Key Points about BitwardenOur rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
|
Bitwarden is a password manager that is open source and provides a generous free version, strong privacy and security protocols, and cost-effective pricing options.
The free version offered by Bitwarden is one of the most comprehensive among password managers, making it an attractive choice for individuals on a restricted budget. Despite its somewhat complex desktop application, its overall offering positions it as one of the top tools for password management in the current market.
Is Bitwarden complimentary?
Indeed, Bitwarden offers a dedicated free version. The Free Plan by Bitwarden stands out as one of the finest complimentary password management solutions as it allows limitless passwords and access for an infinite number of devices. This differs from certain password managers like Dashlane, which restrict their free version to one device at a time and a storage of only 25 passwords.
Bitwarden’s Free Plan encompasses all the essential password management features of Bitwarden, such as end-to-end encryption, user/password generation, and two-factor authentication. However, features like constant email support, emergency access, and encrypted file attachments are exclusive to the paid subscriptions.
Bitwarden’s complimentary tier is among the most comprehensive free versions accessible, catering well to budget-conscious users looking for a fully operational password management system.
SEE: Bitwarden Free vs Premium: Which Plan Is Best for You? (TechRepublic)
Bitwarden cost
Bitwarden features pricing models for personal and business usage.
Pricing of personal plans
| Personal Plan | Free | Premium | Families |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 | Approximately $0.83 per month ($10 billed annually) | $3.33 per month |
| Sharing vault items with other users | 2 users | 2 users | 6 premium accounts |
| Bitwarden Send (encrypted sharing) | Text only | Text and Files | Text and Files |
| Two-step Login | Email, Authentication App, Hardware Security Key | Yubico OTP, Duo, Hardware Security Key, Email, Authentication app | Yubico OTP, Duo, Hardware Security Key, Email, Authentication app |
| Emergency Access | No | Yes | Yes |
Aside from its substantial free model, Bitwarden remains an excellent option with its inexpensive pricing for individual plans. When compared to premium subscriptions ranging from $1.66 (RoboForm) to $4.99 (Dashlane) per month, Bitwarden Premium presents an annual fee of just $10, equivalent to around $0.83 per month. This positions Bitwarden as one of the most budget-friendly password managers on the market.
At its lower cost, Bitwarden Premium may not be the most feature-rich password manager. It lacks additional capabilities such as Dashlane’s built-in VPN or 1Password’s sleeker user interface. However, it delivers essential features at a highly affordable price.
For new users, exploring Bitwarden’s free version is advisable. It is simple to set up and provides a good sense of their service. Additionally, the upgrade to a premium plan is reasonably priced.
Pricing of business plans
| Business Plan | Teams | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $4 per user, per month | $6 per month/ per user |
| Number of users | Unlimited | Unlimited users |
| Self-host Option | No | Yes |
| Passwordless SSO Integration | No | Yes |
| Policies | No | Yes |
The Teams plan by Bitwarden tailored for businesses aligns with the typical price range compared to the competition. It offers 10 users,all Bitwarden’s primary, and deluxe features, incident and examination records, user factions, along with a directory connector.
In the year 2023, Bitwarden’s Crews strategy was actually tagged Crews Starter and was valued at $20 per month for a maximum of 10 users. In 2024, it’s now just known as Crews and is valued per user at $4 per month. It sustains the corresponding set of features, such as all Bitwarden deluxe features, incident and examination records, and user factions.
Although I personally appreciate how Crews is now valued on a per user foundation, which can be beneficial for companies that don’t specifically require all 10 seats taken, it’s unfortunate that it’s currently also twofold the price. This indicates that the identical 10 users would be valued at $40 per month. If you’re searching for a more economical subscription for your compact team, 1Password’s Crew Starter Pack is priced at $19.95 per month for a maximum of 10 users.
Fortunately, Bitwarden’s inexpensive Enterprise subscription at $6 per month, per user was kept from the previous year. When compared with other company-to-corporation level plans, it still persists as one of the more economical choices. LastPass’ Corporate strategy is valued at $7 per month; while 1Password’s Corporate subscription is at $8 per user, per month.
For attributes, self-hosting and passwordless SSO integration are only accessible on Bitwarden’s Enterprise subscription. You receive an unlimited number of users, protocols, account recovery administration, and a complimentary Families Plan for users.
Overall, Bitwarden’s economical pricing on the majority of its subscriptions is one of its most powerful characteristics. If you wish for an affordable key manager that doesn’t minimize on vital features, Bitwarden is a remarkable choice.
Is Bitwarden truly secure?
Indeed, Bitwarden is a secure key manager. It works on a zero-knowledge framework, which implies that the end-user is the sole one with real access to their data. It’s also uncommon in that it is open source software, permitting the public to review their code and oversee it for any vulnerabilities. This is a fantastic bit of openness that I know confidentiality enthusiasts will find valuable.
