing out of curiosity.

My Actual Experience After Several Months

I've been using 1Password as my main password manager for about five months now. Here's what that's actually been like.

Setup took longer than I wanted, mainly because I was importing passwords from three different places (Chrome, Safari, and an old KeePass database). But once it was done, it was done.

In daily use, I barely think about it. That's the highest compliment I can give. It's just there when I need it. I've logged into hundreds of sites over these months, and I'd say it auto-fills correctly about 95% of the time. The other 5% I just copy and paste. Not a big deal.

The Watchtower alerts have been genuinely useful. I found out about the LastPass breach through it before I even saw the news. Changed that old password immediately.

I've had to use customer support once when I couldn't get the Linux app to sync properly. Got a response within a day with clear instructions that fixed it. Not instant, but acceptable.

The one time the system saved my bacon was when I needed to access an old investment account I hadn't touched in three years. I had no memory of that password. But there it was in my vault, exactly where it should be. That alone justified the cost for me.

A Few Random Tips If You Do Get It

If you decide to go for it, here are some things I wish someone had told me:

Print your Emergency Kit immediately and put it somewhere safe. Not just somewhere you'll remember. Somewhere actually safe.

Start by adding your most important accounts first. Don't try to import 500 passwords on day one. It's overwhelming.

Use the password generator for every new account going forward. No more reusing passwords.

Actually use those secure notes for other stuff. I wish I'd started sooner. It's become my digital filing cabinet.

Set up two-factor authentication on your 1Password account itself. Seems obvious, but you'd be surprised.

If you're on the family plan, have a real conversation with your family members about what happens if someone loses their login info. Set expectations about security.

So, Final Verdict?

Here's the bottom line. 1Password is a really good password manager. Like, genuinely one of the best available right now. It's secure, it's reliable, it works across everything, and it doesn't make me want to tear my hair out.

Is it worth $3 a month? For me, absolutely yes. I sleep better knowing my passwords are strong and unique. I save time not having to reset passwords I've forgotten. I don't worry about getting hacked the way I used to.

But it's not for everyone. If you're happy with whatever free thing you're using now, you might not need to switch. If money is genuinely tight, there are free alternatives that work okay.

For my family and me, the peace of mind is worth way more than $5 a month. Your mileage may vary.

The best thing you can do is try the 14-day trial. Use it for real, not just testing. Add your actual passwords, use them to log into things, and see how it feels. You'll know pretty quickly if it's right for you.

Just don't forget to save that Secret Key. Seriously. I've said it like five times now, but I cannot stress this enough. Save. The. Secret. Key.