1Password Teams launches with introductory pricing after 7-month beta period
After seven months of beta testing, developer Agile Bits on Thursday released 1Password Teams, a subscription-based version of its popular multi-platform password and secure data management app designed to serve work groups.
Available for iOS, Mac and Android -- Windows support coming soon -- 1Password Teams allows users in an assigned team to share passwords, documents and data through backend app syncing. With strong encryption in place, the system is much more secure than sending passwords via email or message.
Like other team sharing services, 1Password provides granular control and monitoring tools for applying user permissions, enabling and disabling vault sharing, assigning roles and other administration functions. For example, a team admin might set a password vault to "Read-only" status or, in the case of highly sensitive website credentials, allow teammates to log in without revealing the password.
The Admin Console also has the power to restore access to specific users if they forget their master password. Agile Bits also incorporates its Watchtower service to send out alerts when security breaches for services or websites used by the team are discovered.
In addition to the usual password creation and syncing features offered with consumer versions of 1Password's app suite, 1Password Teams gives users 1GB or 5GB of secure storage, depending on subscription tier. An item history tool is also included for restoring errantly deleted items and passwords.
1Password Teams is available in two tiers. The annual Standard plan comes in at $3.99 per user per month ($4.99 if billed per month) and includes unlimited access to all 1Password desktop and mobile apps, 1GB of storage per person, a 30-day item history and more. A step-up Pro plan is normally priced at $11.99 when billed annually ($14.99 on a month-by-month basis) and includes 5GB of storage per person, unlimited item history and custom group creation. Custom roles and an activity log will be added soon to Pro level accounts.
Agile Bits is offering early adopters access to all Pro level features at Standard plan prices until June 31. Teams that subscribe before that date will lock in lower pricing, meaning new members added later pay $3.99 per month instead of $11.99 per month.
Available for iOS, Mac and Android -- Windows support coming soon -- 1Password Teams allows users in an assigned team to share passwords, documents and data through backend app syncing. With strong encryption in place, the system is much more secure than sending passwords via email or message.
Like other team sharing services, 1Password provides granular control and monitoring tools for applying user permissions, enabling and disabling vault sharing, assigning roles and other administration functions. For example, a team admin might set a password vault to "Read-only" status or, in the case of highly sensitive website credentials, allow teammates to log in without revealing the password.
The Admin Console also has the power to restore access to specific users if they forget their master password. Agile Bits also incorporates its Watchtower service to send out alerts when security breaches for services or websites used by the team are discovered.
In addition to the usual password creation and syncing features offered with consumer versions of 1Password's app suite, 1Password Teams gives users 1GB or 5GB of secure storage, depending on subscription tier. An item history tool is also included for restoring errantly deleted items and passwords.
1Password Teams is available in two tiers. The annual Standard plan comes in at $3.99 per user per month ($4.99 if billed per month) and includes unlimited access to all 1Password desktop and mobile apps, 1GB of storage per person, a 30-day item history and more. A step-up Pro plan is normally priced at $11.99 when billed annually ($14.99 on a month-by-month basis) and includes 5GB of storage per person, unlimited item history and custom group creation. Custom roles and an activity log will be added soon to Pro level accounts.
Agile Bits is offering early adopters access to all Pro level features at Standard plan prices until June 31. Teams that subscribe before that date will lock in lower pricing, meaning new members added later pay $3.99 per month instead of $11.99 per month.
Comments
One thing of note for 1Password, if you want iCloud syncing you have to buy it off the Mac App Store. Otherwise, you're stuck with syncing with something like Dropbox which isn't as handy. I strongly recommend this for everyone. It can be a little confusing to get setup, but once you do it works like a charm across devices no matter what browser you're using.
I'm glad I bought this instead of "renting" it. I hate that what seems like every company is using this subscription model with software now. I DO NOT WANT TO RENT SOFTWARE!!! I want to buy it and own it!
Please note that this is the price for the Pro plan for 1Password Teams. I'm not sure what your situation is, but 1Password Families for family use is $5 for 5. And early adopters that create their Teams account before August get the Pro features for the price of the Standard plan. Having looked at the pricing for other business plans for services like Dropbox, Slack, and Evernote, we feel our pricing for Teams is very competitive.
This used to be true, but it is no longer the case. You can read more about this on our blog and we even open sourced the library we created for interacting with CloudKit.
Thanks for the feedback, folks. We love hearing your thoughts.
I wanted to say that though I am not a fan of subscription software it seems to be the current wave of licensing/access. I will say this, I have been a user of 1Password for a number of years and it has always served me well. I was a beta tester and early adopter of the current iPassword Family product and I have been very satisfied with their offering. Once you have the backend configured (vaults, access, etc.) the rest is really pretty easy and interfaces with our browsers pretty seamlessly. I do like the option to configure a mobile device by use of a camera scanning a QR code. Other than supplying the master password, it completes the rest of the configuration.
From a man in his mid-forties I have a bit of a different perspective in that I am starting to think of my legacy for my family. Of course I hope to live a long life, but you never know. By offering this product, it is a tool that will allow my family to continue with life from a financial standpoint without the hurdles of having to locate information about log-ons, security questions, etc. The bills won't stop coming and some accounts are setup for my email (notifications and alerts) and so on. This program allows us to keep all access synchronized and accessible for both of us.
I know that there are a number of different products out that can do the same or possibly better at password management. But 1Password works for our needs and they have earned my trust as far as allowing me to configure online security, securely to the best that I can control. I only have to remember one well configured master password and then follow recommended practices to keep my information secure.
I do detest software subscriptions. I confess I haven't investigated the Families or Teams options. Is the monthly fee for the software or for the use of syncing on Agile Bits' servers to sync? I mean can we choose to sync via our own servers or local network? I doubt it because that would cut into the revenue stream. So when Jamie Phelps says the fees are to cover the costs of servers and bandwidth, I have to take that with a grain of salt. I just hope that they do not start removing features from the standalone app in order to force users to the subscription service.
If you're a Teams or Families user, the apps are included in the subscription price. If we have a paid upgrade, that's included. You're not required to purchase the app and the service separately. If you purchase the software from our store or from the Mac App Store, you can sync using iCloud, Dropbox, or Wi-Fi. The choice is yours. As for features, if the standalone app can do them then it will. There's already a lot of complexity to manage in 1Password without artificially creating more. But if there are features that can only be done when there is some centralized control, then those would be limited to 1Password accounts. The ACL/permissions and account recovery features of the current offering are good examples of things that require the server component in order to be possible. I hope that makes sense.