Any Functional Differences Between 1Password and 1Password 4?

Keane

Hi all,

Recently started using 1Password for Mac and iOS. Great app! Bought it in the App Store, using iCloud to sync. Works great.

Realized today I have both 1Password (Appstore version) and 1Password 4 (Agilebits webstore version) installed on my Mac. Both are version 4.3 and both appear to be syncing fine. Is there any functional difference between them (menus appear to be slightly different). Should I delete one version? If so which one? Will doing so affect my data set? Any security issues with having two sets of data?

Thank you.

hawkmoth

I'm not aware of any substantial functional differences between the Mac App Store and AgileBits web store versions. One thing to be aware of is that AgileBits is recommending new users who want to be assured of future access to iCloud use the Mac App Store. Apple could at some future time decide that only Mac App Store versions of software can have access to iCloud. So far that hasn't happened, though, and for what it's worth, I think Apple would be foolish to do that. But I don't work for Apple or AgileBits, for that matter.

An advantage to the AgileBits web store version is that they offer bundles for reduced prices. For example, I have a family license for the Mac version.

mikebore

Although functionally the two are the same, the MAS version uses sandboxing and containers to store data, and Agilebits store version uses the Application Support folder. Although you may have both apps installed I believe only one of them can be active.

Personally I would not be comfortable in your situation, and would want to sort it out.

A suggestion to find which is active, launch 1Password from 1password mini, (the key icon in the menubar). The full 1Password app will launch and its icon appear in the dock. If the one in the dock is called "1Password" you are using the MAS version. If it is called "1Password 4" you are using the Agilestore version.

Do the next at your own risk and backup first! If the unused one is the MAS version, delete the "1Password" app, the Agile items in Containers and Group Containers. If the unused one is the Agile one, delete the "1Password 4" app, and the 1Password 4 folder in App Support, and the 1P pref file.

I expect Agile staff to jump on me for suggesting the last para, but I have done it a few times without disaster!

hawkmoth

@mikebore- thanks for the amplification of those under-the-hood differences!

mikebore

A further thought. Your MAS copy must be licensed, or it wouldn't be there, but your Agilebits copy might be a 30day trial. What does it say in the license place in the menu when you launch 1Password 4?

My guess is that you bought the MAS copy, saw the 4.3 update and downloaded and installed that, but you are actually still using the MAS copy which could have updated to 4.3. Could be completely wrong!

Keane

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Both versions are showing as active, both are syncing and up to date - no problems. 1Password 4 shows the license as "Purchased on the Mac App Store." The other version has no menu item to show a license, this is one of the differences I noticed.

There are 2 mini keys in the menu bar - one for each app. It looks like the AppStore version maybe the "active" one since the 1Password 4 Mini prompts me to install browser extensions for that version (which I have already been using).

If Agilebits can weigh in on how to best resolve this I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Keane

Looking further, it appears 1Password 4 may be the primary version. Looking in preferences it shows regular backups going back to the day I started with the demo off the Agilebits site a few weeks ago. The App Store version only has one day of backups showing.

mikebore

If you have two 1Password Minis running then maybe they really have both been running in parallel. However, they must be using different sets of data because the data is stored in different places.

I am sure you realise that what you say above seems very conflicting and confused! e.g:-

1Password 4 (Agile version) reporting that it was "purchased in the Mac App Store" sounds wrong. I have 1Password 4 and if I click on "License" in the menu I get a screen showing my name and purchase date and a thank you message. You mention starting with the Agile demo a few weeks ago but have you paid any money to Agile for 1Password 4 and received a license info email? I don't have 1Password (MAS version) any more so can't see what that says but would expect something like "purchased in the Mac App Store".

You say that 1P mini for the 1Password 4 prompts you to install browser extensions which makes you think the 1Password (MAS) may be the primary. But the backups for 1Password 4 are regular but not for 1Password which makes you think the Agile version may be the primary.

I think the key factor for me is which of the two one has the most up to date info in it? You can check this by opening each of them and sorting on date modified to see which has your most recently modified items. What is the item count in each version? Does one contain all your data and the other only some of it?

If you can be confident that one or the other contains all your info you can delete the other as I said earlier, but add the extra step at the beginning, of opening the one you are going to delete, going to Preferences and uncheck "always keep 1Password Mini running".

