What is the difference between 1Password and KeePass?

1Password is best for Teams and families that want polished, secure password management, while KeePass is best for Privacy-focused users wanting full control. 1Password starts at $2.99/mo and KeePass starts at Free.

Is 1Password or KeePass cheaper?

1Password starts at $2.99/mo. KeePass starts at Free and is free.

Is there a free alternative to 1Password?

Yes, KeePass offers a free tier.

1Password vs KeePass

1Password is password manager for individuals and teams with secure sharing and developer tools, while KeePass is free, open-source, lightweight password manager that stores everything locally. The biggest difference up front: KeePass is free, while 1Password starts at $2.99/mo. 1Password is built for teams and families that want polished, secure password management, whereas KeePass targets privacy-focused users wanting full control.

At a glance

	1Password	KeePass
Best for	Teams and families that want polished, secure password management	Privacy-focused users wanting full control
Starting price	$2.99/mo	Free
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Local Storage	—	✓
Open Source	—	✓
Passkeys	✓	—
Plugins	—	✓
Portable	—	✓
SSH Keys	✓	—
Travel Mode	✓	—
Vault Sharing	✓	—
Watchtower	✓	—

1Password

Strengths

Excellent UX across all platforms
Watchtower alerts for breached passwords
Developer tools (SSH keys, CLI)
Strong team and family sharing

Weaknesses

No free tier
More expensive than some alternatives
Not open source
Subscription-only — no lifetime purchase

Try 1Password → Full review

KeePass

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Local Storage as a core feature, purpose-built for password manager workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
If you forget your master password, recovery options are limited by design

Try KeePass → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: KeePass is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. 1Password starts at $2.99/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: 1Password offers Passkeys, SSH Keys and Travel Mode that KeePass lacks. KeePass brings Local Storage, Open Source and Plugins that 1Password does not have.

Team fit: 1Password is geared toward any size teams, while KeePass is aimed at individual users and small setups. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: KeePass is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. 1Password is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: 1Password's biggest strengths are: excellent ux across all platforms. watchtower alerts for breached passwords. KeePass's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes local storage as a core feature, purpose-built for password manager workflows.

Watch out for: With 1Password, users commonly note that no free tier. With KeePass, the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.

Choose 1Password if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams and families that want polished, secure password management
You specifically need Passkeys and SSH Keys
You care about watchtower alerts for breached passwords
Your team size fits the any size profile 1Password is designed for

Choose KeePass if...

You need a tool built for privacy-focused users wanting full control
Budget is a hard constraint — KeePass is free, 1Password is not
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Local Storage and Open Source
You care about includes local storage as a core feature, purpose-built for password manager workflows