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Bitwarden

by Bitwarden Inc. · Application · also known as Bitwarden Password Manager, Bitwarden Secrets Manager

Open-source password manager with hosted and self-hosted server options, passkey support, organization sharing and a separate Secrets Manager for developers

AGPL-3.0-only licenseFreemiumPaidEnterpriseOpen sourceCloudSelf-hostedLocalSelf-hostable
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Link verified Nov 2, 2026

Overview

Bitwarden is a password manager from Bitwarden Inc. whose clients (desktop, mobile, browser extensions, web vault and CLI) and server are published on GitHub. The server repository is licensed under AGPL-3.0 by default, with code in the bitwarden_license directory under the separate Bitwarden License, so the core is open source while some organization features are source-available. Vaults are end-to-end encrypted and synchronized through Bitwarden's cloud or a self-hosted server deployed with Docker.

Individuals get a free tier covering unlimited passwords and devices, with paid Premium, Families, Teams and Enterprise plans adding features such as advanced two-factor options, emergency access, SSO and policies. Passkeys can be stored and used for sign-in, and Bitwarden Send shares text or files with expiry. Bitwarden Secrets Manager is a distinct product for machine secrets with a CLI and SDKs aimed at developers and CI pipelines.

The self-hosted deployment requires running several containers and keeping them updated, and some enterprise functionality remains gated behind the commercial license even when self-hosted.

Editorial note on uncertainty. license_spdx reflects the default AGPL-3.0 terms; files under bitwarden_license use the proprietary Bitwarden License.

Capabilities

  • Encrypted vault for logins, passkeys, cards, identities and notes on all major platforms
  • Hosted service or self-hosted Docker deployment
  • Organizations with collections, roles, SSO and policies
  • Bitwarden Send for ephemeral sharing
  • CLI for vault automation and a separate Secrets Manager for machine secrets
  • Passwordless login and passkey storage

Typical workflows

  1. Run a family or team vault on the free or paid cloud plan
  2. Self-host the server for data control
  3. Inject CI secrets with the Secrets Manager CLI

Strengths

  • Open-source clients and server with a free tier
  • Self-hosting option
  • Regular third-party audits published by the vendor

Limitations

  • Some organization features fall under the non-open Bitwarden License
  • Self-hosting involves multiple containers and upkeep
  • Developer tooling is less integrated than 1Password's SSH agent

Prerequisites

  • Bitwarden account or a Docker host for self-hosting

Who it is for

  • Individuals and families
  • Teams wanting open-source or self-hosted password management
  • Developers using Secrets Manager

Alternatives & comparison

1Password offers a more polished developer experience and SSH agent but is closed source, subscription-only and cannot be self-hosted. Infisical and Vault address infrastructure secrets rather than personal vaults, overlapping only with Bitwarden Secrets Manager.

  • 1Password

    Password and secrets manager for individuals, families and businesses with end-to-end encrypted vaults, passkeys, an SSH agent and a developer CLI

    ProprietaryPaid
  • HashiCorp Vault

    Identity-based secrets manager providing encrypted key-value storage, dynamic database and cloud credentials, PKI and encryption-as-a-service, under the Business Source License

    Source-availableFree
  • Infisical

    Secrets, certificate and privileged-access management platform with an MIT-licensed core, available as a hosted service or self-hosted deployment

    MixedOpen source
Compare Bitwarden with its alternatives →

Sources & verification

Primary sources consulted for this record. Claims are tied to the fields each source supports; the automated link checker re-verifies every URL on a schedule.

  • License
    Bitwarden server LICENSE.txt

    https://github.com/bitwarden/server/blob/main/LICENSE.txt

    Supports: license_spdx, source_model

    AGPL-3.0 by default; bitwarden_license directory under the Bitwarden License v1.0.

    checked Nov 1, 2026
  • Official documentation
    Bitwarden Help Center

    https://bitwarden.com/help

    Supports: capabilities, workflows, operating_systems

    checked Nov 1, 2026
  • Official site
    Bitwarden

    https://bitwarden.com/

    Supports: name, summary, capabilities

    checked Nov 1, 2026
  • Pricing page
    Bitwarden Pricing

    https://bitwarden.com/pricing

    Supports: pricing_model

    checked Nov 1, 2026
Confidence
High
Reviewed
Nov 1, 2026
Links
Verified · Nov 2, 2026

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MPL-2.0Open sourceFreeLocalNov 2, 2026