Bitwarden review: a free and easy password manager

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating

Pros

Free tier supports unlimited devices and passwords

Good security

Supports Passkeys

Cross-platform

Cons

Instructions could be clearer

Can feel clunky

Our Verdict
If you want a cheap or free password manager, then Bitwarden has enough functionality and security to keep most people happy.

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When it comes to password managers, we’d usually recommend that you go for a paid service, as they have a financial incentive to keep their security and feature levels high or risk losing the funds coming in from customers. Bitwarden challenges this ethos though, having built a formidable reputation over the years as a secure and trustworthy service, but one that doesn’t ask you to pay. So, is there really such a thing as a free lunch?

Software and Features

Unlimited devices and passwords on free tier

Auto-fill for websites

Cross platform

Bitwarden follows the template that’s familiar to anyone that’s used a password manager in recent years. The interface is clean and modern, with an easy learning curve that makes using it feel instinctive rather than you needing to understand the complexities of internet security (which can be absolutely baffling).

When you first open the app, you have the option to select which region your data will be stored – U.S., Europe or self-hosted. This is an important choice, so be sure to choose the one that you feel is the most trustworthy (obviously this will vary depending on where you live and the governments you deem safe).




Martyn Casserly & Dominick Tomaszewski

Once you’ve set up a free account, both the macOS and iOS apps take you to the My Vault page which is where your passwords live (plus there’s also options to access the secure messaging, password generator, and Settings sections of the app).

On first opening the app, there are obviously no passwords there. If you use another password manager, then you can export your existing passwords (usually as a.csv file or similar – the service will tell you how to do it) then import them to Bitwarden. On the Mac this is reasonably straightforward, the iOS app requires you to use the Bitwarden servers which then sync up to the mobile app.

Unlike many of the other passwords managers out there, Bitwarden’s free tier allows syncing across unlimited devices, and you are allowed unlimited passwords too, which makes it a complete solution if you aren’t looking for all the bells and whistles.

That’s not to say that Bitwarden is barren, far from it, you can also store credit card details for payments, secure notes, as well as ID credentials so that you can access them anywhere. The Send feature also means you can quickly share encrypted messages to other people (and if you sign up to the Premium tier you’ll also be able to do the same with files). There’s also the standard password generator, which also allows for the creation of passphrases and usernames.




Martyn Casserly & Dominick Tomaszewski

It’s all most people will need to step up their security from browser-based free services or if you just want to be able to organise things a little more effortlessly.

There are a few elements that don’t shine quite as bright though. Setting up features like auto-fill can be confusing, as you need to know that it’s there to start with (as it’s not on by default), and if you’ve used other passwords managers (including Apple Passwords (previously Keychain) and Google Password Manager) then you’ll need to disable those first – which isn’t exactly as simple as it sounds. It’s not complicated, but it isn’t explained as clearly as it could be by the app.

Some of the more advanced features are reserved for the paid tiers (which to be fair is very cheap), including encrypted file attachments to messages, an integrated authenticator, and emergency access (if you fall ill or pass away you can designate a particular person to be able to retrieve all the passwords in your vault). That being said, the full price for a one-year subscription is only $10 (around £7.50) and that can be shared with a second user, so it’s excellent value.

Bitwarden is available on a wide range of platforms, including dedicated macOS and iOS apps, plus plugins for all the major browsers, as well as Windows and Android. Reviews on the App Store did point to a recent issue with the Safari plug-in, and I did encounter a couple of times where an error message saying ‘load failed’ appeared. Thankfully this wasn’t the case most of the time, so it looks like the issue is being addressed.

Security and Encryption

Zero knowledge end-to-end 256-bit encryption

Data breach monitoring

Open source

Support for passkeys

Security is an important part of any password manager and Bitwarden has all the levels of protection you’d find on many of its rivals. The company operates a zero-knowledge policy, so they can’t read your passwords as they are encrypted on your device and stored in that state on the Bitwarden servers.

As is standard, 256-bit encryption is used to keep your data safe from hackers, with Bitwarden also providing constant monitoring of any data breaches on other sites that could include your login details. On the paid tier you also get an analysis of your vault to help you know how secure and effective your existing passwords are against attacks.




Martyn Casserly & Dominick Tomaszewski

If you don’t want passwords at all, then Bitwarden supports the creation and storage of passkeys, which are all becoming the rage these days, so the app appears somewhat futureproofed.

To further lock up the vault, you can set up 2-factor authorisation whereby you’ll be sent a text message to your phone when you want to access your vault. Alternatively, there’s support for hardware security keys as well as the option of the built-in authenticator that comes with the paid tier.

Bitwarden is open-sourced, which means that the source code can be examined so that the community can hopefully spot any potential problems before hackers become aware of them. It isn’t a guarantee of safety, but the transparent nature does offer another level of security.

Price and Availability

The base tier of Bitwarden is available completely free and is probably enough for most people starting out on their journey with password managers. If you want the extra features like secure sharing of files, full password security reports, plus the emergency access for a nominated person then the Premium tier includes these for $10 (£7.50) per year and you can share that vault with a second user.

There’s also a family plan that gives you up to 6 Premium accounts for $40 (around £30) a year.

Bitwarden is available for iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and has plug-ins for Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, Opera, DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi, Brave, and Tor browsers.

Should you buy Bitwarden?

If you’re looking to dip your toe in the waters of password managers, Bitwarden is a great place to start. You get a lot of functionality without having to pay anything at all. Yes, the Premium plan does have its advantages, and thankfully it’s very affordable, but the free account is enough to get you going. Bitwarden doesn’t have the streamline polish of some rivals, and the documentation could be better, but it’s a robust and reliable service that will make managing your passwords a hell of a lot easier than just trying to remember them all.

To check out the other services we currently recommend, read our roundup of the Best Password Managers. Also, for some tips on how to avoid using easy-to-hack combinations of pet names and birthdays, take a look at our tips on how to make your passwords stronger.