iCloud Keychain vs 1Password: which is better?

1Password and Apple’s iCloud Keychain are few of the most popular password managers in 2024, as both ensure a user-friendly experience when it comes to password generation, storage, and encryption. But in the 1Password vs Apple Keychain battle, which one best suits your needs?

Cross-platform integration makes 1Password ideal for those using multiple systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. However, it’s a paid service, whereas iCloud Keychain is free for iOS and macOS users. The downside to iCloud Keychain, of course, is that it’s made for Apple devices and has limited functionality on Windows.

So, how do you pick the best password manager for you? In this article, I compare the features, pricing, ease of use, and customer service provided by 1Password and iCloud Keychain to help you make an informed decision.

1Password vs iCloud Keychain: overall comparison

Both 1Password and iCloud Keychain use end-to-end AES 256-bit encryption, ensuring that only you have access to your passwords.

While 1Password doesn’t have a free version (only a free trial), it does have apps for all major operating systems and web browsers. On the other hand, iCloud Keychain is free to use but most of its functionality is limited to Apple devices and the Safari browser.

	1Password	iCloud Keychain
⭐ Rating:	4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★	-
🥇 Overall ranking:	#2 out of #19	-
🔥 Coupons:	1Password coupon 50% OFF	-
💵 Price:	$2.99/month	Free
✂️ Free version:	14-day trial	Yes
🔒 Encryption:	AES 256-bit	AES 256-bit
🖥️ Platforms:	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, iOS
🌐 Browser extensions:	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Safari	Safari

1Password vs iCloud Keychain: which is more secure?

When comparing 1Password vs Apple Keychain, I found 1Password to be more secure because it simply has more security features and benefits. 1Password employs zero-knowledge architecture while iCloud Keychain does not. It has also been audited by independent security firms.

To compare both providers accurately, I assessed encryption protocols, authentication methods, independent audits, and more. While both password managers are considered secure, 1Password appears to offer more in terms of virtual security. Here’s a quick summary.

Security features	1Password	iCloud Keychain
Encryption	AES-256	AES-256
Zero-knowledge architecture	✅ Yes	❌ No
Multi-factor security	✅ Yes (2FA, biometric authentication)	✅ Yes (2FA, device-based security)
Biometric authentication	✅ Yes (facial and fingerprint recognition)	✅ Yes (facial and fingerprint recognition)
Security audits	✅ Audited by Secfault Security, Recurity Labs, and Cure53 and is ISO-certified	❌ No publicized third-party security audits
Secret key	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

Encryption, secret key, and zero-knowledge architecture

Both 1Password and Apple Keychain use AES-256 encryption. However, there are differences in how they derive and manage encryption keys:

• 1Password. Your encryption key is derived from your Master Password and a unique Secret Key generated on your device.
• iCloud Keychain. Your encryption key is derived from your Apple ID and a device-specific key (unique to each Apple device).

In both cases, your data can’t be viewed by either Apple or 1Password since your encryption keys are never transmitted to either service’s servers. All encryption and decryption processes occur locally on your device, as well.

However, iCloud Keychain does not qualify as zero-knowledge architecture because it has access to your Apple ID, which is used to generate your encryption key. By contrast, 1Password uses your Master Password, which only you have access to.

Multi-factor security

Both 1Password and iCloud Keychain use multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires you to provide additional forms of verification than just your username and password when logging into your account.

1Password has the following MFA options: authenticator apps (e.g. Authy or Google Authentication), one-time passwords via email, physical security keys (e.g. YubiKey or Titan), push notifications on mobile, and facial and fingerprint recognition.

Meanwhile, iCloud Keychain provides these MFA options: Apple ID, facial and fingerprint recognition (Face ID and Touch ID), and passcode verification.

Between the two, I prefer 1Password’s multi-factor authentication as it provides more options for me to choose from. However, if you exclusively use Apple devices, using your Apple ID can be more convenient for logging into your account.

Third-party security audits

Apple does not publicize any independent security audits, while 1Password has an impressive list of all the security audits the password manager has passed. They have been performed by multiple independent firms like Secfault Security, Recurity Labs, and Cure53.

Fortunately, both 1Password and Apple have achieved ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27018 certifications, which indicate that both products meet the standards for information security management, cloud security, and privacy.

1Password vs Apple Keychain: features

After testing the tools in-house, I can say that 1Passowrd has better features, as it has more robust password sharing and a nifty feature called Travel Mode.

