NordPass vs. Bitwarden 2025: Which Should You Trust With Your Passwords?

Based on our experience and in-house testing, we think NordPass is the best choice for most users. NordPass is the #1 rated password manager overall, thanks to its advanced protection features and strong password security. It also offers a good free plan with no strings. 

Similarly, Bitwarden is known as one of the best free, open-source password managers available. Bitwarden Free makes it a reliable choice for users on a budget, and the premium plan offers a few more security perks.

That said, these are two of the best and most popular password managers on the market, so it’s hard to go wrong with either option. Here, we take a look at and compare pricing, features, performance, and more to help you decide which offers the most value and security for you.

NordPass vs. Bitwarden review at a glance

• NordPass: Best overall password manager
• Bitwarden: Best for budget-conscious users

	Our Pick
Star rating	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.	4.8 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.
Lowest starting price	Free	Free
Free version
Number of users	Up to 6	Up to 6
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Safari	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Safari, Vivaldi, Tor
Password sharing
Encryption	XChaCha20	AES256-CBC
Password generator
Password strength report
Autofill
Digital legacy
Cloud storage	Yes — up to 3 GB	Yes — starts at 1 GB
Learn more	Get NordPass Read NordPass Review	Get Bitwarden Read Bitwarden Review

NordPass pros and cons

NordPass combines a solid feature set with easy-to-use apps and affordable pricing to deliver the best all-around password manager on the market. Most importantly, it’s got top-notch safety and security features, including strong encryption. It’s also backed by a company with significant experience and a strong reputation in digital privacy.

NordPass’s main downside is its limited free tier. NordPass Free is designed for a single device, making it better suited to a free trial than a long-term solution for most people. 

Bitwarden pros and cons

Bitwarden’s biggest strength is its generous free plan. Free users don’t miss out on any crucial features, so it’s possible to stick with the free plan forever. Bitwarden also offers excellent compatibility and benefits, as it is open-source software.

Bitwarden’s biggest downside is a common one for open-source applications — it’s a little clunky to use. Password sharing could also be smoother. That said, the overall package is excellent, and it’s hard to argue with free.

Which password manager is the better value?

Bitwarden is a better value, thanks to its excellent free tier.

		Our Pick
Price range	Free or $1.29–$3.69/mo	Free or $0.83–$3.33/mo
Best value plan	NordPass Family for $2.79/mo (billed every two years)	Bitwarden Free
Free trial	Free version available	Free version available
Money-back guarantee	Yes — 30 days	Yes — 30 days
Learn more	Get NordPass Read NordPass Review	Get Bitwarden Read Bitwarden Review

NordPass offers a limited free version, along with two paid plans: Premium (for one user) and Family (for up to six users). The Family plan is definitely the best deal — you can add six users for just slightly over twice the price of the Premium plan. There’s a free version, but it works on only a single device.

Bitwarden’s best plan is the free plan. It’s got all the key features you’d want in a password manager, with no real restrictions. Users can upgrade to Premium to add some additional security tools, such as file attachments, priority support, and emergency access, but we think most users will probably be fine with the free version.

Which password manager has the better features?

NordPass offers a handful of minor extra features, although both password managers nail the basics.

	Our Pick
Import/export tool
Password sharing
Password generator
Autofill
Password strength report
Digital legacy
Cloud storage	Yes — up to 3 GB	Yes — starts at 1 GB
Extra features	Password health, email masking, data breach scanner	Password health, integrated authenticator
Learn more	Get NordPass Read NordPass Review	Get Bitwarden Read Bitwarden Review

NordPass and Bitwarden have pretty similar feature sets. Each covers the core features of a password manager, including importing and exporting passwords, generating secure passwords, autofilling passwords (and other details), and providing password strength reports. Additionally, NordPass and Bitwarden both offer an email alias feature to help protect your identity online.

NordPass does have a few extra features that Bitwarden lacks, such as a data breach scanner to check for compromised email addresses and credit card information. Bitwarden does offer data breach alerts, but they’re not as in-depth as NordPass and cover only your username.

The other major area where NordPass and Bitwarden differ is what you get for free. Bitwarden offers a full password manager experience with its free tier, whereas NordPass restricts advanced password security features to the paid versions. This could be a deciding factor for many.

Which password manager is safer?

NordPass offers slightly stronger security thanks to its encryption and hashing algorithms.

	Our Pick
Encryption	XChaCha20	AES-256-CBC
Password hashing	Argon2id	PBKDF2 SHA-256 or Argon2
Two-factor authentication
Undergone a security audit?
Most recent data breach
Learn more	Get NordPass Read NordPass Review	Get Bitwarden Read Bitwarden Review

NordPass and Bitwarden use different encryption protocols, but the two are on par in terms of security. The differences between XChaCha20 and AES-256 are subtle and unlikely to be noticed by users.

The hashing algorithms are a different story: Argon2 is more modern and generally considered a far better algorithm than the older PBKDF2 used by Bitwarden. Bitwarden does support Argon2, but users may need to switch to it manually. For those who aren’t technically savvy, it may not be clear why you’d even want to mess with this setting, so we think this is a miss.

Which password manager has better compatibility and customer support?

NordPass has a more streamlined interface and more customer support options.

	Our Pick
Windows
macOS
Android
iOS
Browser extensions	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Safari	Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Opera, Safari, Vivaldi, Tor
24/7 customer support
Customer support options	Live chat, email, guides	Email, guides
Learn more	Get NordPass Read NordPass Review	Get Bitwarden Read Bitwarden Review

NordPass has a sleeker, more modern feel in its apps than Bitwarden. But it’s not uncommon for open-source software to feel a bit clunkier than alternatives. That said, both password managers are easy enough to use, so it’s more of an aesthetic difference.

Bitwarden makes up for this by supporting more browsers, including Vivaldi and Tor. This gives users a bit more flexibility, which is always nice.

Both offer 24/7 support, but NordPass offers live chat, whereas Bitwarden offers only email and online guides. This could mean you get help quicker with NordPass in the unlikely event of a catastrophic event.

Top alternatives

If NordPass and Bitwarden don’t quite fit your needs, don’t sweat it — there are plenty of other top-rated password solutions we've tested. Two of our favorites are RoboForm for its value and Aura Password Manager for its security suite. Here’s how NordPass compares:

FAQs

NordPass vs. Bitwarden: Which is better?

NordPass is a better overall password manager than Bitwarden, but the latter is still worth a look for its excellent free tier.

	Our Pick
Value
Features
Safety
Compatibility & customer support
Learn more	Get NordPass Read NordPass Review	Get Bitwarden Read Bitwarden Review

For users willing to pay, NordPass offers slightly better features, stronger encryption, and more customer support options than Bitwarden. The price is also very reasonable.

However, Bitwarden does offer more value. The free tier is a fully functioning password manager in its own right and definitely worth considering.