Bitwarden
The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying.
A password manager with end-to-end encryption, open source, with apps and browser extensions on every platform and a server you can run yourself.
Do not write a password manager. Self-host this one instead. SAY IT PLAINLY - Rolling your own cryptography for secrets is the single worst idea on this website - At $10 a year there is no financial case either IF YOU WANT YOUR OWN SERVER WHAT TO DO - Run Vaultwarden, a compatible server that the official clients talk to - Docker, a volume, HTTPS in front, and the real Bitwarden apps keep working unchanged DOING IT SAFELY - Never expose it without TLS, and never on a plain HTTP port - Encrypted, tested, off-site backups of the data volume; an untested backup is not a backup - Enable two-factor on every account - Keep the container updated; this is the machine that holds every secret you own WHAT YOU STILL DO NOT OWN - Cryptography, the clients, and the security review behind both Include the compose file, the backup script and a documented restore procedure.
What you lose
- Cryptography that has been independently audited, which is not something to write yourself under any circumstances
- Browser extensions and apps on every platform, each keeping up with autofill quirks
- Secure sharing, emergency access and a recovery story that survives losing a device
If you would rather not build
- 1Password, if you would rather not host anything
The escape hatch
open source · no votes, no paid placement
Vaultwarden
$0A lightweight Bitwarden-compatible server; the official clients work against it.
dani-garcia/vaultwardenfree · open source
KeePassXC
$0An offline password database in one encrypted file you sync yourself.
keepassxreboot/keepassxcfree · open source
Why this verdict
our own opinion · changed only by a person
20/100
Verdict no at 20, and the reasoning is not the price. Do not write cryptographic software. Vaultwarden is the legitimate route to owning the server.
History
tracked since 10 Aug 2026 · nothing is ever overwritten
Questions about Bitwarden
answered from the record above
Is Bitwarden free?
No — the plan we track is $1 a month. Premium at $10 a year for an individual; the figure shown is that divided by twelve. Families and business tiers cost more.
Can you replace Bitwarden by building your own?
KEEP IT. The value is the network, the data or the infrastructure. Keep paying. Replacement score 20 out of 100, build time longer than it saves. Read what you lose before you decide.
How much does Bitwarden cost?
$1 a month on Premium — $12 a year. Recorded 10 Aug 2026.
What do you lose by replacing Bitwarden?
Cryptography that has been independently audited, which is not something to write yourself under any circumstances; Browser extensions and apps on every platform, each keeping up with autofill quirks; Secure sharing, emergency access and a recovery story that survives losing a device. If any of those carry weight for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Bitwarden?
Yes: Vaultwarden, KeePassXC. The prompt on this page is for when you want it your way instead.
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