1Password Launches Refreshed Channel Program To Drive Partner Enablement, Simplicity

The identity security vendor’s revamped new program includes a ‘complete overhaul’ to sales and technical certifications while condensing program tiers, Channel Chief Larissa Crandall tells CRN.

1Password debuted a revamped channel program Thursday that seeks to boost enablement while simplifying engagement for partners, as the identity security vendor looks to continue increasing its reliance on solution providers and MSPs, according to Channel Chief Larissa Crandall.

The updated 1Password Partner Program features a “complete overhaul” to sales and technical certifications while condensing the program from four to two tiers in response to partner feedback, Crandall told CRN exclusively.

The launch of the new program represents “the biggest commitment that 1Password has made to the partner community across all different routes,” she said.

1Password has made huge strides over the past few years in becoming a channel-oriented company, expanding from its roots as a consumer password management app, according to executives.

Last year, 1Password launched an MSP version of its Enterprise Password Manager as a sign of where the company is looking to go with service provider partners, executives told CRN previously.

Now, 1Password is seeking to double down on its efforts with the introduction of the new program, which serves both VAR and MSP partners, said Crandall, global vice president of channel and alliances at 1Password.

A channel veteran who joined 1Password in October, Crandall previously held channel leadership roles at companies including New Relic, Veeam and Gigamon.

Key offerings from 1Password include password management and SaaS access management, and the company is increasingly seeking to enable the secure adoption of AI through partnerships with developer tools and GenAI-powered platforms, according to the company.

Additionally, 1Password has major partnerships with industry giants such as CrowdStrike, Zscaler and AWS that are extending the company’s offerings in a way that is highly relevant to the channel, Crandall said.

Partner Perspective

At cybersecurity powerhouse Optiv, No. 28 on CRN’s Solution Provider 500 for 2025, business with 1Password has been growing “phenomenally,” said Scott Goree, global vice president for partners, alliances and ecosystems at Denver-based Optiv.

“To see that hyper growth, and then to see Larissa take the helm on the evolution of the partner program, 1Password becomes very interesting” as a partner to focus on, Goree said.

In particular, increased simplification of the 1Password partner program is welcome at Optiv, which currently manages hundreds of OEM relationships, he said. While reducing the number of tiers at 1Password may seem fairly basic, “that is meaningful to us,” Goree said.

“To try to understand 600 partners with multiple different tiers, and understand the qualifications for all of the tiers—it’s untenable to try to keep track of that,” he said. “Moving to two tiers—and simplifying profitability around deal registration, simplifying enablement and how they how they train our field—those are the ways to motivate your channel partners.”

Refreshed Certifications

As part of 1Password’s overhaul to sales and technical certifications, the company has shifted from emphasizing individual products to providing certifications around the full platform, according to Crandall.

The company has also developed a new “curriculum path” that aims to provide foundational knowledge for both sellers and technical professionals at 1Password partners, she said.

Overall, “partners may have understood the 1Password value proposition previously, but we’ve evolved as a company,” she said. “It's no longer this one product. It's a multi-product play and a platform play.”