Bitwarden vs 1Password
By Sebastiaan Smits ·
Published October 8, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026
Bitwarden is the cheaper, open-source option with a self-hosting route on its Enterprise plan. 1Password has the more polished apps and developer tools, and is cloud-only. A company that wants every employee covered at a low seat price and a credible exit plan picks Bitwarden; one that values adoption and developer features picks 1Password.
Side by side
 Bitwarden |  1Password | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Open-source password manager with cloud or self-hosted vaults | Polished password manager with developer and device-trust tooling |
| Best for | Cost-conscious SMBs and technical teams | Tech companies with Okta or Entra |
| Headquarters | United States | Canada |
| Pricing model | Per user / month | Per user / month |
| Pricing | Published per-user Teams and Enterprise tiers billed monthly or annually, with a free plan for individuals and a free two-person organization; SSO, enterprise policies and self-hosting come with Enterprise. | Published pricing: a flat Teams Starter Pack for small teams, then per-user Business and quote-based Enterprise plans; extended access management sold separately. |
| Free option | Free plan | Free trial |
| Place in our business password managers ranking | #1 of 12 | #4 of 12 |
| Website | bitwarden.com | 1password.com |
Both are reviewed in full in Best Business Password Managers in 2026. Position in that ranking can be paid for; the wording of a review or of this comparison cannot. Placement disclosure.
Which one to choose
Choose Bitwarden if
price per seat matters, you want public source code or the option to host the vault yourself, and your IT staff can coach users through setup.
Bitwarden, #1 in the ranking · Visit Bitwarden →
Choose 1Password if
staff adoption matters more than cost, engineers want the CLI and SSH features, and the company is comfortable with a vendor-hosted vault.
1Password, #4 in the ranking · Visit 1Password →
Where they differ
Published price per seat
Bitwarden's business page lists Teams at $4 and Enterprise at $6 per user per month billed annually, with a free trial on both. 1Password lists the Teams Starter Pack at $2.49 per user per month for 10 to 20 users and Business at $8.99, both billed yearly. For a team above 20 users, Bitwarden's Enterprise tier costs less than 1Password Business. A team of 10 to 20 can pay less with 1Password's Starter Pack.
Edge: Bitwarden
Self-hosting and exit options
Bitwarden lists the flexibility to self-host on premises or in a private cloud for Enterprise customers. The 1Password pages we fetched described a cloud product only, and our category notes say it has no self-hosting option at all. A company that must hold its own vault server can only pick Bitwarden.
Edge: Bitwarden
Interface and adoption
Our category notes call Bitwarden functional rather than friendly, with autofill that misfires more often on multi-step logins. They describe 1Password as setting the standard for app quality across Mac, Windows, Linux and phones. We did not run a head-to-head usability test, so this rests on those notes, but sales and office staff are likelier to use 1Password without chasing.
Edge: 1Password
Developer and secrets tooling
1Password lists developer tools in both business plans, and our notes describe an SSH agent and secret references in config files. Bitwarden has a command-line client and a separate Secrets Manager for API keys, priced separately from the password plans. We did not verify Secrets Manager prices. Engineering teams already comfortable with 1Password's workflow have little reason to move.
Edge: 1Password
Single sign-on and directory sync
Bitwarden lists SCIM provisioning and directory synchronization on Teams, and passwordless SSO on Enterprise. 1Password lists SSO integrations with Okta, Entra ID, OneLogin and Duo on Business. Our notes add that Bitwarden's SSO unlock needs trusted-device setup or a self-hosted key connector, which confuses smaller IT teams. Both reach the same destination by different routes.
Edge: even
Tally: Bitwarden 2, 1Password 2, even 1.
When neither fits
Neither fits a team that wants the vault managed by a European provider or a vendor without venture funding behind it. Proton Pass or Passbolt are worth checking for those requirements.
See Keeper, Proton Pass and Passbolt among the 12 products in Best Business Password Managers in 2026.
Questions and answers
Is Bitwarden cheaper than 1Password for a business?
On the pages we fetched, yes above 20 users: Bitwarden Teams is $4 and Enterprise $6 per user per month billed annually, against $8.99 for 1Password Business. Below 20 users, the 1Password Teams Starter Pack at $2.49 per user per month undercuts Bitwarden.
Can you self-host Bitwarden or 1Password?
Bitwarden, on its Enterprise plan. 1Password is vendor-hosted only according to our category notes, and the pages we fetched described no self-hosted version.
Do both offer a free trial for business?
The Bitwarden page lists a free trial for Teams and Enterprise, without a length we could verify. 1Password lists a 14-day trial with no credit card for both its Starter Pack and Business plan.
Which has better admin reporting?
Neither leads. Our category notes call both thinner than Keeper, and Bitwarden's Access Intelligence risk view is Enterprise-only. We did not compare report fields side by side.
Sources
Prices, plan limits and product facts on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on October 8, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.
- Bitwarden business pricing page: Teams and Enterprise prices, free trial, directory sync, SCIM, SSO and the self-hosting option for Enterprise
- 1Password business pricing page: Teams Starter Pack and Business prices, user limits, the 14-day trial and SSO integrations