1Password Review

After I purchased my MacBook Pro earlier this month, I began looking at the wide range of Mac OS X software titles.  Having previously used – and having been extremely satisfied with – KeePassX to manage my passwords and logins while using Linux, I was disappointed to hear from others that the OS X version of the application was extremely unstable and unusable.  So, in my search for awesome OS X applications, one of the software titles that quickly caught my eye was 1Password – a password management application developed by Agile Web Solutions.  Note: We have a license to giveaway for the Mac or Windows version so watch the video at the bottom of this review for more details.

Now, after having used KeePass for so long, I honestly doubted that I would find any password manager that would come close to matching KeePass’s usability, ease of use, and function.  But, after hearing so many good things about 1Password from a number of customers online, I ended up purchasing 1Password before my MBP even arrived.

Last Monday when FedEx finally delivered my Mac, 1Password was one of the first applications that I ended up installing.  Within twenty minutes, I was hooked.

Setting up a data file was really simple.  All I had to do was enter my “master” password – that is, the password that I have to enter to unlock the data file in order to access my passwords; be it from the “vault” (main application) or from any of the browser-based plugins.

The vault itself has a really intuitive interface.  Logins for websites are displayed by default in a shelf-like fashion where users can see a list of their sites in one column and details for a selected site in another.  Moreover, finding sites within login list is really simple because of the fact that it shows the site “favicon” in the thumbnail and shows a full preview of the website in the description.  I have found that this helps to eliminate any confusion.

The details pannel also makes it easy to quickly copy details onto your clipboard with just the click of a button so that you can enter them in applications and websites with ease.

Adding websites and logins to the password list is almost as simple as browsing them.  Simply entering in a site description, URL, username, and password creates an entry that can then be accessed from the application itself or via extensions.  Because of the sheer amount of passwords that I had to move over to 1Password (from a text file) when I set it up, I was honestly pleased with the simplicity of adding an account.

1Password even makes it simple to generate secure passwords when signing up for websites or services, or when creating new accounts.  I have personally used GRC’s Perfect Passwords utility for a number of years now, but must say that the convenience of having a password generator at my fingertips – all within the application – is a nice feature.

Perhaps the best feature about 1Password is that you will rarely ever have to use the actual application on your computer.  As nice as the core application is, the fact of the matter is that 1Password makes it so that you can log into websites – directly from your browser – without ever having to log into the application itself.  Simply installing the browser add-on/extension for your browser will allow you to select the “1P” button on any website that you have configured to automatically enter and submit your credentials.

This same auto-fill functionality even makes it simple for you to store personal information; making registration forms a snap to fill out.

Because 1Password stores all of your data securely, it is also idea for storing sensitive information such as banking information, license numbers, and account numbers.  One of the greatest features that I have found in 1Password is the simple storing of software license keys and notes.  Not only does this help to keep my stuff organized, but it also helps with security and privacy as well.

We all know that using secure passwords is important, but keeping up with dozens of complex passwords can be a pain.  1Password honestly makes it dead-simple to manage passwords and personal information.  While I must admit that I was shell-shocked by the $40 price tag, I must say that the application – available for both Windows and Mac OS X – is well worth the price if you are concerned with personal security.

Be sure to “Like” our Facebook page and comment on this post to be eligible to win the 1Password giveaway!