While both 1Password and Apple Keychain offer the basic functionalities expected of password managers, I specifically looked into how they implement encryption, file storage, autofill, backups, and more.

Features	1Password	iCloud Keychain
Password importing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes (CSV files only)
Password generation	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Weak password alerts	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Password sharing	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Automatic backups	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Automatic autofill	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Payment card autofill	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Encrypted file storage	✅ Up to 1GB of storage	✅ Up to 5GB free storage
Travel mode	✅ Yes	❌ No

Password importing

You can bulk import your passwords using both 1Password and iCloud Keychain, though I found during in-house testing that 1Password has better functionality in this regard.

I like that 1Password lets you import passwords from more file types than just CSV, such as 1pux or 1pif. Meanwhile, Apple only lets you import passwords from CSV files.

Fortunately, most top password managers allow you to export your passwords into a CSV file, so both password managers are good choices if you’re worried about transferring your data from one manager to another.

Password generation and weak password alerts

Both 1Password and Apple iCloud Keychain can generate strong and unique passwords. These services will also let you know if your password is considered weak or if your password has been leaked in a data breach.

However, I think 1Password beats iCloud Keychain in one crucial aspect. It can also generate passphrase passwords and PINs, plus you can change the length, capitalization, and special characters included in generated passwords.

By contrast, iCloud Keychain doesn’t let you change the parameters of randomly generated passwords. By default, its passwords are 20 characters long and contain one digit, one uppercase character, two hyphens, and 16 lowercase characters.

Password sharing

It’s important to be able to share your password without the risk of it getting leaked, like when you need to send your Netflix password to your household members. Fortunately, both 1Password and iCloud Keychain offer secure password sharing.

With 1Password, you can easily share a password by opening your vault, finding the item you want to select, and clicking the Share button. I like that you can choose when the link expires and how you can share passwords to any device (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS). You can even share your password with someone who doesn’t have a 1Password account.

On the other hand, passwords stored on iCloud Keychain can only be shared to people in your Contacts. Fortunately, the process itself is easy: simply select a password in the Safari browser app and then Share with AirDrop.

Password and credit card autofill

Both 1Password and iCloud Keychain can autofill form fields when logging into a website or app. You can also use them to automatically fill in credit card details when you make a purchase.

I like that the autofill function from iCloud Keychain is automatically enabled for Apple devices. On the other hand, you may need to manually enable this setting for 1Password before you can use it on mobile. The app comes with on-screen instructions on how to grant permissions for 1Password’s autofill feature.

Encrypted file storage

You can use both 1Password and Apple iCloud to store important files like receipts, IDs, and other important documents. However, each service comes with both advantages and disadvantages.

With 1Password, all your files are encrypted and decrypted locally, so you can safely store documents and photos with sensitive information. However, you only get 1 GB of storage, so I recommend uploading only your most important documents.

Meanwhile, by default, Apple only encrypts certain data (like your passwords, messages, and payment information). To enable end-to-end encryption on your iCloud Drive and Photos, you need to enable Advanced Data Protection.

All Apple users get 5 GB of free storage space, but you can upgrade to a paid plan to get as much as 12TB of storage.

Travel mode

1Password’s Travel Mode lets you temporarily hide specific items or vaults from your devices, letting you hide sensitive data and minimize the risk of exposure in case of inspections.

To use, activate Travel Mode via the 1Password website or app, then select which vaults or items you want to hide while traveling.

iCloud Keychain vs 1Password: plans and pricing

Since iCloud isn’t exclusively a password management service, its plans differ from 1Password’s and other password managers’. You can find an overview of 1Password’s various plans below:

Plan	1Password	iCloud Keychain
Individual	From $2.99/month	Free
Families	From $4.99/month	–
Business	From $7.99/month	–
Teams	From $19.95/month	–

iCloud Keychain is free to use on any Apple device. You can get a paid iCloud plan if you need more than 5GB of file storage. Here are the plans available to iClouds clients in the United States:

• 50GB: $0.99/month
• 200GB: $2.99/month
• 2TB: $9.99/month
• 6TB: $29.99/month
• 12TB: $59.99/month

If you’re already deep in the Apple ecosystem, using iCloud Keychain is a no-brainer since it doesn’t cost extra. However, you’ll be missing out on features like cross-platform integration and Travel Mode, both of which are available on 1Password.

The downside of 1Password is it can be expensive if you only need basic password management, plus it doesn’t have a free plan (only a free trial). That said, 1Password is available on all major operating systems and has a variety of browser extensions. Plus, you can sync your account across an unlimited number of devices.

