1Password vs Bitwarden

1Password uses AES-256 encryption with a unique differentiator: the 'Secret Key.' This 128-bit machine-generated key is stored locally on your device and combined with your master password to decrypt your data. This adds an exponential layer of protection against brute-force attacks on their servers, as a thief would need both your password and the physical Secret Key. In 2026, their 'Universal Sign-On' also integrates with macOS system-level checks to ensure no malware is overlaying the input field.

Bitwarden employs end-to-end AES-256 bit encryption, salted hashing, and PBKDF2 SHA-256 (configurable to Argon2id in 2026 for resistance against GPU/ASIC attacks). It operates on a strict zero-knowledge architecture. While it lacks the 'Secret Key' concept, its open-source nature allows verified security researchers to constantly audit the code for backdoors or vulnerabilities. For 2026, Bitwarden has added support for post-quantum cryptographic algorithms in its enterprise tiers, future-proofing vaults against next-gen threats.

Bitwarden's Mac client is functional and clean but lacks the delight of 1Password. It supports Touch ID for unlocking, but often requires a master password reprompt upon a full restart or app update more frequently than 1Password. The UI has improved significantly since the 2024 design refresh, offering dark mode and better density, but it still feels like a web wrapper compared to 1Password's deeply integrated native feel. The menu bar icon allows for quick vault access, but it lacks the universal system-wide autofill overlay that 1Password perfected.

Bitwarden fully supports passkeys for login and storage as of early 2026. Users can save passkeys in their vault and use them to log in to websites via the browser extension. However, the desktop app's ability to act as a system-wide passkey provider (authenticating apps outside the browser) arrived later than 1Password's and can sometimes feel slightly disjointed on macOS. Sharing passkeys is possible, but the interface for managing passkey metadata is slightly less intuitive than 1Password's visual approach.

Bitwarden's autofill is reliable for standard web forms. The browser extension supports 'auto-fill on page load' (optional), which is convenient. However, it struggles more often with complex banking sites or modal pop-ups compared to 1Password. It lacks the system-wide 'fill anywhere' capability of 1Password, relying mostly on drag-and-drop for non-browser applications. The context menu integration in Safari is good, but requires an extra click compared to 1Password's inline menu icons.

Bitwarden offers a robust CLI tool ('bw') that allows for full vault manipulation and scripting. They have also launched 'Bitwarden Secrets Manager,' a distinct product integrated into the ecosystem for machine-to-machine credential management. While powerful, the SSH agent integration is less 'magical' than 1Password's, often requiring more manual configuration to set up biometric unlocking for terminal commands. It is highly capable but targets DevOps workflows more than individual developer convenience.

Bitwarden allows secure sharing via 'Bitwarden Send,' which works similarly to 1Password's Psst!, supporting text and file transmission with self-destruct timers. However, sharing permanent vault items requires moving them to a 'Organization' (collection), which can be conceptually confusing for home users who just want to share a Netflix password. The permissions model is powerful but stricter; moving an item to a shared collection often changes its ownership structure, which can surprise users.

1Password acts as a full TOTP authenticator. When you autofill a password, it automatically copies the 2FA code to your clipboard, allowing for a Paste (CMD+V) immediately after. In 2026, it also supports autofilling the 2FA code directly on supported sites. The Watchtower dashboard alerts you to sites that support 2FA where you haven't enabled it yet.

Bitwarden Premium ($10/yr) includes a built-in TOTP generator. It also copies the code to the clipboard after autofill. Bitwarden also offers a standalone 'Bitwarden Authenticator' app that syncs with the main vault (optional), providing redundancy. The free version does not include TOTP generation (only storage), which is a key differentiator. Hardware security key support (YubiKey) is available on all plans, including free.