What is the difference between 1Password and Proton Pass?

1Password is best for Teams and families that want polished, secure password management, while Proton Pass is best for Proton ecosystem users wanting integrated password management. 1Password starts at $2.99/mo and Proton Pass starts at Free.

Is 1Password or Proton Pass cheaper?

1Password starts at $2.99/mo. Proton Pass starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to 1Password?

Yes, Proton Pass offers a free tier (Free unlimited passwords).

1Password vs Proton Pass

1Password is password manager for individuals and teams with secure sharing and developer tools, while Proton Pass is open-source password manager with end-to-end encryption from the makers of ProtonMail. The biggest difference up front: Proton Pass is free, while 1Password starts at $2.99/mo. 1Password is built for teams and families that want polished, secure password management, whereas Proton Pass targets proton ecosystem users wanting integrated password management.

At a glance

	1Password	Proton Pass
Best for	Teams and families that want polished, secure password management	Proton ecosystem users wanting integrated password management
Starting price	$2.99/mo	Free
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
2FA	—	✓
Aliases	—	✓
E2E Encryption	—	✓
Open Source	—	✓
Passkeys	✓	—
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

Proton Pass

Strengths

Open source and transparent
End-to-end encryption by default — messages are unreadable even to the server operator
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
Free unlimited passwords — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done

Weaknesses

Free plan has meaningful restrictions: free unlimited passwords
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
Community support can be slower than the dedicated support teams at commercial alternatives

Try Proton Pass → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Proton Pass is completely free (Free unlimited passwords), 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 Proton Pass lacks. Proton Pass brings 2FA, Aliases and E2E Encryption that 1Password does not have.

Team fit: 1Password is geared toward any size teams, while Proton Pass 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: Proton Pass 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. Proton Pass's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. end-to-end encryption by default — messages are unreadable even to the server operator.

Watch out for: With 1Password, users commonly note that no free tier. With Proton Pass, the main complaint is that free plan has meaningful restrictions: free unlimited passwords.

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 Proton Pass if...

You need a tool built for proton ecosystem users wanting integrated password management
Budget is a hard constraint — Proton Pass is free, 1Password is not
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need 2FA and Aliases
You care about end-to-end encryption by default — messages are unreadable even to the server operator