Best Bitwarden Alternatives 2026

Proton Pass is the best all-around alternative to Bitwarden. It offers a comparable free tier, it's open source, and the company is heavily focused on privacy. NordPass and 1Password are also solid alternatives. But why do you need an alternative to Bitwarden?

Bitwarden has long been the gold standard for free password managers. The company's founder built it in response to concerns that another password manager (LastPass) would go downhill following an acquisition by a private equity firm (it did, eventually heavily restricting its free tier).^[1] In other words, it was designed from the beginning to offer a great experience for free.

Unfortunately, that same playbook now appears to be unfolding at Bitwarden. The company's new CEO has a strong background in private equity, and the price of the paid plans was doubled at the beginning of 2026.^[2] Additionally, the company briefly removed the "Always free" language from its website, and although this was later added back, it's odd that it was removed at all.^[3]

Taken together, these are concerning signs. The free plan still exists today, but if you're a Bitwarden user, now is the right time to know your options.

The best Bitwarden alternatives

Compare the best Bitwarden alternatives

Details	View plans	View plans	View plans	View plans
Best for	Value	Privacy	Security	Features
Star rating	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.8 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.9 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.9 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Starting price	Starts at $1.65/mo	Starts at $2.99/mo	Starts at $1.49/mo	Starts at $2.99/mo
Free plan
Import/export tool
Password sharing
Encryption	AES-256	AES-256-GCM	XChaCha20	AES-256
Password generator
Password strength report
Autofill
Passkey support
Digital legacy		Yes (paid plans only)
Cloud storage	Yes — 1 GB	Yes — up to 1 TB (select plans)	Yes — up to 3 GB	Yes — 1 GB
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, CLI
Learn more	Read Bitwarden Review	Read Proton Pass Review	Read NordPass Review	Read 1Password Review

Proton Pass: Best for privacy

Bitwarden vs. Proton Pass: Key differences

Proton Pass and Bitwarden are both open-source password managers with strong free plans. They primarily differ in pricing and privacy focus: Proton Pass is more expensive ($2.99/mo compared to $1.65/mo), but you get a strong feature set from a company that has never shown signs of walking back its privacy commitments. Choose Proton Pass if you value a team whose core business is privacy.

What we liked

Privacy credentials that no other manager on this list can match: Proton is headquartered in Switzerland, where user data can be shared only with a binding request from the Swiss government. Its privacy policy explicitly states that it can't access your encrypted content. Plus, the code is fully open-source and earned SOC 2 Type II certification in July 2025, on top of a Cure53 audit. For anyone leaving Bitwarden specifically because of ownership concerns, this is the most credible alternative.

Password sharing that doesn't require a Proton account: You can share vault items directly to other Proton users by email, or via a secure link that anyone can open with no account required. That's more flexible than NordPass, which requires recipients to have an account before a shared item will land.

An unusually broad vault: Proton Pass's "other" item category covers far more than most password managers offer: API credentials, SSH keys, crypto wallets, medical records, driver's licenses, SSNs, and Wi-Fi networks. If you're storing more than just passwords, there's a slot for almost everything.

What we didn't like

Autofill reliability was inconsistent during testing: During our most recent hands-on test, Proton Pass's autofill wouldn't fill out fields at all. This is a notable gap for the core job of a password manager. This may vary by browser or platform, but it's worth testing in your environment before committing.

Digital legacy is restricted to paid plans: Emergency Access, Proton Pass's equivalent of Bitwarden's emergency access feature, is available only to paid subscribers. If you were on Bitwarden's free or premium tier specifically for that feature, factor in the plan cost.

Star rating summary

NordPass: Best for security

Bitwarden vs. NordPass: Key differences

Both Bitwarden and NordPass offer free password managers that let you store unlimited passwords. However, NordPass's free tier is limited to a single device, which is a disadvantage. The other major difference is that Bitwarden is open source software, while NordPass is a proprietary platform. However, Nord does offer a whole suite of privacy and security tools you can bundle. Choose NordPass if you value the convenience of those extra tools.