In addition, Bitwarden employs industry leading AES 256 encryption and undergoes regular security assessments that validate its security assertions. I also admire how Bitwarden makes it plain that user master passwords are never stored either locally or in memory. This is significant, given that your master password is your primary key to unlocking all your other passwords.
At time of publication, Bitwarden had no reported hacks or data breaches. Altogether, Bitwarden is one of the safest key managers to use in 2024.
Key characteristics of Bitwarden
In addition to the fundamental key manager attributes like key generation and encrypted vaults, Bitwarden offers a few attributes that help it shine from the competition.
Limitless keys and gadgets for free
Bitwarden is best acknowledged for its generous free edition. Specifically, the fact that Bitwarden permits an infinite number of keys and gadgets to use it on for free makes it an excellent introductory key manager, particularly for those on a tight budget.
In principle, individual users don’t have to pay for a deluxe subscription to obtain a functional and secure key manager. Other key managers, like Dashlane, only permit 25 stored keys, while 1Password doesn’t even provide a free tier of their service altogether.
Bitwarden Send
Bitwarden Send permits users to dispatch encrypted documents and text for secure file-sharing. It can convey text of up to 1000 encrypted characters or files of up to 500 MB. The fantastic aspect about Bitwarden Send is the adaptable lifespan, allowingusers can designate the duration during which a text or file is accessible or viewable before it is removed from the system.
This functionality will be particularly beneficial for individuals who frequently share sensitive or private documents such as agreements, contracts, and similar content.
Urgent access
Despite the availability of emergency access in various password managers, Bitwarden’s approach stands out for its ease of use. In Bitwarden, users have the ability to provide emergency access to trusted contacts via email, enabling them to request vault access as required. This system is notably more streamlined than 1Password’s Emergency Kit mechanism, which relies on a stored PDF, or Dashlane’s utilization of a proprietary DASH file for emergency access.
I appreciate the option to establish a Waiting Period for vault access, providing the account holder a chance to either grant or reject emergency access requests when necessary. It is important to note that emergency access is a feature exclusive to premium subscribers of Bitwarden and not accessible in their free plan.
Bitwarden verification and safety alternatives
Bitwarden provides dual-factor authentication for users to access their Bitwarden vaults. It offers a variety of 2FA methods, including an authenticator application, email, using FIDO2 WebAuthn credentials, YubiKey, through Duo Security, and more. However, it is worth mentioning that only the initial three 2FA methods listed are included in Bitwarden’s free version.
When it comes to security choices, Bitwarden enables users to unblock vaults using biometric technologies like fingerprint or facial recognition. During my evaluation, I managed to configure a vault timeout action manually, requiring re-authentication or a master password to unlock my vault after a specific period.
For password creation, Bitwarden allowed me to generate a random password with a maximum of 128 characters. Furthermore, I had the ability to formulate a username using Bitwarden’s password generator — a convenient feature to guarantee that I did not reuse the same username across multiple accounts.
Bitwarden layout and efficiency
Bitwarden’s interface on desktop follows a simplistic and minimalistic design. While it appears neat, I believe it could be more user-friendly in terms of menu placement.
I would prefer essential menus such as the Password Generator and Settings to be more readily accessible, rather than concealed in drop-down menus at the top of the application.
The browser extension provided by Bitwarden is more straightforward to use, with key menus such as the vault and settings easily accessible.
In the year 2023, I encountered some challenges with Bitwarden’s auto-fill function. Unlike competing password managers that automatically display pop-up icons in username or password fields for effortless auto-entry, Bitwarden required me to launch their browser extension first, and then select the recommended credentials for the login details to populate. A preview of this can be observed in the image below.
Observing the Amazon email address section, you won’t find any Bitwarden emblem or symbol available for one-click password completion. Although this wasn’t catastrophic, it did introduce an extra step to the login procedure, making it somewhat bothersome — particularly considering this is the standard protocol followed by other password supervisors.
Fast forward to the present year of 2024, it brings me great joy to announce that Bitwarden has tackled this concern and now showcases its automatic fill-in menu when you select form fields.
In my opinion, this alteration presents a notable enhancement to the daily user interaction, as it not only streamlines the process of filling out forms but also contributes to a seamless Bitwarden experience. Below depicts a snapshot of the Bitwarden symbol for automatic completion in a username field, following the recent modifications.
Similar to the prior year, the default setting for Bitwarden’s auto-fill upon page load remains inactive. Put simply, this function automatically inserts your login details into a form field when Bitwarden detects a login form as a webpage loads, without any user intervention. Bitwarden has opted to keep this feature off due to potential misuse by untrustworthy or malicious websites seeking to pilfer user credentials.
I commend Bitwarden for their thoroughness in ensuring the security of its functionalities, preventing any compromise of user credentials. It’s reassuring that Bitwarden affords users the choice to take on the associated risks, providing a sense of empowerment to its users.
Regarding password management practices, the proactive approach taken by Bitwarden sets a high standard in the realm of digital security.
seize and playback, I encountered no problems with Bitwarden. It managed to successfully capture fresh logins and passwords and replay them upon revisiting the respective sites.
