Affiliate disclosure: VPN Vetted earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. That includes NordPass, 1Password and Proton Pass. NordPass is made by Nord Security, the same group behind NordVPN and Surfshark (Surfshark merged with Nord Security on February 1, 2022). We compare on facts from official pages (prices, plans, encryption, sharing, refund terms), not on what we earn.
Prices checked October 26, 2026. All prices are US prices in USD before tax, read from each company’s official pricing page that day. NordPass and 1Password both show introductory promotions, so first-term prices can change.
NordPass and 1Password both keep your passwords in an encrypted vault that only you can unlock. The real differences are smaller and more practical: one has a free plan and the other only a trial, they count family seats differently, and only one documents a Travel Mode. This guide puts the two side by side using each company’s own pricing, security and support pages, and shows where Proton Pass fits if neither is quite right.
Verdict in 30 seconds
- Pick NordPass if you want a permanent free plan to start with, or the lowest monthly rate on a two-year plan: $1.39 a month, or $37.53 for the first 27 months of Premium, per NordPass. It is the better fit for one person who wants a free start or a low monthly rate and is fine with a two-year commitment.
- Pick 1Password if you want Travel Mode, guest accounts for sharing outside the family, and a Secret Key that is added to your password to protect the vault. You pay more per month: $2.99 a month billed yearly ($35.88 for the first year), then a regular price of $3.99 a month.
- Consider Proton Pass if you want a free plan that works on unlimited devices, or built-in email aliases.
None of these is the “best” for everyone. Pick by the feature you will actually use.
Side-by-side table
| NordPass | 1Password | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free plan, $0 “for a lifetime”, one active session at a time | No free plan; 14-day free trial |
| Individual price | Premium: $1.39/mo; $37.53 for the first 27 months (2-year plan + 3 extra months) | Individual: $2.99/mo billed yearly, first year; regular $3.99/mo |
| Family price | Family: $2.49/mo; $67.23 for the first 27 months | Families: $4.49/mo billed yearly, first year; regular $5.99/mo |
| Family seats | 6 user accounts | 5 users + 5 guests |
| Renewal | Shown at checkout (not listed on the pricing page) | Regular price after the first year |
| Vault encryption | XChaCha20 | AES-GCM-256 + 128-bit Secret Key |
| Travel Mode | Not listed | Included with every subscription |
| Refund terms | 30-day money-back guarantee | Paid amounts non-refundable per Terms; requests considered case by case |
| Company | Nord Security | AgileBits Inc. |
Check NordPass price Check 1Password price
Pricing: free / trial / Individual / Family
Free plan vs free trial
This is the clearest difference. NordPass has a free plan listed at $0.00 a month “for a lifetime.” Per NordPass’s FAQ, Free includes unlimited password storage, autosave and autofill, sync, and multi-factor authentication. The catch is sessions: NordPass’s support page says the free plan allows one active session on one device at a time. You can install the app on several devices, but only one can be logged in at once. The pricing card also marks Password Health, the Data Breach Scanner and file attachments as not included in Free. NordPass’s pricing page adds that Free includes a 30-day Premium trial.
1Password has no free plan. It offers a 14-day free trial on both Individual and Families. The pricing page says “No credit card required. Cancel anytime.” 1Password’s Terms of Service are broader: they say billing information may be required for a free trial and that you are charged at the end unless you cancel. Read the sign-up screen to see which applies to you.
Individual plans
NordPass Premium costs $1.39 a month on the two-year plan. That is $37.53 for the first 27 months, against a crossed-out $80.73. The extra three months come from a promotion. NordPass’s promotion terms say it runs from October 21, 2026 at 9:00 CET to December 9, 2026 at 9:00 CET. The extra months are added after the 30-day money-back period, and a refund cancels them. The pricing page does not list a renewal price, so check it at checkout before you pay. Premium adds Password Health, the Data Breach Scanner, file attachments and item sharing, and lets you stay signed in on several devices at once.
