1password vs Nordpass

Pricing: What You’ll Actually Pay in 2026

NordPass is cheaper — that’s the short version. But the longer version includes some important nuances about promotional pricing and a 1Password price hike that’s landing this month.

NordPass Pricing

NordPass has a free plan that lets you store unlimited passwords — the catch is you can only be logged in on one device at a time. For most people who use both a phone and a computer, that’s inconvenient enough to push you toward the paid tier.

The Premium plan runs $1.89/month on a 1-year plan or $1.59/month on a 2-year plan. The Family plan covers six users at $3.69/month (1-year) or $2.79/month (2-year). All paid plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is a nice safety net. One limitation: NordPass requires annual (or biennial) billing — there’s no month-to-month option.

1Password Pricing — And the Upcoming Increase

1Password has no free plan. You get a 14-day trial, then you’re paying. The Individual plan currently runs $35.88/year ($2.99/month), and the Families plan — which covers five users — is $59.88/year ($4.99/month).

Here’s the thing worth knowing right now: 1Password is raising its prices on March 27, 2026. After that date, the Individual plan jumps to $47.88/year ($3.99/month) and Families goes to $71.88/year ($5.99/month) — a $12/year increase on both plans. The company cited investments in new features like automatic login saving, AI-powered vault naming, proactive phishing prevention, and expanded account recovery as justification. If you renew or sign up before March 27, you lock in the current rate. According to 9to5Mac’s reporting, the increase applies at your next renewal date on or after March 27.

Unlike NordPass, 1Password does offer a monthly billing option — useful if you’re not ready to commit to a full year.

Pricing Comparison Table

Winner on price: NordPass — by a significant margin, especially after 1Password’s March 2026 increase. The NordPass Family plan covering 6 people at under $4/month is hard to compete with.

Security: Where the Real Differences Live

Both password managers use — meaning neither company can read what’s in your vault. That’s the baseline. Where they differ is in the specific methods they use to protect your data.

Encryption Standards

The encryption gap is real, though narrower than some reviewers make it sound. NordPass uses XChaCha20 encryption paired with Argon2id for password hashing. XChaCha20 is a stream cipher trusted by Google and Cloudflare — it’s newer than AES and handles data in a continuous stream rather than blocks, which some security researchers consider harder to exploit under certain attack conditions.

1Password uses AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 hashing. AES-256 is the most battle-tested encryption standard in existence — it’s used by governments, financial institutions, and major tech companies worldwide. The “GCM” mode (Galois/Counter Mode) adds authentication, making it harder to tamper with encrypted data undetected.

Both methods are considered highly secure. If you asked a cryptographer to choose between them, you’d likely get a nuanced answer rather than a clear winner. For most users, the practical difference is negligible — what matters more is zero-knowledge architecture, which both have.

1Password’s Secret Key

One feature that genuinely differentiates 1Password’s security model: the Secret Key. When you create a 1Password account, the app generates a unique 128-bit encrypted key specific to your account. You need both your master password AND this Secret Key to decrypt your vault. If someone stole your master password, they still couldn’t access your data without that key.

1Password provides an “Emergency Kit” — a printable PDF that includes your Secret Key and a space to write your master password — for account recovery. It’s smart design, though it does mean you need to keep that document safe.

Security Audits and Track Record

NordPass Business has been independently audited by Cure53, a Berlin-based security auditing firm. The audit found 15 security-relevant issues, including one rated “High” severity — which the NordPass team patched quickly, with the fix verified by Cure53. NordPass is also ISO 27001 certified, SOC 2 Type II compliant, and HIPAA compliant.

1Password is SOC 2 Type 2 certified and has made its annual penetration test reports publicly available through its Trust Center since November 2025. The company has also run an active bug bounty program via HackerOne.

Crucially: neither NordPass nor 1Password has suffered a known data breach. That’s a rare and important distinction in the password manager space, given the high-profile incidents at competitors like LastPass.

Dark Web Monitoring

NordPass actively scans the dark web for your email addresses, credit cards, and (on business plans) company domains. It can surface data exposures even from breaches that haven’t been publicly disclosed. 1Password’s Watchtower feature pulls from known breach databases like Have I Been Pwned — it’s reactive rather than proactive, alerting you after a breach is reported.

For users who want maximum early warning on data exposure, NordPass has the edge here.

Security Comparison Table

Features: What You Get Beyond the Basics

Password storage, autofill, and a password generator are table stakes — both apps do these well. The real comparison comes down to the extras.

