iCloud sync and 1Password5

Hi @krc,

I'm sorry for any confusion about that! The situation with iCloud sync availability is certainly less than ideal. But I think I can help to explain a couple things, and offer some suggestions.

I think AgileBits should have informed me of this apparent limitation when I was upgrading so I could have made an informed decision to purchase it from AgileBits website or Apple App Store.

Actually, we do mention this on the AgileBits Store (directly above the 'Select' button for 1Password 5 for Mac) as well as on our upgrade site (directly below the 'Select' button for 1Password 5 for Mac). We're not trying to hide that, and I apologize if you missed it when upgrading!

Last month, I just updated to v5 for OSX 10.11.1.

I was able to find your purchase in our system when I searched for the email address from your forum account. It looks like you're still within 30 days of that purchase, so we'll be happy to refund that if you'd like to buy it from the Mac App Store instead - just let us know for sure if you want the refund by replying here, or by emailing us at support+licenses@agilebits.com to request the refund.

I should also mention that Apple doesn't give us the ability to do upgrade pricing on the Mac App Store, so unfortunately you would need to buy 1Password at the full price shown there. However, we're currently having a sale, and the sale price on the Mac App Store is not much more than what you paid for the upgrade on our site.

I also see that OPVault will eventually reach users who sync with DropBox

Actually (and in case it makes a difference), you can switch your Dropbox sync data to the OPVault format right now! It's already built into 1Password 5 for Mac, but is not yet the default setting when using Dropbox sync. It's actually very simple to switch, and we explain how to do that here: Can I switch to OPVault from Agile Keychain?

Just keep in mind that OPVault isn't compatible with some older versions of 1Password. You mentioned you're using 1Password for Mac and iOS, so as long as your Macs are all using 1Password 5, and your iOS devices are all using 1Password 5 or 6, you'll be able to switch to OPVault with no problem.

In short, I kindly request AgileBits to find a solution to allow its time-valued customers who have faithfully purchased from AgileBits website to be able to sync with iCloud because I find the current situation really very absurd.

I agree, it's not a great situation at all. The reason iCloud sync is only available in the Mac App Store version of 1Password 5 for Mac is because it uses Apple's CloudKit technology, which can currently only be used by apps sold through Apple's App Store. We'd absolutely love to be able to include that in the AgileBits Store version of 1Password as well, but unfortunately that's not currently possible. We have more information here: Why does iCloud require iOS 8, OS X 10.10, and the Mac App Store?

Unfortunately Apple doesn't currently provide a way to convert a license for the AgileBits Store version of 1Password to the Mac App Store version. But as I said above, you're still within 30 days of your purchase from the AgileBits Store, so we can still refund that if you would like to buy the Mac App Store version.

Please know that Dropbox sync is also a great option, and it's how many of us here have always synced our 1Password data. 1Password is secure by design and your 1Password data is end-to-end encrypted, so with regard to security there's no difference between syncing 1Password data with Dropbox or iCloud. 1Password simply doesn't depend on the security of either to protect your data.

Dropbox also has the advantage that it can be used to sync secondary vaults, and also share vaults with friends, family, and co-workers (it's not currently possible to share anything between iCloud accounts). And it's the only sync solution that works across all platforms supported by 1Password: Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Again, I do apologize for any confusion about all that! Although my reply here turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would, I hope it at least helps to explain the situation as well as your options. If you have more questions about that or need anything else, please don't hesitate to let us know! :)

ref: 884829

Hi Keith ( @krc ),

I'm glad to hear that you found Drew's reply so helpful! I'll try to follow up here with some more useful details.

is there any advantage(s) to sync with iCloud compared to Dropbox? Given that iCloud sync cannot share vaults, is not multi-platform and offers the same security as Dropbox, then it sounds like it may be better to stick with Dropbox. If so, why did AgileBits decide to also invest in iCloud sync functionality?

We're always looking into sync alternatives to make things simple and convenient, and we got a lot of requests for iCloud sync from Apple-only users. The real benefit of iCloud (as I see it) is that it's built right in to Apple's OS, so there's no need to download a separate app to make sync happen. This is pretty appealing to a lot of people. Personally though, I love the versatility of Dropbox. I have multiple vaults shared with all sorts of groups of people all over the place, and I already use Dropbox for storing and sharing files, so adding 1Password data was a no-brainer.

Do you think that there is some definitive over-riding advantage to warrant switching from Dropbox to iCloud sync, given the hassle of obtaining a refund and having to pay a few extra bucks? Does it really merit this?

Again, this is purely my opinion, but as I've mentioned, I'm happily using Dropbox sync (even though all of my devices are in the Apple ecosystem.) Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. If you choose to switch to iCloud sync, we're more than happy to process your refund so that you can purchase directly from Apple.

I hope I don't get you into trouble with AgileBits for asking such pointed questions or put you on the spot!

The pointed questions are precisely what we're here for. ;) Let us know if you have any more to ask!