An inconsequential detail that I would like to point out is that Bitwarden does not offer the option to create new passwords directly within the form field itself. Upon clicking on a password field, instead of a pop-up from Bitwarden’s password generator, you are presented with the choice to add a new login.
Upon clicking on “+ New login,” you are directed to Bitwarden’s Add item page where you can input all login details in a single panel, such as the site name, username, and password. Here, you can utilize Bitwarden’s password generator and customize it as per your preferences.
While some may appreciate this more structured approach, personally, I would prefer the password generator to pop up within the form field itself. This would result in a faster and more seamless process when saving a new login. Nonetheless, this is a matter of personal preference, as Bitwarden’s password capture feature functioned flawlessly.
Bitwarden mobile application
To the credit of Bitwarden, their mobile app mirrors the user-friendly nature of their browser extension. I trialed the Bitwarden mobile app on my Android device.
It features a user-friendly interface and is quite simple to navigate. I observed that the app’s animations felt slightly sluggish, but the overall experience remained stable.
I also appreciated the fact that the Bitwarden mobile app does not permit screenshots or screen captures by default. This represents a subtle yet crucial security measure that can prevent unauthorized access to your credentials.
SEE: How to Develop an Efficient Cybersecurity Awareness Program (TechRepublic Premium)
Advantages of Bitwarden
- Complimentary version with limitless password storage.
- Highly cost-effective pricing options.
- Straightforward emergency access functionality.
- Ciphered file-sharing system.
- Publicly available.
- Positive security track record.
- Enhanced auto fill functionalities.
Drawbacks of Bitwarden
- Desktop user interface could be more user-friendly.
- Lacks an abundance of supplementary features.
Is Bitwarden a Valuable Choice?
The generous free version, zero-knowledge encryption, and budget-friendly pricing of Bitwarden make it an excellent option for users seeking a cost-effective password manager solution. Having the ability to store unlimited passwords and access them across limitless devices, combined with its open-source nature, renders Bitwarden a worthy choice.a formidable player in the password management arena.
Despite its desktop application needing improvements in user-friendliness, Bitwarden offers considerable worth for your investment across all its subscription options, making it potentially the finest economical password manager around.
Recommended Replacements for Bitwarden
If you believe Bitwarden lacks certain functionalities, below are some substitutes that might better suit your requirements and work process.
Dashlane
Dashlane stands out as a recognized password management solution that provides top-notch security, myriad features, and an elegant user interface. It is equipped with an impressive dark web monitoring feature that sends timely alerts to users in case of a potential data breach involving any stored password or credential. Moreover, it offers unlimited secure password-sharing functionality to facilitate credential sharing among various users.
To delve deeper, check out our complete review of Dashlane.
1Password
For individuals prioritizing security above all else, 1Password proves to be an excellent option. In addition to standard password management features, it includes vulnerability alerts and phishing protection to ensure protection against malicious entities. Furthermore, it automatically locks the password vault during periods of inactivity, enhancing the security level for safeguarding your logins.
To find out more, read our thorough review of 1Password.
Keeper
For large-scale organizations, Keeper could be an ideal match. It offers a more structured approach to password management with folders, subfolders, and shared team folders. On the security front, Keeper integrates dark web monitoring that scans employee records and alerts them to any credential-related issues.
To explore further, read our comprehensive review of Keeper.
Common Queries about Bitwarden
Has Bitwarden ever experienced a security breach?
No, Bitwarden has not encountered any breaches. As of October 2024, there have been no reported incidents where Bitwarden’s system or services were compromised in any manner.
Where can I access a guide on utilizing Bitwarden effectively?
You can refer to our Bitwarden Usage Guide, providing a step-by-step walkthrough on selecting a Bitwarden subscription, setting up the browser extension, and saving your initial password, amongst other instructions.
We also provide insights on optimizing Bitwarden for business needs and leveraging its full range of features.
Can Bitwarden be utilized across multiple devices?
Absolutely, Bitwarden can be accessed on an infinite number of devices, whether you are subscribed to a Bitwarden Premium plan or are using the Free Plan.
Which platforms does Bitwarden support?
For desktop use, Bitwarden offers applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Additionally, it provides mobile apps for iOS, Android, and F-Droid platforms.
Regarding web browser extensions, Bitwarden is compatible with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi, Tor, and DuckDuckGo.
Evaluation Methodology
My evaluation of Bitwarden involved an in-depth analysis of its security features, pricing, and real-world performance. I tested Bitwarden hands-on using its free version and supplemented my observations with user feedback and reliable reviews.
To assess Bitwarden, I installed the desktop application on my Windows laptop, the mobile app on my Google Pixel 6, and tested the Chrome extension. My rating of Bitwarden, based on its password management capabilities and pricing, resulted in a score of 4.6 out of 5 stars. The evaluation considered Bitwarden both independently and in comparison to other available password management solutions.
About Author
