- What Bitwarden Free includes
- Bitwarden Free vs Premium vs Families
- The free way to share a password
- The catch: no built-in authenticator on Free
- How to set up Bitwarden for free
- Bitwarden for teams
- Who Bitwarden Free suits
- Security features on every free account
- Older Bitwarden accounts
- When Families makes more sense than Free
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Bitwarden is free. Bitwarden says the core features of its Password Manager are free, including unlimited storage of logins, notes, cards and identities, access on any device and a password generator, and a Free organisation lets you share with one other person.
Bitwarden is an open source password manager, and its free plan doesn't restrict the basics. There's no cap on how many passwords you save and no limit on how many devices you use it on. The upgraded plans add extras such as a built-in authenticator and file attachments. For a small business owner, the free plan plus one simple sharing trick covers a lot.
What Bitwarden Free includes
Bitwarden's plans article and plans page list these core features for every account, including free ones:
- Unlimited storage of logins, notes, cards and identities.
- Access across devices, with your vault synced between them.
- A secure password and username generator.
- Open source security and zero-knowledge encryption.
- Advanced two-step login to protect your own Bitwarden account.
- Passkey management, email alias integration and encrypted export.
Bitwarden Free vs Premium vs Families
| Feature | Free | Premium | Families |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited logins, notes, cards and identities | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Use on any device | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated authenticator (TOTP) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Encrypted file attachments | No | Yes | Yes |
| Emergency access | No | Yes | Yes |
| Security reports | No | Yes | Yes |
| Users | 1 | 1 | Up to 6 |
The free way to share a password
Here's the useful detail. Premium on its own doesn't include sharing. Bitwarden says sharing needs an organisation, and one of the options is a Free organisation.
A Free organisation lets you store and securely share data with one other user. Both of you get all the core Password Manager features, and you can share in up to two collections. Bitwarden says any user on any plan can own one Free organisation.
For a business owner and an assistant, or two business partners, that's enough to share the logins you both need, such as the website admin, the email platform and the social accounts, without sending passwords by message.
The catch: no built-in authenticator on Free
The biggest gap on Free is the integrated authenticator. Bitwarden lists the authenticator, which generates the six-digit two-step codes for your other accounts, as a Premium feature. On the Free plan, you'll keep using a separate authenticator app for those codes.
Free also doesn't include encrypted file attachments, so you can't attach a scanned document to a vault item, and it doesn't include emergency access, which lets a trusted person reach your vault if something happens to you.
How to set up Bitwarden for free
- Create a free Bitwarden account on the Bitwarden website.
- Choose a strong master password you'll remember, since it protects everything else.
- Install Bitwarden on your phone and add the browser extension on your computer.
- Turn on two-step login for your Bitwarden account in the security settings.
- Add your most important logins first, then create a Free organisation if you need to share with one person.
Bitwarden for teams
Once you need to share with more than one person, the Free organisation isn't enough. Bitwarden's Teams plan adds unlimited users, event logs, directory sync and automated provisioning, and Bitwarden also offers a free trial of its business plans. For a team of two, though, the Free organisation does the job.
If you're comparing tools, my pick of the best open source password managers covers Bitwarden's main rivals. And once your passwords are sorted, it's worth looking at your inbox security too, which my guide to Gmail alternatives covers from the privacy side.
Who Bitwarden Free suits
Bitwarden Free suits individuals and two-person businesses who want every password stored safely and synced across every device, without limits on how many they save.
It's a weaker fit if you want two-step codes built into your password manager, file attachments, or emergency access for a family member.
Security features on every free account
Bitwarden lists several security features as core, which means they're on the free plan too. Built-in phishing protection, zero-knowledge encryption and open source code are all included, along with encrypted export so you can take a secure copy of your vault.
The email alias integration is a nice extra. It lets you create a forwarding address when you sign up for a new service, so your main email address isn't handed out everywhere.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Older Bitwarden accounts
Bitwarden's plans article notes that it describes the plans as of June 4, 2024, and that users who created accounts earlier than 2024 can read about their own plans separately. If you've had a free account for a while, check that article for the rules that apply to you.
When Families makes more sense than Free
If more than two people need access, Bitwarden's Families organisation is the next step. Bitwarden says it lets you share private data between you and five others, includes all premium features for all six users, and gives unlimited secure sharing inside the organisation. For a tiny family business, that covers everyone without moving to a business plan.
My verdict: Bitwarden is free, and the free plan doesn't cap the things that matter. Pair it with a separate authenticator app, and use a Free organisation to share logins with one trusted person.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden free forever?
Bitwarden says the core features of its Password Manager are free, including unlimited storage of logins, notes, cards and identities, and access on any device.
Can I use Bitwarden free on multiple devices?
Yes. Bitwarden's free plan includes access to the Password Manager across devices, with your vault synced between them.
Can I share passwords with Bitwarden Free?
Yes, with one other user. Bitwarden says a Free organisation lets you securely share data with one other person in up to two collections.
Does Bitwarden Free include an authenticator?
No. Bitwarden lists the integrated authenticator for two-step codes as a Premium feature.
What does Bitwarden Premium add?
Bitwarden says Premium adds the Bitwarden authenticator, encrypted file attachments, emergency access and security reports.
Does Bitwarden Free include passkeys?
Yes. Bitwarden lists passkey management and usage among the core features included in every account.
Is Bitwarden open source?
Yes. Bitwarden lists open source security and zero-knowledge encryption among the core features in every account.
Who can own a free Bitwarden organisation?
Bitwarden says any user on any plan can be the owner of one Free organisation.
Does Bitwarden Free include emergency access?
No. Bitwarden lists emergency access as a Premium feature, included with Premium individual and Families plans.
