Open-source password manager with a best-in-class free tier and self-hosting option
Bitwarden is the leading open-source password manager, offering unlimited passwords on its free plan across unlimited devices — a tier that competitors charge $3–5/month to match. Its source code is publicly audited, its architecture is fully open, and its self-hosted server option gives organisations complete data sovereignty. Bitwarden's combination of generous free access, open-source trust, and enterprise-grade team features makes it the most recommended password manager by security professionals.
Bitwarden is a strong fit if its core strengths match your workflow, budget, and support needs. Use the quick signals below before opening the full review.
Bitwarden's product strategy — open-source code, unlimited free tier, and extremely low paid pricing — has made it the most recommended password manager by security researchers and power users. Its trust model is verification rather than assertion: the code is public, the audits are published, and anyone can inspect what it does.
Bitwarden's free plan stores unlimited passwords, unlimited secure notes, and unlimited payment cards across unlimited devices simultaneously. Competing free plans from Dashlane limit to 1 device, LastPass to one device type, and NordPass to one active device. Bitwarden's free tier delivers what competitors charge $3–5/month to provide. Premium adds TOTP generation, emergency access, and 1GB file storage for $10/year — the lowest premium price in the category.
Bitwarden's server, clients, and browser extensions are MIT/GPL licensed and publicly available on GitHub. Third-party security audits are commissioned annually and results published. Organisations that require code auditability as a procurement condition — common in financial services, healthcare, and government — can verify Bitwarden's security claims rather than relying on marketing assertions.
Bitwarden's server can be deployed on any Linux host using Docker — organisations run their own password vault with full control over data storage, backup, and access. Vaultwarden, a third-party compatible server implementation, provides a lighter-weight self-hosting option for smaller teams. Self-hosted organisations pay no per-user subscription fee after the initial setup.
Score: 9.0/10 — Best free password manager and best value paid option; interface polish and UX refinement trail 1Password.
Free
Free billed annually
$4/mo
$48/mo billed annually
Bitwarden is best for Security professionals who need open-source code auditability and self-hosting capability as non-negotiables, Individuals and families who want the best free password manager or the most affordable paid option, Privacy-focused organisations that need EU self-hosted deployment for GDPR compliance with full data control.
Yes. Bitwarden currently lists a free plan in ToolRankr data.
It has a free plan.
Bitwarden is reviewed using ToolRankr's scoring model for ease of use, value, features, support, and overall quality. Affiliate links may earn a commission, but sponsored labels do not change editorial scoring.
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