Comparison
Keyway vs 1Password
Purpose-built for developers vs developer add-on
Keyway was designed from day one for development teams. 1Password started as a password manager and added developer features.
Quick Summary
Keyway
Best for teams who want a dedicated tool for application secrets, tightly integrated with GitHub.
1Password
Best for teams already using 1Password who want one tool for both personal passwords and developer secrets.
Feature Comparison
See how Keyway and 1Password compare across key features.
| Feature | Keyway | 1Password |
|---|---|---|
GitHub Repo Permissions Repo access = secret access, no separate user management | ||
Zero Onboarding No separate accounts or invites needed | ||
Setup Time | 30 seconds | 5-15 minutes |
Runtime Injection Run commands with secrets in memory, no .env file | keyway run | op run |
AI Agent Support (MCP) MCP server for Claude, Cursor, VS Code | Community | |
Secret Versioning View and rollback to previous versions | Item history | |
Audit Logs Track who accessed what and when | Business (Events API) | |
MFA | Via GitHub | |
Primary Purpose | Developer secrets | Password management |
Personal Passwords | ||
SSH Agent Manage SSH keys with biometric unlock | ||
Biometric Unlock | ||
Pricing | $9/mo or $29/mo (Team, 5 users incl.) | $7.99/user/mo (Business) |
Service Accounts Machine-to-machine access | Unlimited | Rate limited |
GitHub Actions | ||
Kubernetes Integration | ||
CLI | ||
Secret References Reference secrets in config files | ||
Connect Server Self-hosted access point | ||
Browser Extension |
Key Differences
Understanding the fundamental differences helps you choose the right tool.
Design Philosophy
Built specifically for application secrets. Every feature is designed around the workflow of managing environment variables for your apps.
Started as a password manager, developer tools added later. Powerful but you might pay for features you don't need.
Team Access Model
Access is automatic based on GitHub repository permissions. If you can push to the repo, you can access its secrets.
Requires inviting each team member to 1Password, setting up vaults, and managing access separately from your code.
Mental Model
One vault per repository. Secrets live next to your code. Simple and obvious.
Vaults can contain anything: passwords, credit cards, developer secrets. More flexible but requires organization.
Unified vs Specialized
Does one thing well. For personal passwords, you'll need another tool.
One subscription covers personal passwords, team passwords, and developer secrets. Convenient if you need all three.
Which Should You Choose?
The best tool depends on your specific needs. Here's our honest take.
Choose Keyway if...
- You only need developer/application secrets
- Your team already uses GitHub
- You want automatic access based on repo permissions
- You prefer tools that do one thing well
- You have a separate password manager
Choose 1Password if...
- You already use 1Password for team passwords
- You want one tool for passwords and secrets
- You need SSH key management with biometric unlock
- You need Kubernetes-native integration
- You want a self-hosted Connect server
Last updated: December 25, 2025
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