Chapter 1 · 1.2
Proton Pass, 1Password or your browser: which one suits you?
There is no single best password manager. It depends on your devices, whether you share passwords, what you want to spend and where your vault may be stored. This article puts the options side by side.
The options side by side
| Proton Pass | 1Password | Your browser or phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Proton, Switzerland | AgileBits, Canada | Google, Microsoft, Apple, Mozilla or Samsung (mostly American) |
| Where is your vault stored? | Switzerland, Germany or Norway | In the EU, if you create your account on 1password.eu | With the brand; you can't choose the location |
| Works on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and all browsers | Yes | Yes | No, only within the same brand or the same browser |
| Free version | Yes, generous: unlimited passwords and devices, passkeys | No, only a trial period | Yes |
| Codes for two-step verification | Yes, in Pass Plus | Yes | Varies by brand |
| Sharing with your family or team | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Emergency access | Yes, in Pass Plus | Recovery via the administrator of your family or team account | Varies by brand |
| Open source | The apps are | No | Only Firefox |
Which one should you choose?
- You want a European password manager that can be used for free: Proton Pass. For two-step verification codes and emergency access, you can upgrade to Pass Plus later (see Creating a Proton account for Proton Pass).
- You want the easiest option and are happy to pay for it: 1Password, with your account on 1password.eu. Your vault is extra protected with a secret key (see Creating a 1Password account on 1password.eu).
- You share passwords with your family: Proton Pass Family (6 people) or 1Password Families (5 people), see Sharing passwords with your team or family.
- You only use devices from one brand and don't share anything: the manager in your browser or phone may be enough. Bear in mind: there is often no separate master password. Anyone who gets into your logged-in computer can then also get to your passwords. So always protect your device with a PIN, password or fingerprint.
The Dutch NCSC recommends that when choosing, you also look at two-step verification for the manager itself, sharing with colleagues and the business model behind a free version. The German BSI points out that with a cloud-based manager, the location of the servers and the country of the company determine which laws apply. You'll find more questions to help you choose in the lesson Choosing and using password managers of the Safe online course.
Why not Bitwarden or KeePassXC?
Bitwarden is a good, open-source password manager, but it is an American company. Even if your vault is stored in the European region, American law applies. KeePassXC is free and secure, but only works on computers: on your phone you need a different app and you have to arrange syncing yourself. That's why this guide focuses on Proton Pass and 1Password. Already using Bitwarden or KeePassXC and want to switch? Read Switching from LastPass, Bitwarden or another manager. You'll find all other well-known password managers with scores in All well-known password managers compared: country, features, reviews and scores.
What about the Passwords app in Nextcloud?
There is a Passwords app for Nextcloud that puts a password vault in your Nextcloud. This app is not included in the WebOké Nextcloud packages. You also can't install apps yourself in your WebOké Nextcloud (see Which apps are included in my package? and Permissions: who manages what in your Nextcloud?). What's more, the app works less well on phones and in browsers than Proton Pass and 1Password.
Tip: Not sure? Start with the free version of Proton Pass or the 1Password trial and use it for a few weeks. You can always switch later: both can export and import your vault (see Making a backup or export of your vault).