1Password is one of the best-known password managers in the world. NettForge is a newer, South African one. Here is where they differ, and where 1Password is simply the stronger choice. Checked October 2026. Companies change plans and features, so confirm the details on their own sites.
The short version
Choose 1Password for a mature, polished product with years of public scrutiny and wide business integrations. Choose NettForge if you want a free plan that does not expire, prices in rand, Autopilot sign-in, or tools for network logins and monitoring.
Security design
Both are zero-knowledge: the company stores locked data it cannot read. 1Password combines your master password with a random Secret Key kept on your devices, so a stolen vault is very hard to attack even if the master password is guessable. NettForge makes its key from your master password alone with Argon2id (64 MiB, 3 passes, 4 lanes), so your master password carries more weight and should be a long passphrase. Each NettForge item is sealed separately with AES-256-GCM and a fresh random value. The server can see that an item exists, its type and when it changed, not its name or website.
Price and currency
NettForge is charged in rand: Free, then Personal at R79 a month (14-day trial, no card). 1Password prices in dollars and offers a free trial rather than a permanent free plan; check 1password.com for the current price in your currency.
Features side by side
| NettForge | 1Password | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan that does not expire | Yes | No (trial) |
| Zero-knowledge | Yes | Yes |
| Secret Key on top of the master password | No | Yes |
| Built-in 2FA codes | Yes | Yes |
| Passkeys | Yes, on Personal and up | Yes |
| Security score and breach alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Router, OLT and WinBox login tools | Yes | Not built in |
| Network monitoring (Polaris) | Yes | No |
| Developer tools such as an SSH agent | Not today | Yes |
| Business single sign-on and large integrations | Not today | Yes |
| Years in the field | New | Many |
Where 1Password is better
- A long track record, public security reviews and a very polished experience on every platform.
- Developer features such as an SSH agent, and broad business integrations such as single sign-on.
- The Secret Key, which adds protection if a master password is weak.
Where NettForge is a better fit
- You want a real free plan with unlimited passwords and devices.
- You want to pay in rand and deal with a South African company. See password manager South Africa.
- You run a network. NettForge logs into routers and OLTs, launches WinBox, backs up MikroTik configs and watches your links. Read passwords for ISPs and MSPs.
Switching
Export a CSV from 1Password, then import it in NettForge. Delete the CSV afterwards, because it is readable. Full steps are in how to switch password managers. You can also keep both for a while and compare. Other comparisons: Bitwarden and LastPass.
Questions people ask
Both are zero-knowledge designs. 1Password adds a Secret Key to your master password, and has years of public scrutiny. NettForge derives its key from your master password with Argon2id and encrypts each item with AES-256-GCM, and publishes that design on its security page. 1Password is much older and more widely reviewed; NettForge is new.
1Password offers a free trial rather than a plan that never expires. NettForge's free plan does not expire.
Yes. Export a CSV from the 1Password desktop app, then use NettForge's import. See how to switch.