Review Summary
1Password is the most secure password manager — stores passwords, bank cards, passports with AES-256 encryption and super-fast autofill on all Apple devices.
About This Product
2005
Toronto, Canada
Dave Teare and Roustem Karimov — both Canadian
Detailed Review
1Password was founded in Toronto in 2005 by Dave Teare and Roustem Karimov. The two Canadian developers were building custom software for clients and were constantly frustrated watching teams share passwords via email or sticky notes. The initial solution was simple: an encrypted vault on a Mac. 1Password 1.0 launched in 2006 as the Agile Keychain format — named "Agile" because it was built by AgileBits (the original company name).
1Password's security model with PBKDF2 hashing, AES-256 encryption, and never knowing the user's Master Password is foundational security design. "Zero knowledge" — the server can never decrypt your vault — is a key differentiator from many competitors. Even if the servers were hacked, an attacker would only get encrypted data that is completely useless without the Master Password.
Travel Mode is an interesting innovation: it lets you temporarily remove sensitive vaults when crossing borders and restore them afterward. Particularly important for journalists, activists, and business executives passing through countries with invasive border controls. This feature highlights how 1Password thinks about users' real-world threat models, not just technical security.
Current Developments (2025–2026)
1Password 8 with a redesigned Watchtower — a dashboard showing all compromised, weak, and reused passwords in one view — has been significantly improved. Full passkey support is ready for a future without passwords. 1Password CLI lets DevOps teams securely inject secrets into CI/CD pipelines. 1Password Extended Access Management controls devices and identities across an entire organization. A $620 million Series C values 1Password at $6.8 billion.
Strengths
- Vault structure with separate categories for Logins, Credit Cards, Identities, and Secure Notes — find exactly what you need instantly
- Travel Mode hides entire sensitive vaults when crossing borders — protects privacy during device inspections
- Watchtower proactively alerts when passwords are exposed in data breaches — know immediately when to change them
- SSH key and developer secret management — secures technical credentials as well as personal vault items
Areas for Improvement
- $3/month ($36/year) ongoing subscription — some users prefer a one-time permanent purchase
- Migrating from LastPass or Bitwarden to 1Password takes considerable initial setup time
- Interface with many view options can be confusing for users who only need basic password manager functionality
Verdict
1Password is an excellent choice for anyone needing a powerful tool in the Mobile App category. Founded in 2005 by Dave Teare and Roustem Karimov — both Canadian, this product has undergone years of development and continuous improvement. With a rating of 9.4/10, it ranks among the best in its segment. We encourage you to try the free version before deciding to upgrade.
