Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

1Password vs Passbolt

1Password logo

1Password

Cybersecurity

The world's most-loved password manager

From
$2.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Cybersecurity

Open-source password manager for teams with self-hosted or cloud deployment

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Passbolt has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 1Password no free tier; all plans require paid subscription; Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: 1Password covers Password generator, Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 1Password and Passbolt actually diverge.

Attributes where 1Password and Passbolt differ
Attribute1PasswordPassbolt
Starting price$2.99/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Webweb, windows, mac, linux, api
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 1Password

  • Password generator
  • Autofill
  • Secure notes
  • Credit card storage
  • Document storage
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Watchtower security alerts
  • Travel mode

Only in Passbolt

  • Password sharing and folders
  • Groups and role-based access
  • Browser extensions and CLI
  • Open API
  • LDAP provisioning and SSO
  • Activity audit log

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

1Password

  • Password managementnot Passbolt
  • Secure document storagenot Passbolt
  • Team credential sharingnot Passbolt
  • Identity protectionnot Passbolt
  • Compliance managementnot Passbolt

Passbolt

  • Self-hosting a team password manager for data sovereigntynot 1Password
  • Provisioning vault access from an existing LDAP/AD directorynot 1Password
  • Sharing credentials across engineering or IT teams via folders and groupsnot 1Password
  • Automating credential retrieval through the CLI or open APInot 1Password

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

1Password

  • No free tier; all plans require paid subscription
  • Offline access requires prior device sync; cannot add new passwords while offline
  • Enterprise plan does not include free trial access

Passbolt

  • Pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • Community Edition lacks SSO and LDAP provisioning, which many organizations need for onboarding at scale.
  • Self-hosting the Community Edition requires infrastructure and maintenance effort compared to fully managed competitors.
  • Enterprise-tier support and HA consulting require custom, quote-based pricing rather than transparent rates.

Pricing, plan by plan

1Password

$2.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the 1Password review.

Passbolt

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Password sharing and folders
    • Role-based access control
  • Pro Edition$4.9/month
    • Minimum 10 users, billed annually
    • LDAP/AD provisioning
    • Single sign-on
  • Enterprise Edition$undefined/month
    • High availability and disaster recovery consulting
    • White-glove migration
    • Custom feature development

Which should you pick?

Choose 1Password if

  • You need password generator.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Web.
  • You also want autofill.
1Password review

Choose Passbolt if

  • You need password sharing and folders.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want groups and role-based access.
Passbolt review

Questions people ask

Is 1Password or Passbolt better?
Neither clearly leads. 1Password starts at $2.99/month and Passbolt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 1Password or Passbolt?
Passbolt has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2.99/month for 1Password and Free for Passbolt.
Does 1Password or Passbolt run on more platforms?
1Password runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Web. Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
Can I use Passbolt for free?
Yes. Passbolt has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 1Password starts at $2.99/month.
What is 1Password best used for?
1Password is most often used for password management, secure document storage, team credential sharing, identity protection. Of those, password management and secure document storage are not what Passbolt is typically brought in for.
What can 1Password do that Passbolt cannot?
1Password covers Password generator, Autofill, Secure notes, Credit card storage. Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

1Password: Does 1Password offer a free tier?

No. 1Password offers no free tier as of July 2026, but provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required for all plans except Enterprise.

Source
Passbolt: Is Passbolt free to use?

Yes. The Community Edition is free forever with unlimited users, including password sharing, folders, groups, role-based access, browser extensions, a CLI, and an open API.

Source
1Password: Can I access 1Password offline?

Yes. The desktop app allows for offline access to your vault once you have synced your passwords to the device.

Source
Passbolt: What does the Pro Edition cost and add?

Pro Edition costs $4.90 per user per month billed annually, with a 10-user minimum, and adds LDAP/AD provisioning, single sign-on, account recovery escrow, activity audit logs, and next-business-day support.

Source
1Password: What is the pricing for individuals and families?

Individual plan costs 2.99 USD per month or 35.88 USD annually. Families plan costs 59.88 USD per year and includes five licenses with the ability to add more for 1 USD per month each.

Source
Passbolt: What license is Passbolt distributed under?

All Passbolt editions, including Pro and Enterprise, are distributed under the AGPL v3 open-source license.

Source
1Password: What platforms does 1Password support?

1Password is available on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, with browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, and Safari.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on 1Password

More on Passbolt

Keep looking

Other head to heads