Roboform vs 1Password

I've been dual running 1Password and Roboform for years, since the days that both were single platform tools. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, but running both is a pain, not to mention a wast of money so as Roboform for Mac and 1Password for Windows mature, I'm looking to commit to one or the other. At the moment I'm leaning towards Roboform; here's why:

1. Online access. About the same time that Agile dropped the experimental cloud-based keychain access, Roboform added this feature. Where Agile uses Dropbox, Roboform uses it's own cloud storage system and provides the all important browser-based access to my passwords when I'm at in a bind in front of somebody else's computer. Development of 1PasswordAnywhere seems to have stalled, which is probably no bad thing since it sucks anyway. My Dropbox password is stored in 1Password so I couldn't get to it on the go if I wanted to, and it's a hopelessly clunky means of online access anyway. I realise you're probably never going to go back to cloud-based keychain access, but I really wish that you would.

2. Less clicks to access a login. I rely heavily on AllBookmarks as a starting point for logging into a website, because the alternatives are so slow - three clicks to reach a search box for logins using the Firefox extension, or two clicks and wait for 1Password's main UI to open - a third click to close it. AllBookmarks seems to have been left behind (the download link for it doesn't even work any more) and the new menu icon in 3.9 (yes, I upgraded today) is way behind where it needs to be, with no search and no recently used list. Roboform's menu icon has these important features, and it's browser toolbar has a search built right in. It's quicker to get to a website and log in as a result. They really seem to focus on high speed access to your logins in a way that 1Password does not.

3. Auto-fill accuracy. Roboform fills credit card details and other personal details way more reliably than 1Password - it always has. 1Password still rarely completes every field in a typical credit card details form - either it doesn't select the card type, or or transposes the expiry date and start date or something. Also, Roboform treats wallet items as part of an "identity" and allows multiple addresses on an identity. It means you can choose your shipping address address and VISA card, and fill a whole form in one click, which is really sweet. I prefer this paradigm of hierarchical identify features.

4. Integration to Windows forms (on Windows obviously). This addition to Roboform on Windows is really great. I don't have to know my password for my thick client IT helpdesk system any more. I even use it to unlock the master password of 1Password on Windows.

5. Inconsistency. The Windows version of 1Password is way behind the Mac version. Don't get me wrong, I understand why - but I hope in the next major revision they become almost identical. The Windows/Mac issue is more understandable, but I could do without the constant evolution of the extensions, especially when they lag behind one another (Chrome's extension looks different than the one for Firefox and Safari and they all look way different than the Windows ones). I wish you hadn't removed the toolbar in Firefox, but more than that I wish you'd stop changing your mind about how you want these extensions to look and feel - it's making my head spin!

To be fair, there are things I would dearly miss if I were to switch to Roboform permanently. They are:

1. Style. 1Password applications are lovingly crafted by a gifted designer. Roboform's application have nowhere near the visual appeal of 1Password apps.

2. The personal touch. 1Password feels like a family business. It's blog posts a personal and interesting. It's support is high quality. You guys do seem to listen more to your customers than Roboform.

3. Software licences. Roboform has no concept of storing software licences as a "thing" and so I have to store them as notes. I would dearly miss this feature in Roboform if I were to lose it.

4. Hover and click to copy. How I wish you would copy this feature from the main UI to your extensions - it's swell.

Roboform for Mac currently only works with Safari, When they add support for Firefox, I think it might tip me in that direction. I think I'll probably wait for the 1Password 4 update (since I've effectively paid for it now) and then make a final decision. Meanwhile, you could make me a happy man by adding search and recently used list features to the global menu icon so I could finally dump AllBookmarks!

Comments

  • jesseali
    jesseali
    Community Member
    I agree. Roboform trumps one password for everything other than firefox... but the new firefox made 1 password harder to use than the roboform lite toolbar... speaking of which... roboform still HAS a toolbar, even on firefox 6. As of now, autofill and auto save both stopped working on firefox when I use 1password, but roboform works very well (roboform just keeps logging me out, no matter what I set the logout time for...)

    Both programs are really making my day bad today.
  • Hi

    I have given up at the moment and went to Roboform. The current version of 1Password just does not work! There is a Mac version of Roboform and it synchs with my IE version. I use Roboform Everywhere. The iPad and iPhone versions are not as good as 1Password but within Mac, everything just works.

    Too bad.

    Andrew
  • Carl
    Carl
    Community Member
    brenty wrote:



    1. I am not sure what 'experimental cloud-based keychain access' support we dropped.


    my1Password

    Read this old blog post:

    http://switchersblog.com/2007/10/whats-new-in--2.html#more
This discussion has been closed.