How to Switch Password Managers
Named job first: export, import, verify, then retire the old vault. Published pricing notes; scores not assigned.
Bottom line
Switch only for a named job. Export, import, verify critical logins, then retire the old vault. Never delete first.
Fastest free path
- Decide if switching is worth the lockout risk
- Export from the current manager (encrypted if available)
- Create the new vault with a strong master password + MFA
- Import and spot-check email/banking logins on a second device
- Update autofill defaults on each device
- Only then delete or freeze the old vault
Step-by-step guide
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1Free
Named job first, not novelty switch
Switching has lockout risk. Prefer staying if the current tool works and you only feel FOMO from ads. Write the failed job (sharing rules, free-tier limits, platform gaps, or UX you refuse to learn) before you export.
- List why you are leaving in one sentence
- Confirm the new tool supports your browsers and phones
- Schedule time when you are not traveling
- Read who-should-not-buy on the destination alternatives page
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2Free
Finish free hygiene before the hop
A migration does not fix reused passwords. Rotate email and banking credentials, enable MFA, and store recovery codes offline before you export anything.
- Turn on MFA for email and your most important financial accounts.
- Stop creating new reused passwords today, use a browser generator if needed as a bridge.
- Change reused passwords on email, banking, Apple/Google/Microsoft, and work SSO first.
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3Free
Scenario: stay put, Free-to-Premium sync, Families share, or keep old vault live
Novelty FOMO only: stay put. Free-tier sync wall: NordPass Free-to-Premium can fit after MFA. Structured sharing leftover: 1Password Families after adult MFA. Never delete first: keep the old vault live through a calm verification week.
- Write the failed job in one sentence
- Refuse same-day cancel of the old subscription
- Schedule a non-travel cutover window
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4Free
Export carefully
Use official export paths only. Protect export files; delete them after a successful import. Never email an unencrypted CSV to yourself.
- Export via the official UI or documented CLI
- Store the file briefly in a secure location
- Never paste vault contents into chat or notes apps
- Keep the old vault active until verification finishes
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5Optional paid
Import and verify
Import into NordPass or 1Password (or your chosen tool), then manually test the accounts that matter most. Unlock on a second device before you trust autofill defaults.
- Import the full vault
- Unlock on a second device or browser
- Test email + one financial login
- Confirm shared vault members can still access what they need
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6Free
Retire the old vault
After a calm week of success, revoke old devices, remove extensions, and securely delete export files. Do not cancel the old subscription the same hour you import.
- Remove old browser extensions
- Revoke sessions on the old vendor account
- Securely delete export files
- Update recovery documentation outside the vault
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7Optional paid
Product analysis: NordPass vs 1Password as switch destinations
Switch only for a named failed job. NordPass Free $0/mo and Premium from $1.39/mo (2-year USD, 2026-08-09) suit everyday vault hops. 1Password Individual $2.99/mo annual / Families $4.49/mo suit structured sharing leftovers. Export, import, verify, then retire the old vault after a calm week.
- Write the failed job in one sentence
- Export encrypted if available; never delete first
- Verify email and one finance login on a second device
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8Free
Scenario: switching because an ad promised a scored winner
Novelty switches create lockout risk. Stay if the current vault works and only FOMO is talking.
- List real failed jobs, not ad copy
- Skip the hop if free hygiene is unfinished
- Re-read who-should-not-buy on destination pages
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9Free
Scenario: delete old vault before verifying critical logins
Never delete the old vault first. Export, import, verify email and banking unlock on two devices, then retire the old vault. NordPass Free-to-Premium or 1Password Individual $2.99/mo annual (USD, 2026-08-09) are destination anchors only after that verify step.
- Keep the old vault live until verify passes
- Test email and banking unlock on two devices
- Refuse novelty hops that skip export discipline
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10Free
Scenario: TOTP codes missing after import
If authenticator or TOTP entries did not survive the export/import, keep the old vault live and rebuild those codes before canceling. Do not buy NordPass Premium from $1.39/mo or 1Password Individual $2.99/mo annual (USD, 2026-08-09) hoping a paid plan repairs a broken cutover.
- Inventory MFA/TOTP items before export
- Re-enroll missing authenticators on official sites
- Keep the old vault until TOTP unlocks work
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11Free
Buyer guide: do not hop for novelty
Do not pay for a switch if you cannot name the failed job, if free hygiene is unfinished, if you will delete the old vault first, or if an ad promised a scored winner. NordPass Free $0/mo / Premium from $1.39/mo and 1Password Individual $2.99/mo annual (2026-08-09) are destination anchors only after export discipline.
- Write the failed job before export
- Never delete the old vault first
- Refuse score shopping as a switch reason
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12Free
Do not pay for a new vault if you will not adopt a master password and vault MFA; if you only needed to rotate one reused email password; or if you require published overall scores before any commercial decision. Those scores are not assigned on purpose.
- Finish MFA on email first
- Do not buy for someone who will keep sticky-note passwords
- Comparison-only products may appear without deal links
What cannot always be removed
- Risk of lockout if you delete the old vault too early
- Sites that block password managers or break imports
- Shared vault members who still use the old tool
- Export formats that drop TOTP seeds or passkeys (verify vendor docs)
Sources
- NordPass USD GraphQL: Premium from $1.39/mo 2-year; Free $0/mo, published pricing record (2026-08-09)
- 1Password USD pricing: Individual $2.99/mo and Families $4.49/mo annual, published pricing record (2026-08-09)
- Affiliate disclosure: Commission transparency near product CTAs; deal-link tracking only for featured merchants
- Pricing records: published pricing records: starting prices verified 2026-08-09
- Vendor marketing pages: Feature and architecture claims from official sites, not independent lab evidence; re-verify same-day before purchase advice
- Security Checklist methodology: How password-manager reviews are structured before scores publish, /methodology/
Final verdict
Export carefully, import, verify critical logins, then retire the old vault. Switch only for a named leftover job, not novelty. Overall score is not assigned. Commissions
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Final verdict: what should I do first?
How do I switch password managers safely?
Which password manager should I switch to?
Can I suggest a correction to this guide?
Will I lose two-factor codes when I export?
Why are product scores not published?
Update history
Price captures verified 2026-08-09. Re-check free OS controls and any listed prices same-day before purchase.
Related reading
Related reading
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Named job first: export, import, verify, then retire the old vault. Published pricing notes; scores not assigned.
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