1Password Individual costs $2.99 a month billed yearly during the current promotion, against a regular $3.99. By our math, that is $35.88 for the first year and $47.88 a year at the regular price. 1Password’s page says the promotion is for new customers who subscribe directly on 1Password.com. It covers the first year with annual billing and is not available through Google Play, the Apple App Store or other app stores.
Family plans
NordPass Family costs $2.49 a month on the two-year plan: $67.23 for the first 27 months for 6 user accounts, each with its own encrypted vault. 1Password Families costs $4.49 a month billed yearly for the first year, then $5.99 regular. By our math, that is $53.88 for the first year and $71.88 a year at the regular price. It covers 5 users, and 1Password’s support page says a family account also includes 5 guests. The pricing page lists guest accounts for vault sharing. For a deeper look at family setups, see our best password manager for families guide.
Security model: XChaCha20 vs AES-256 + Secret Key
Both companies describe zero-knowledge designs: your vault is encrypted on your device before it reaches their servers.
NordPass says it encrypts the vault with XChaCha20. Its private key is encrypted with XChaCha20-Poly1305-IETF, and Argon2id is used for key derivation. Its security page says data is encrypted locally before upload and hosted on AWS in US and EU data centers. It also mentions a bug bounty and third-party audits. NordPass calls XChaCha20 a more modern choice. We treat that as the company’s view.
1Password uses AES-GCM-256 authenticated encryption, with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 to strengthen your account password. The main difference is the Secret Key. It is a 34-character code with 128 bits of entropy that is combined with your account password to encrypt your data. 1Password says the Secret Key is never sent to it and is stored on your signed-in devices and in your Emergency Kit. The point is that a stolen copy of your encrypted vault is not enough to break it by guessing your password alone. 1Password also uses the Secure Remote Password (SRP) protocol, so your password is not sent to its servers when you sign in.
In practice, you are more likely to be exposed by a weak or reused master password, or a phishing page, than by the cipher. Both plans support multi-factor authentication. Turn it on whichever you pick.
Sharing, family seats and Travel Mode
Sharing. NordPass lists secure item sharing as a Premium feature, so it is not included in Free. 1Password’s pricing page lists sharing with anyone and, on Families, guest accounts for sharing vaults outside the five members.
Family seats. NordPass Family gives six separate accounts. 1Password Families gives five members plus five guests. If you need six full members, NordPass covers it on one plan. If you need five members plus a babysitter, a contractor or an older relative with access to just one vault, 1Password’s guest model fits better.
Travel Mode. 1Password’s support page says Travel Mode is included with every subscription. When you turn it on, any vault you have not marked “safe for travel” is removed from the 1Password apps and browser extension on your devices. If someone inspects your phone at a border, only the travel-safe vaults are there. You turn the rest back on when you are home. NordPass’s pricing and feature pages do not list an equivalent, so we do not claim one.
Apps and autofill
We did not install or run either app for this guide. Here is what each company lists.
- NordPass: apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, plus browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera and Safari. Autosave and autofill are listed on every plan, including Free.
- 1Password: apps for macOS, iOS, watchOS, Windows, Android and Linux, plus extensions for Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox and Brave. Plans include 1GB of file storage per user, plus Watchtower.
1Password’s pricing page also lists passkeys and biometric unlock. Autofill quality varies by site and browser. Use the NordPass free plan or the 1Password trial to check your own logins before you pay for a year.
Who should pick NordPass vs 1Password (and where Proton Pass fits)
Pick NordPass if:
– You want to start free and keep a working vault without paying.
– You want the lowest monthly rate and are fine with a two-year commitment.
– Your family needs six full accounts on one plan.
– You already use other Nord Security products. NordPass’s FAQ says a NordVPN bundle can be added in Nord Account.
Pick 1Password if:
– You travel with sensitive data and want Travel Mode.
– You want guest accounts for limited sharing outside the family.
– You like the extra protection of a Secret Key on top of your password.
– You want a yearly plan rather than a two-year one.
