ByteGuard vs 1Password vs Bitwarden vs Apple Keychain
We compiled this comparison from public documentation and the latest stable releases. Data points are as accurate as we could verify; subjective judgments are flagged. Email us if you spot an error.
| Dimension | ByteGuard | 1Password | Bitwarden | Apple Keychain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master password KDF | Argon2id | PBKDF2-SHA256 | PBKDF2 / Argon2id (user-selectable) | Apple internal |
| Argon2id memory cost | 64 MB | — | 64 MB (Argon2id mode) | — |
| Argon2id iterations | 3 | — | 3 (Argon2id mode) | — |
| Second factor key (independent of master pwd) | 128-bit Secret Key (BIP39 12 words) | Account Secret Key (34 chars) | — | — |
| Field encryption | AES-256-GCM | AES-256-GCM | AES-256-CBC + HMAC-SHA256 | AES-256-GCM |
| Per-entry key isolation | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Passkey (FIDO2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in TOTP 2FA | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Requires iOS 15+ |
| HIBP breach detection | Free | Paid only | Paid only | Built-in (iOS 16+) |
| Security audit report | Free | Paid only | Paid only | — |
| Required server trust | No own servers (iCloud only) | High (own cloud) | Medium (own cloud or self-host) | Medium (Apple iCloud) |
| Open source | Plan to open-source core lib in 6 months | — | ✓ Fully open | — |
| Third-party security audit | None yet (transparently disclosed) | ✓ Multiple | ✓ Multiple | ✓ Apple internal + regulators |
| Public security whitepaper | ✓ EN + ZH | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Apple Platform Security Guide |
| Supported platforms | iOS / iPadOS / macOS | All (iOS/Android/Win/Mac/Linux/Web) | All | Apple ecosystem only |
| Web browser extension | — | ✓ | ✓ | Safari only |
| Import from other managers | 1Password / Bitwarden / LastPass / KeePass / Dashlane / Apple Keychain | ✓ Many | ✓ Many | Very limited |
| Export (lock-in resistance) | JSON / CSV | 1pif / CSV | JSON / CSV | iCloud Keychain backup |
| Free tier completeness | Full local mgmt + HIBP + security report | ❌ No free tier | ✓ Nearly full | ✓ Fully free |
| Paid starting price | $0.99/mo or $9.99 lifetime | from $2.99/mo | from $0.83/mo | Free |
| Lifetime purchase option | $9.99 | — | — | — (free) |
| Free trial | 30 days | 14 days | 7 days | — |
| Family / Team sharing | — | ✓ Family / Business | ✓ Family / Org | ✓ iCloud Family (passwords only) |
| Self-host option | — | — | ✓ Officially supported | — |
| No third-party analytics SDKs | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |