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Bitwarden

Password Managers

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★★★★☆ 4.6 / 5 on G2 · 4.6 on Capterra (1,444 G2 reviews)
4.6 / 5
G2 rating, 1,444 reviews [source]
2016
Founded [source]
Free
Generous plan [source]
Open source
Transparent [source]

Quick facts

CategoryOpen source password manager
Founded2016
HeadquartersSanta Barbara, California
Starts atFree; Premium ~$10/yr; Teams ~$4/user/mo
Best forOpen source value
DeploymentCloud and self hosted
Free planYes, generous
IntegrationsBrowsers, SSO, self hosting
G2 rating4.6 / 5
Capterra rating4.6 / 5

What is Bitwarden?

Bitwarden is the leading open source password manager, with a generous free plan, very affordable paid tiers, and the trust of open source, a favourite for value and transparency. Founded in 2016, it stores passwords, passkeys, notes and more in an encrypted vault with zero knowledge security, generates strong passwords, autofills across browsers, apps and devices, and offers secure sharing, team vaults, admin controls and SSO for businesses, all as open source software that can also be self hosted. Known for a genuinely useful free plan, very low prices, and the transparency and trust of open source, Bitwarden is a top choice for individuals and businesses wanting value and openness. For open source value, Bitwarden is a leading choice.

Bitwarden's distinction is being open source, transparent and exceptional value, with a strong free plan and self hosting. Its open source code can be audited by anyone, building trust, its free plan is genuinely useful (unlimited passwords and devices), its paid tiers are very cheap, and it can be self hosted for full control, which value and privacy conscious users and businesses prize. That openness, value and flexibility set it apart.

Bitwarden at a glanceBitwarden is the leading open source password manager with a generous free plan and great value [Bitwarden]. It holds a 4.6 out of 5 rating across 1,444 reviews on G2 and 4.6 on Capterra, a favourite for value and transparency.

Who Bitwarden is best for

Bitwarden is best for individuals and businesses that want a trusted, open source password manager with a genuinely useful free plan, very low prices, and the option to self host, valuing transparency and value. It suits value and open source minded users. It is a weaker fit for those wanting the most polished, feature rich premium experience, where 1Password or Dashlane fit, or privileged credential management in IT, where PAM tools fit.

Key features

The core strengths are an encrypted vault for passwords, passkeys, notes and more with zero knowledge security, strong generation and autofill across devices, secure sharing, team vaults, admin controls and SSO for businesses, and open source code with self hosting. Bitwarden offers a generous free plan and very low pricing. Its openness, value, free plan and self hosting are its defining advantages.

Bitwarden pricing

Bitwarden is exceptional value: a genuinely useful Free plan (unlimited passwords and devices), Premium at about 10 US dollars a year for individuals, Families around 40 a year, and business plans Teams around 4 and Enterprise around 6 US dollars per user a month, with self hosting free. Few tools match its value. Costs are very low. Confirm current figures on the Bitwarden pricing page.

Integrations and ecosystem

Bitwarden integrates with all major browsers and platforms, SSO and identity providers for business, a CLI and API, and supports self hosting for full control. Its broad integrations, self hosting option and open source ecosystem, which let individuals and organisations use and even host it freely, support its value and transparency.

Bitwarden and open source value

Open source, transparency and value are the signature strength: Bitwarden's auditable open source code builds trust, its free plan and very low prices make strong password management accessible to everyone, and self hosting gives full control, which no polished proprietary rival matches on openness and value. For value and open source minded users, this is the main reason to choose Bitwarden.

Ease of use and support

Bitwarden is highly rated for value, security, open source trust and ease of setup, with good support, among the top password managers. Its G2 reviews praise the free plan, value and transparency, with a slightly less polished experience than 1Password or Dashlane the main consideration.

Is Bitwarden worth it?

For individuals and businesses that want a trusted, open source password manager with a genuinely useful free plan, very low prices and self hosting, Bitwarden is an excellent, highly rated choice. The main caution is a slightly less polished experience than premium rivals, so those wanting the most refined, feature rich experience may prefer 1Password or Dashlane, but for open source value Bitwarden leads.

Pricing

Free

$0
per month
  • Unlimited passwords and devices
  • Core features
  • Open source

Premium

$10
per year
  • Advanced features
  • Breach reports
  • Very low cost

Teams / Enterprise

$4
per user / month
  • Team vaults
  • Admin and SSO
  • Self hosting option

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Open source and transparent
  • Genuinely useful free plan
  • Exceptional value (Premium ~$10/yr)
  • Self hosting option
  • Strong security

Cons

  • Slightly less polished than 1Password
  • Fewer premium extras than Dashlane
  • Business SSO on higher tiers
  • Not a privileged access (PAM) tool

Bitwarden alternatives

These password managers tools come up most often against Bitwarden.

Bitwarden FAQ

What is Bitwarden used for?
Bitwarden is used to securely store and manage passwords, passkeys and notes in an encrypted vault, generate strong passwords, autofill logins across devices, and share credentials, as open source software, with team vaults and SSO for businesses and a self hosting option.
How much does Bitwarden cost?
Bitwarden is exceptional value: a free plan with unlimited passwords and devices, Premium about 10 US dollars a year, Families around 40 a year, and business Teams around 4 and Enterprise around 6 per user a month, with self hosting free. See the Bitwarden pricing page.
Is Bitwarden really free?
Yes. Bitwarden's free plan is genuinely useful, with unlimited passwords and devices, which is unusual among password managers, and its paid Premium (around 10 US dollars a year) and business plans add features at very low cost.
Is Bitwarden safe and open source?
Yes. Bitwarden uses zero knowledge encryption and is open source, so its code can be audited by anyone, which builds trust, and it can be self hosted for full control, making it a trusted, transparent choice.
Bitwarden vs 1Password, which is better?
Bitwarden is open source with a free plan and great value, while 1Password offers a more polished, feature rich experience. Bitwarden suits value, open source and transparency; 1Password suits polish and premium features.
Can Bitwarden be self hosted?
Yes. Bitwarden is open source and can be self hosted, so individuals and organisations that want full control over their password vault and data can run it on their own infrastructure, in addition to the hosted cloud service.

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