You may find you are using the 1Password 4 demo still. If so, and your current data is also in 1Password 4, Agile will give you a license on proof of purchase from MAS. If you have actually been using 1Password (MAS) you must already be licensed, so if your info is also in the MAS version then you can just delete the Agile version. Or there may be more complicated mixed scenarios requiring merging.

Good luck!

mikebore

On further reflection, because of the confusion about your versions and where your data is, I would change my advice about how you delete the unwanted version.

If you get to the point of knowing you want to delete one of the versions, just do three things:

1. Run backup on both versions.
2. Open the one you are going to delete and go to Preferences and uncheck "always keep 1Password Mini running"
3. Delete the main application from the Apps folder.

Do not delete the unused Application Support folder or the Container files which will not do any harm, and will leave all your backups in place should you do the wrong thing.

mikebore

Suggestion to Agile Staff:

This thread seems to have come about because of the two versions of 1Password. It is very easy for an MAS version user to see all the announcements about a new version and install it without realising he is actually installing the AgileStore version in addition.

Would it be feasible for the App to check if the other version is already installed and throw up a warning?

Stephen_C

I agree with the comments about the dangers of having two versions running at the same time. We get an awful lot of questions here the root of which is that problem. If the initial error could be trapped in code it would probably save everyone a lot of hassle! (That said, I know some people need/want to run both versions—for testing, for example.)

In passing, I'm guessing:

1Password 4 shows the license as "Purchased on the Mac App Store."

is just the new way AgileBits recognises Mac app store purchases when its own version is subsequently installed.

Stephen

mikebore

In passing, I'm guessing:

1Password 4 shows the license as "Purchased on the Mac App Store."

is just the new way AgileBits recognises Mac app store purchases when its own version is subsequently installed.

I agree Stephen, but it should say that about "1Password", not about "1Password 4"...shouldn't it?

[Deleted User]

I agree Stephen, but it should say that about "1Password", not about "1Password 4"...shouldn't it?

Only the webstore version has a license window to begin with. The Mac App Store version is simply tied to your Apple ID, so there is no need to keep track of your license. If you have the Mac App Store version installed, the webstore version will see this and display the Purchased on the Mac App Store. message.

mikebore

So if you have the MAS version installed, and then you install the Agile Store version, the Agile Store version does not need a license entering?

Is this how Agile are handling the switch from MAS to Agile Store version now? It used to be that you sent proof of MAS purchase to Customer support and they sent you a license.

[Deleted User]

Is this how Agile are handling the switch from MAS to Agile Store version now? It used to be that you sent proof of MAS purchase to Customer support and they sent you a license.

I believe so:

http://discussions.agilebits.com/discussion/19457/license-prompt-in-1password-for-mac-beta

mikebore

Thanks for that! Pretty clear and explains one of the anomalies Keane has been reporting.

Keane

Thanks for all the detailed replies and time put in to help here, I really appreciate it. Both apps are in the same exact sync state, updates are being pushed through iCloud as if they are on separate computers.

Meek

Hi @Keane and everyone!

I just wanted to chime in here, although it looks like @mikebore, @hawkmoth‌, @Stephen_C‌ and @Xe997‌ have covered pretty much everything important (Thank you!) :)

First off, regarding the "Purchased on the Mac App Store" license in the webstore version, we did do this relatively recently. We have had a number of customers wanting to switch to the webstore version and wanted to make that process easier. 1Password 4 from the webstore will now automatically detect if the Mac App Store version is installed and register it as such.

Now, in terms of running both the Webstore and Mac App Store versions simultaneously, in theory, this can work out fine. That said, since, as @mikebore mentioned, the data for each version is stored in a different location, there is the possibility that these databases could get out of sync. This can lead to a lot of confusion and further trouble down the road. Unless you specifically want to run both versions, we generally recommend only having a single version installed.

I can confirm that the best way to remove one of the versions is to follow @mikebore's instructions in post #9 above. Since both of your version's are in the same state with the same data, you can just choose whichever version you prefer.

Let us know how that goes!

Keane

Thanks for the guidance, I trashed the AppStore version last night in the manner suggested and everything seems to be working as it should.

Great app, I tell everyone I know!

Jasper

On behalf of Meek, you're welcome. Please let us know if you have any other questions! :)