Email Masking

Paid NordPass plans include email masking built-in. You generate a random email alias that forwards to your real inbox — handy when signing up for services you don’t fully trust. If that service gets compromised, your real email stays private.

1Password doesn’t have this built-in. You’d need a Fastmail subscription (starting around $3/month extra) to get the same feature. If email privacy matters to you, NordPass saves you that added cost.

Travel Mode (1Password Only)

Heading abroad? 1Password’s Travel Mode lets you tag specific vaults as “safe for travel” and temporarily removes everything else from your device. Cross the border, show a customs agent your phone if asked — they’ll see only what you’ve approved. Switch travel mode off when you’re home, and your full vault reappears.

This is a standout feature for journalists, frequent international travelers, and anyone concerned about device inspection at borders. NordPass has no equivalent.

Password Sharing

1Password lets you share vault items with anyone — including people who don’t have a 1Password account. You can create guest accounts in the Families plan for temporary access. NordPass limits sharing to other NordPass users, and there are some restrictions on vault sharing across plans.

For families where not everyone is on the same password manager, 1Password’s approach is more practical.

Passkeys and Authentication

Both apps support passkey storage and management. NordPass has a patented Built-in Authenticator that generates TOTP codes (the six-digit codes you use for two-factor authentication) directly in the app — no separate authenticator app needed. 1Password offers TOTP generation as well.

For developers, with SSH key management, API token storage, command-line interface (CLI), and Git commit signing. NordPass doesn’t have comparable developer tools.

Vault Organization and Storage

1Password includes 1GB of encrypted document storage per account and offers an extensive template library — passport details, rewards programs, bank accounts, medical records, and more. NordPass provides 3GB of file attachments on paid plans and standard folder organization, but fewer template categories.

Browser Extensions and Compatibility

Both cover the major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Brave. NordPass also supports Opera. 1Password supports watchOS for Apple Watch users — NordPass does not.

One practical note: 1Password’s browser extension logs you out after 10 minutes of inactivity, which a few users find annoying. NordPass keeps you authenticated for the full browser session — more convenient for active browsing sessions.

Features Comparison Table

Ease of Use: Getting Started and Staying On

Setting up either app is straightforward. Both let you import passwords from Chrome, Firefox, LastPass, and others via a CSV file — drag, drop, done. If you’re switching from NordPass to 1Password, you’ll export as a 1PUX or CSV file from the NordPass settings menu; some users have reported minor CSV format compatibility issues during import, so keep your original export file until you’ve confirmed everything transferred cleanly.

Day-to-day, NordPass is the simpler app. The interface is cleaner, navigation is faster, and the feature set doesn’t overwhelm. That’s a genuine advantage if you’re new to password managers or just want something that gets out of the way.

1Password packs in more — which means a slightly steeper initial learning curve. Some users find navigating between vaults and features requires a few minutes of orientation. That said, 1Password’s onboarding is thorough and its documentation is excellent.

On mobile, both apps support Face ID and Touch ID on iOS, fingerprint unlock on Android, and Windows Hello on PC. 1Password goes further with Linux system authentication.

For support, NordPass offers live chat 24/7 alongside email and a help center. 1Password’s support is email-only — no live chat. If you’re the kind of person who occasionally needs a quick answer, NordPass’s live chat is a meaningful practical advantage. In ZDNET’s hands-on comparison, they specifically flagged 1Password’s limited support options as a drawback for everyday users.

Business and Team Use: Which Scales Better?

If you’re evaluating these for a team or company, the gap between them widens considerably.

1Password’s Extended Access Management (XAM) goes well beyond password management into device trust verification, SaaS application oversight, and shadow IT discovery. Over , including enterprises with Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, and Google OIDC SSO integrations. Teams with 75+ members get a dedicated Customer Success Manager.

NordPass Business covers the core enterprise needs: a Security Dashboard for real-time password health monitoring, a Data Breach Scanner for company domains and credentials, an Activity Log showing who accessed what, and ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, and HIPAA compliance certifications. According to NordPass’s own data, more than 10,000 companies trust the platform. NordPass Business also includes a patented Built-in Authenticator so teams can manage 2FA without a separate tool.

For small teams focused on password management and basic security hygiene: NordPass is more accessible and less expensive. For larger organizations that need device compliance, SaaS governance, and enterprise IdP integration: 1Password Extended Access Management is in a different league.