Bitwarden review: A data-backed look
Explore Bitwarden’s adoption trends, market share, category benchmarks, and use cases to determine if it’s the right authentication tool for your business.
Category
Authentication Tools
Pricing
Free version available
Best for
Small & medium businesses
Website
bitwarden.com43% lower
+14%
71%
29%
Bitwarden overview
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that stores and autofills logins, notes, and sensitive data. It falls under cybersecurity and identity management tools. Its core value is offering secure password management at a low cost. Bitwarden fits individuals, teams, and businesses that need flexibility, transparency, and affordability.
Compared to 1Password or LastPass, Bitwarden stands out for its open-source model, self-hosting option, and strong free plan.
How much do businesses spend on Bitwarden?
The chart below illustrates average quarterly spending on Bitwarden across different business sizes.
Mid-market and enterprise businesses demonstrate the highest spending on Bitwarden, with quarterly expenditure showing steady growth that accelerates significantly in the final quarter.
Small and medium-sized businesses maintain moderate spending levels with consistent upward trajectory throughout the measured period. Micro businesses show steady growth in spending across all quarters, maintaining the lowest but consistently increasing investment levels.
Who is Bitwarden best for?
The chart below breaks down Bitwarden’s user base by industry and business size.
Small and medium-sized businesses represent the largest portion of Bitwarden's user base, making up the dominant segment of platform adoption.
Micro businesses constitute a significant portion of users, while mid-market and enterprise businesses represent a substantial but smaller segment.
Bitwarden key features
Easy Import
- What it does: Lets users migrate data from other password managers or browsers.
- Key benefit: Speeds up onboarding by quickly centralizing credentials in one place.
Autofill & Password Generator
- What it does: Fills login forms and generates strong, unique passwords.
- Key benefit: Saves time and improves security by reducing reused credentials.
Integrated TOTP 2FA
- What it does: Generates time-based one-time passcodes for two-factor authentication.
- Key benefit: Strengthens account security without needing a separate authenticator app.
Secure Sharing (Bitwarden Send & Vaults)
- What it does: Shares passwords, notes, or files with encryption and expiration controls.
- Key benefit: Enables safe collaboration and reduces risk of exposure via email.
Self‑Hosting & Cloud Sync
- What it does: Offers cloud sync or self-hosted deployment for data control.
- Key benefit: Supports flexibility and compliance needs for different IT environments.
Vault Health Reports
- What it does: Analyzes stored credentials for weakness, reuse, or breaches.
- Key benefit: Helps identify and fix vulnerabilities before they lead to issues.
Bitwarden pricing
Personal Plans
Plan | Price | Key Features | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
Free Account | Free | Unlimited devices/passwords, open source, zero-knowledge encryption, browser/mobile/desktop apps, passkey management | Individuals wanting a secure, no-cost password manager. |
Premium Account | $10/year | All Free features plus: text and file Bitwarden Send, hardware security key, Yubico OTP, Duo, 1 GB encrypted file storage (expandable) | Users who want advanced security and premium features. |
Families Organization | $40/year | All Premium features plus: up to 6 users, unlimited collections, 1 GB personal + 1 GB organizational storage (expandable) | Families needing shared password management. |
Business Plans
Plan | Price | Key Features | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
Teams | $4/mo | All premium features, unlimited secure data sharing, event logging, API access, operational tools, flat monthly rate for small teams. | Small teams or startups needing basic collaboration. |
Enterprise | $6/mo | All Teams features, unlimited users, premium features for all, secure sharing, event/audit logs, API, directory connector, priority support. | Growing businesses needing scalable password management. |
Get a quote | Contact sales | All Enterprise features plus SSO integration, enterprise policies, admin password reset, custom roles, self-hosting, free Families Plan for users, advanced controls. | Large organizations needing advanced security, integrations, and compliance. |
Bitwarden pros & cons
Bitwarden is a good fit if:
- Your team needs a budget-friendly password manager with a strong free plan.
- Your team needs open-source software with transparency and auditability.
- Your team needs flexible deployment options, including self-hosting.
- Your team needs secure sharing features like Bitwarden Send and shared vaults.
- Your team needs integrated 2FA support for improved login security.
- Your team needs detailed security reports to monitor password health.
Consider alternatives if:
- Your team needs advanced enterprise features like SSO or SCIM out of the box.
- Your team needs more polished UI or simpler onboarding for non-technical users.
- Your team needs real-time support or faster customer response times.
- Your team needs more native integrations with third-party enterprise tools.