Bitwarden

An open-source password manager that syncs an end-to-end encrypted vault across every browser, computer and phone you use.

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Source code: github.com/bitwarden. Flink is not affiliated with Bitwarden.

What it is

Bitwarden stores your logins, cards, secure notes and identities in a vault that is encrypted on your device before it is sent to the server. The server only ever sees encrypted data, so even the company running it cannot read your passwords. Changes made on one device appear on all the others within moments.

The free plan covers unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, which is generous compared with most commercial password managers. Paid plans add features such as built-in one-time code generation, emergency access and advanced two-factor options. Organisations can share collections of passwords between team members. The company has published results of independent security audits, and technically inclined users can host the server themselves.

Key features

Password and username generator

The generator creates random passwords or memorable passphrases of any length. It can also generate usernames and, through integrations with email forwarding services, unique email aliases, so each account gets its own address.

Bitwarden Send

Send lets you share a piece of text or a file through an encrypted link. You can set an expiry date, a maximum number of views and an optional password, which is safer than pasting secrets into a chat or email.

Self-hosting

Bitwarden publishes an official self-hosted server based on Docker. There is also a popular, lightweight community-built server that is compatible with the official apps, although it is not affiliated with the company.

Sharing with family or a team

Organisations let several people share collections of passwords, such as streaming or utility accounts in a household. A free two-person organisation is available, and paid plans add larger families and business features such as access controls and event logs.

Getting started

Create an account and choose a strong master password. The company cannot reset it, so store a copy safely. Turn on two-step login, export your saved passwords from your browser as a CSV file, import them into Bitwarden, then delete the export and install the browser extension.

Who it is for

Bitwarden is the easiest recommendation for most people moving from browser-saved passwords or a closed password manager. It works the same way everywhere and needs almost no setup.

Pros and cons

Alternatives

If you want a fully offline vault, use KeePassXC. For encrypting files and drives, see VeraCrypt.