Our bottom line: 1Password has the edge on platform compatibility, UX, form filling, and 2FA, but SplashID is available for free.
While SplashID offers savings for those seeking a free password manager, 1Password rates higher in every review factor, making it a superior choice for most users.
1Password has no free option beyond its 14-day free trial, but it may compensate for that with top-tier features and functionality. SplashID has a leg up with its free tier, which, while limited, can get the job done for a single-device user.
Which password manager should you get? Let this 1Password vs. SplashID face-off help you decide.
Review factor | Winner |
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Price | 1Password | (4.8)
Platform compatibility | 1Password | (5.0)
User experience (UX) | 1Password | (5.0)
Form filling | 1Password | (5.0)
Security | 1Password | (4.5)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) | 1Password | (5.0)
Best overall | 1Password | (4.8)
Our bottom line: 1Password has the edge on platform compatibility, UX, form filling, and 2FA, but SplashID is available for free.
Password manager | Details | Basic plan features |
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1Password Overall rating: 4.8/5 Read our full 1Password review. | Starting price: $2.99 per month Platform compatibility: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Web (Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), Windows Security: AES 256-bit encryption, 2FA |
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SplashID Overall rating: 3.6/5 Read our full SplashID review. | Starting price: Free Platform compatibility: Android, iOS, Mac, Web (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), Windows Security: AES 256-bit encryption, 2FA |
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Price winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (4.8/5) | $35.88 per year for the personal plan; $59.88 per year for up to five users |
SplashID (4/5) | Free basic account; $29.99 per year for pro with volume discounts available |
SplashID offers one of the best long-term plan options of any low-cost password manager. While its free plan is pretty limited in features, it offers unlimited free passwords but only from a single device.
The pro plan is a far better deal, in my opinion. Starting at $2.99 per month or $2.50 with an annual subscription, you get everything the free plan offers, plus cloud syncing, automated backups, password sharing, priority support, and more.
SplashID offers volume discounts if you want five or more licenses to make the plan more compelling. For example, five-license sets come with a 10% discount of $2.25 per month per user. That discount continues to grow for larger groups, up to 30% off for teams of 100 and 50% off for teams of 1,000.
SplashID even offers a lifetime license that provides unlimited access to the application for a one-time payment of $99.95. That equates to less than $1 monthly if you use it for 10 years. Keep it for 20 years, and you’ll have only paid the equivalent of 42 cents per month. You truly cannot find a better value cheap password manager.
1Password does not offer a free plan, although you can get 14-day free trials of any plan, which isn’t available with SplashID. However, SplashID makes up for its lack of a free trial by providing a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Paid plans with 1Password start at about $36 per year. A family plan with up to five family members costs $59.88 annually. This is still a good deal because of how much the plan offers, but not quite as good of a deal as SplashID.
Platform compatibility winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (5/5) | OS: Windows 10 64-bit and above, Mac Catalina 10.15 or later, iOS (15.5 or later), Android (Pie or later), latest Linux distributions Supported browsers: Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari |
SplashID (4/5) | OS: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android Supported browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari |
With the addition of 1Password’s full support for Linux on desktop, it beats SplashID on platform compatibility. It’s compatible with just about any browser or operating system, which is pretty standard among password managers.
Where 1Password excels is with its command-line interfaces for Windows and Linux, and browser extensions for Brave, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. While you’ll need more recent versions of most software to run 1Password than you would with SplashID, it’s worth it for the range of new features and optimized browser experience.
SplashID is available on most operating systems but only three browsers — although these are arguably the most common: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. A unique feature about SplashID is that it is also compatible with iPad’s, something not all password managers think to offer.
I had to dock points because its mobile version has received mixed reviews with an average score of only 3.8 out of 5 on Android and 3.4 on iOS.
Winner: 1Password wins platform compatibility because it works with almost all operation systems and browsers.
UX winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (5/5) | Web-like experience; macOS version is robust, but Windows is limited |
SplashID (3/5) | Basic and transparent |
Most password managers strive for a streamlined feel, which is more user-friendly and easy to navigate. Both 1Password and SplashID meet these criteria, although I find 1Password’s design just an edge above.
While the desktop version of 1Password doesn’t have many options, it makes up for this by providing a concise view of what features are available. I found it one of the easiest password managers to navigate, as I didn’t have to go hunting through menus to find what I wanted.
1Password’s mobile app offers a similarly streamlined experience with a left-hand menu that contains all the tools you need to manage your account. SplashID also has a minimalist design with a left-hand menu that opens to entries on the right. While this interface felt basic to me, it did make the app easy to navigate.
I also found the installation process simple, starting with a “Register” button on the top-right corner of the website. The aspect of the setup process that befuddled me a bit was how it defaults to a setting that puts fake entries into the password fields. I didn’t see much benefit to these “sample” passwords, but it didn’t slow me down much, either.
Winner: 1Password wins UX because of its visually appealing and easy-to-navigate design.