If your priority is being able to use a secure password manager on all your devices, then 1Password is the better pick. If you only use Apple devices, iCloud Keychain is a great option, too.

Platforms, interface, and ease of use

1Password is available on all platforms, whereas iCloud Keychain is meant for Apple devices (with one exception). Here’s an overview of the apps’ availability.

	1Password	iCloud Keychain
Supported OS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, iOS
Browser extension	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Safari	Safari
Number of simultaneous device use	Unlimited	Up to 10

Desktop apps

Both services can be accessed from a desktop. 1Password has desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You can also use the 1Password browser extension on various web browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave).

Based on my experience, the desktop app was well-designed, with features neatly categorized in and easily accessed from the sidebar. You can set specific items as Favorites for even easier access.

Meanwhile, you can open your iCloud Keychain on Mac using the Keychain Access app. The interface should be familiar and easy to navigate if you’re used to macOS, and you’ll find all your login information listed there.

If you’re working with a Windows operating system, you can use the iCloud on Windows app to access and manage passwords stored on your iCloud. However, you need to first set up iCloud on an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or macOS.

The iCloud on Windows app grants access to the following macOS features: iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, Calendars and Contacts, iCloud Passwords, and iCloud Bookmarks.

Browser extensions

1Password has browser extensions you can download for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and Brave. The extension has a similar user interface as the desktop app, so it’s very easy to navigate, and the overall look is very modern and familiar. It can also automatically fill in your log in details, and it makes it easy to generate new passwords when signing up on a new website.

By contrast, iCloud Keychain is automatically integrated into Safari. There’s no setup needed. So, as long as you’re logged into your Apple ID, you’ll get prompts to generate new passwords or fill in login fields as you go along.

Mobile apps

1Password has apps for both Android (Google Play Store) and iOS (Apple App Store) while iCloud Keychain is exclusive to iOS.

The mobile app for 1Password is reminiscent of its desktop app, and I like that it has most of the functionality of the desktop version. For example, I could manage and generate passwords and use Watchtower (a tool for identifying breached passwords) on the mobile app without any issue.

Apple Keychain is a native function of any iPhone, so using it was just like using any of my iPhone’s settings. I appreciated that I could easily generate strong passwords when signing up on a website.

Apple Keychain vs 1Password customer support

1Password and Apple have various customer support options available.

	1Password	iCloud Keychain
Email support	✅ Yes	❌ No
24/7 live chat	❌ No	✅ Yes
Phone support	❌ No	✅ Yes
Support community (forum)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
How-to guides/knowledge base	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Social media support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

When comparing 1Password vs Apple Keychain, both have well-written and easily available knowledge bases for basic troubleshooting. You can also contact either through social media or seek help via the support communities.

However, in terms of immediate assistance, iCloud Keychain is in the lead. Apple can provide 24/7 live chat and phone support depending on your issue. Its website claims to have only a 2-minute waiting time, which I tested by requesting support via chat. In fact, I was able to get in touch with a representative in less than 90 seconds, which is impressive.

1Password’s email support was a bit slower when I tested it, taking around an hour before I received a reply via email ticket. Thankfully, the representative was able to help me with my questions, so I wasn’t dissatisfied by the service.

In this case, however, Apple is the clear winner when it comes to customer support.

1Password vs iCloud Keychain – which one to choose?

Both 1Password and Apple iCloud Keychain offer secure password generation, storage, and management, but each one will cater to specific user needs.

I recommend 1Password for users who work with multiple operating systems. I think they’ll enjoy the cross-platform compatibility and extra features (like Travel Mode) on top of the highly secure password features. The biggest downside to 1Password is its price tag. Although it’s not that expensive ($2.99/month), there are cheaper alternatives that work just as well.

On the other hand, I recommend iCloud Keychain for Apple users who want great customer service. If you don’t mind Apple’s Keychain limited compatibility, it’s an excellent password manager that won’t cost you extra while still providing lots of useful features (like password sharing and built-in Safari integration).

Overall, if I had to choose, I’d go with 1Password since it beats iCloud Keychain in 3 out of the 5 categories I evaluated these programs in. 1Password has slightly better security, has more features, and has better compatibility than its competitor.

Category	1Password	iCloud Keychain
Security	✅ Yes	❌ No
Features	✅ Yes	❌ No
Pricing & plans	❌ No	✅ Yes
User experience	✅ Yes	❌ No
Customer support	❌ No	✅ Yes

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