What we liked

More modern encryption than most competitors: NordPass uses XChaCha20 with Argon2id key derivation, a more recent cryptographic stack than the AES-256 standard used by Bitwarden and 1Password. It's a meaningful distinction for anyone choosing a manager on security grounds.

Password Health dashboard is genuinely actionable: NordPass's Password Health tab doesn't just flag weak, reused, or exposed passwords. It links you directly to the affected accounts and provides a one-click path to go change them. Our testers found it one of the more useful implementations of this feature.

Email masking is a privacy feature Bitwarden doesn't offer: NordPass lets you create email aliases that forward to your real address, adding a layer of protection against data broker exposure you won't find in Bitwarden.

Usable free version: NordPass's free version is more usable than most. In particular, there's no cap on stored passwords, which often cripples free plans on other password managers.

What we didn't like

Restricted sharing: In our testing, we found that NordPass only lets you share passwords with other NordPass users. For anyone else, you'll have to rely on old-school copy-and-paste.

Free plan limited to one device: Although NordPass's free plan is decent, it's only available on a single device. If you want to sync your passwords (one of the major reasons to use a password manager), you'll have to pay.

Star rating summary

1Password: Best for features

Bitwarden vs. 1Password: Key differences

While Bitwarden has one of the best free plans among password managers, 1Password doesn't offer a free plan at all. Additionally, 1Password's premium plans are quite a bit more expensive. However, for the money, you get a password manager packed with useful features that you won't find anywhere else, along with a very slick user interface. Choose 1Password if you prioritize features and a premium experience.

What we liked

Excellent sharing: In our testing, we found that 1Password makes sharing strong passwords super simple. You can easily share outside of the 1Password ecosystem, and the process is fast and generally error-free.

Autofill is the most reliable we tested: 1Password's autofill appears proactively when logging into accounts, filling out forms, and creating new accounts, with no manual triggering required. For context, Bitwarden's desktop autofill involves a right-click menu. Multiple testers rated 1Password's autofill UX a 5/5, and editors Steph Trejos and Kate Quinlan use 1Password for their personal password manager.

Useful extra features: Features like Watchtower (which looks for compromised or weak passwords) and Travel Mode (which helps safeguard your privacy when traveling) are genuinely useful. These sorts of extras add a lot of value and can justify the higher price.

What we didn't like

The Secret Key adds friction when moving to a new device: 1Password requires both a master password and a separate Secret Key (a 34-character code) to sign in on any new device. It's a genuine security feature, but it's a meaningfully different flow from Bitwarden's master-password-only login. Bitwarden switchers should plan to have their Emergency Kit accessible during migration.

Star rating summary

Is Bitwarden still free?

Yes, Bitwarden is still free as of June 2026. The free plan still includes the core features you need: unlimited passwords and unlimited devices. You also get standard two-factor authentication (2FA) and basic data breach reports for usernames and email addresses. The free plan doesn't include the built-in authenticator, file attachments, emergency access, or vault health reports. These advanced security features are reserved for the Premium plan.

However, the climate at Bitwarden is changing. The phrase "Always Free" used to be prominently displayed on Bitwarden's website, but was removed in April 2026 (it has since been added back, although the free plan remains in a less prominent position). The Premium plan doubled in price to $20/year in January. And the company is now led by a CEO whose professional background centers on private equity. These same signals showed up at LastPass before it restricted its free plan.

Now, none of this means that Bitwarden's free plan is going away tomorrow (or at all). But given everything happening, there's reason to be cautious and start looking at potential alternatives. And if you'd rather not wait and see, the options below offer comparable security with clearer long-term commitments.

Bottom line: The best Bitwarden alternatives

Proton Pass is the best all-around Bitwarden alternative. It offers a similar free plan, is open source, and has a strong privacy focus. It can also be bundled with other Proton software to give you comprehensive privacy protection.

NordPass has a more limited free plan, but it also offers strong bundles with other tools, like NordVPN. Finally, 1Password brings a polished user interface and unique features to justify its premium price tag. All three rank among the best password managers on the market.

While Bitwarden's free plan is still live today, the signs are concerning. Switching now is a lot easier than waiting until you're forced to. If you're considering making a change, any of these options will serve you well.

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