Form filling winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (5/5) | Straightforward and bypasses CAPTCHA |
SplashID (3/5) | Basic, but sometimes that’s for the best |
Both LastPass and 1Password offer form-filling — including logins, addresses, and credit card information — although SplashID refers to it as “auto-fill.” After testing both platforms, I found the products fairly comparable, but 1Password seemed to work a bit more smoothly and with a wider range of fields.
1Password’s form-filling feature can easily be turned on or off and comes with the bonus of bypassing the CAPTCHA “confirm you’re human” log-in requirements, saving you even more time and headaches.
The one downside to 1Password’s form filling is you’ll need to be using Android 8.0 or the latest version of iOS, but since most systems automatically update these days, I didn’t find this a hindrance.
SplashID’s auto-fill capabilities are what you’d expect: you can enable this feature to have your username and password fields automatically filled in. I couldn’t get it to prepopulate address information for me, though, so it doesn’t get five points out of five.
But SplashID can automatically submit the login form on your browser. To use this feature, you must be on the browser extension and have auto-fill turned on.
Winner: 1Password wins form filling because it offers a more streamlined and diverse form filling.
Security winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (4.5/5) |
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SplashID (4/5) |
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Most password managers, including 1Password and SplashID, use 256-bit AES encryption, like the U.S. government and most financial institutions. This alone would make most people confident in the password manager’s security, but 1Password and SplashID take security one step further.
1Password adds an extra layer of security with a 34-character Secret Key that works alongside your master password. It is also SOC 2 compliant, meaning it has carefully documented security policies and undergoes regular audits.
SplashID elevates its security above the industry standard with 128-bit Rijndael encryption in addition to the 256-bit AES. It also complies with the industry’s best security standards while using Netsparker, Burp Suite, Acunetix, and manual hack exploits to ensure no common vulnerabilities are missed.
With SplashID, you also have the option of storing your information offline. While this would mean you can’t sync that information between your devices, it is a nice option to have since it minimizes exposure since passwords are only available on your device and not accessible through the cloud.
Winner: 1Password because it adds a secret key and is SOC 2 compliant.
2FA winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (5/5) |
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SplashID (4/5) |
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2FA is an important step to further securing your online accounts. It involves having a secondary code sent to a separate device or account from the one you’re trying to log into — you’ll need the code to verify your identity.
2FA codes can be sent through text message, email, or an authenticator app like Authy or Google Authenticator or stored in physical security keys like Yubico. The most advanced 2FA systems even use biometric authentication. Both 1Password and SplashID support 2FA, but through different means, which ultimately makes all the difference.
1Password supports 2FA through authenticator apps, including Authy and Microsoft Authenticator, and physical keys like YubiKey and Google’s Titan key. Both are solid options and better than text messages hackers can more easily intercept. 2FA is easy to set up, so the only thing that would make it even better is a biometric authentication option.
SplashID’s 2FA is also easy to set up, but that’s about all it has going for it. The only authentication options are text and email, which is second-worst to text authentication. Both of these channels are relatively insecure, with messages easily spoofed.
Winner: 1Password wins 2FA because it offers more secure authentication options.
Bottom line winner: 1Password | |
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1Password (4.8/5) |
Best for: Families and business users of all sizes |
SplashID (3.6/5) |
Best for: Individuals looking for the lowest cost options that won’t sacrifice security. |
While both 1Password and SplashID have several positives, I feel only 1Password is among the best password managers.
SplashID offers some of the most competitive pricing in the industry, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Its mixed customer reviews and limited password-sharing and 2FA features pull its functionality and overall score down. That said, you can still trust its security, so if you’re willing to get fewer features to save a few bucks, it may still be worth a try.
1Password, on the other hand, is often found on best password managers lists, and for good reason. While it’s not a free password manager, it has nearly all the bells and whistles you could ask for. I wish it would add biometric authentication to its 2FA options, but otherwise, there’s not much bad to say about it. If you’re willing to spend a few bucks each month, 1Password is worth investing in.
On the surface, all password managers essentially generate and store passwords. As I evaluated providers, I dug deeper, comparing software on what matters most, including price, platform compatibility, security, and other factors.
I signed up for a plan with each provider to test:
Learn more about our review methodology.
About the Password Manager, Gunnar Kallstrom:
Kallstrom is a Cyber Team Lead for a Department of Defense (DOD) contracting company in Huntsville, Alabama, and has also worked as a computer network defense (CND) Cyber Analyst. An author and content creator for a cybersecurity academy, Kallstrom spent nearly 15 years in the Army as a musician before entering the cybersecurity field.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Thomas Edison State University and a master’s in organizational development and leadership from the University of the Incarnate Word.
Kallstrom has completed several Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) courses, including Security+, Network+, A+ Core 1, and A+ Core 2. He earned a CompTIA Security+ Certification. Additionally, he has completed the Cyber Warrior Academy program with more than 800 hours of hands-on, intensive, and lab-driven technical training in cybersecurity methods and procedures.
Passionate about all things cyber, Kallstrom was a speaker on a panel at the 2022 InfoSec World conference, giving a talk entitled “Hacking into a Cyber Career – True Stories.” Kallstrom is also a mentor to entry-level cybersecurity candidates seeking to break into the field. When he’s not working, he still enjoys playing guitar and fishing (not phishing).