Where Proton Pass fits. Proton Pass is made by Proton AG, a Swiss company (per Proton’s terms). Its free plan, per its pricing page, includes unlimited logins and unlimited devices, 10 hide-my-email aliases, two vaults and passkeys. Pass Plus is $2.99 a month billed at $35.88 every 12 months, with unlimited aliases, a built-in 2FA authenticator, Dark Web Monitoring and Emergency Access. Pass Family is $4.99 a month, billed at $59.88 every 12 months, for up to six users. Proton’s pricing page lists a 30-day money-back guarantee. Our Proton Pass review covers it in detail.
What about Bitwarden? People often compare it with these two. We did not cover it here because we did not check its pricing pages for this guide.
A password manager protects logins. It does not take your data off broker sites or watch your credit. For that, see our guides to the best data removal service and best identity theft protection.
How we evaluated
We did not install, run or benchmark these apps for this guide. On October 26, 2026, we read each company’s official US pricing page, its security and support pages, and 1Password’s Terms of Service, and recorded the time of each reading. We compared the same fields for each: free option, first-term and regular price, family seats, encryption, sharing, Travel Mode, platforms and refund terms. Where a page did not say something, such as NordPass’s renewal price, we say so. Security descriptions are each company’s own. We did not review their audit reports ourselves.
FAQ
Is NordPass better than 1Password?
Neither is better across the board. NordPass has the lower monthly rate on its two-year plan and has a free plan. 1Password adds Travel Mode, guest accounts and a Secret Key. Pick the one whose features you will use.
Does NordPass have a free plan?
Yes. NordPass lists a Free plan at $0 “for a lifetime” with unlimited password storage, autosave and autofill. Its support page says Free allows one active session on one device at a time.
Does 1Password have a free plan or only a trial?
Only a trial. 1Password offers a 14-day free trial on Individual and Families. After that you need a paid plan: $2.99 a month (Individual) or $4.49 a month (Families) billed yearly for the first year under the current promotion.
Which is better for families?
It depends on the shape of your family. NordPass Family covers 6 user accounts for $67.23 for the first 27 months. 1Password Families covers 5 users plus 5 guests for $4.49 a month billed yearly in the first year, then $5.99 regular.
What is 1Password Travel Mode?
It is a setting included with every 1Password subscription. It removes every vault you have not marked “safe for travel” from your apps and browser extension until you turn Travel Mode off.
Where does Proton Pass fit?
Proton Pass is a third option, sold by Proton AG; NordPass is made by Nord Security and 1Password by AgileBits Inc., per each company’s own terms. Its free plan allows unlimited devices and 10 email aliases. Pass Plus is $2.99 a month, billed at $35.88 every 12 months.
Verdict
Choose NordPass if you want to start free or want the lowest monthly rate on a two-year plan: Premium costs $37.53 for the first 27 months ($1.39 a month). Check the renewal price at checkout. The free plan works as long as one active device at a time is enough. Choose 1Password if Travel Mode, guest accounts or the Secret Key matter to you. It costs more per month ($2.99 billed yearly: $35.88 for the first year, then $47.88 a year by our math), and its Terms say paid amounts are non-refundable except at the company’s discretion. If neither fits, Proton Pass’s free plan on unlimited devices is worth a look.
Check NordPass price Check 1Password price Check Proton Pass price
Sources
All sources checked October 26, 2026 (America/Sao_Paulo). Prices are USD before tax.
- NordPass pricing: https://nordpass.com/pricing/
- NordPass promotion terms: https://nordpass.com/discount-period-terms-conditions/
- NordPass security: https://nordpass.com/security/
- NordPass apps and “for a lifetime” free-plan wording: https://nordpass.com/password-manager/
- NordPass support, Free vs Premium: https://support.nordpass.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006700458
- 1Password pricing: https://1password.com/pricing/password-manager
- 1Password security: https://support.1password.com/1password-security/ and https://support.1password.com/secret-key-security/
- 1Password Travel Mode: https://support.1password.com/travel-mode/
- 1Password guests: https://support.1password.com/guests/
- 1Password Terms of Service: https://1password.com/legal/terms-of-service
- Proton Pass pricing: https://proton.me/pass/pricing
- Proton terms: https://proton.me/legal/terms
- Surfshark and Nord Security: https://surfshark.com/blog/surfshark-merges-with-nord-security