Bitwarden Review – Pros & Cons [2023]

Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that protects all your passwords and helps you use them effortlessly during every subsequent login. Standard password manager features like autosave and autofill are its core features. Besides mobile and desktop apps, you get browser extensions to conveniently save your passwords. One account can be used on unlimited devices, and you can sync devices at any time. You can also store credit card information, personal details, and other sensitive information here, but this tool might not be free from drawbacks. So, we wanted to rip Bitwarden apart and show you first-hand experience with this tool. Let’s begin.

Features

Bitwarden is a popular tool in the industry, and the credit goes to the tools features. Here is a detailed overview of Bitwarden’s features.

Open-Source Software

The term open-source means the community can analyze the source code of this software at any time and suggest improvements. It’s like getting suggestions from thousands of experts instead of just a few in the developers’ team. So, it’s way better to use open-source software that continuously looks out for improvements.

As the security solution is transparent, it’s easier to rely on the security of this password manager. If you ask us, we would always opt for open-source software like this.

Zero-Knowledge Encryption

The main problem with password manager tools is the risk of losing your sensitive information in data breaches. Even if anything like that doesn’t happen, the platform can sometimes take malicious actions to trade your data, but that will never happen with Bitwarden.

It’s because the platform uses zero-knowledge encryption. Whatever you save on the platform is encrypted, and no one can access that data except you. Even the officials at Bitwarden won’t be able to see your sensitive information, let alone misuse them.

Unlimited Devices with Syncing

We often use multiple devices nowadays. For example, you might need to use a desktop in your office and a laptop at home. Smartphones are also widespread. So, you should be able to use the password manager on all devices simultaneously. Many platforms limit the number of devices allowed to use at one time, but Bitwarden doesn’t have any limit to the number of devices. 

So, you can use as many devices as you want and sync them all to update your actions across devices. For example, if you have signed up for a website on your desktop computer, the details will be synced with all your devices. You can use those details to log into that website on your smartphone without any issues.

Cross-Platform Apps

Bitwarden offers apps for computers, tablets, and smartphones. Plus, Bitwarden supports various operating systems, such as Windows or macOS. So, you don’t need to worry about using the Bitwarden app on your device. 

The problem we faced was with the app interface. The desktop app wasn’t that intuitive. This might be a problem for new users. Finding various options was a bit difficult, which might be a downside for the platform.

The mobile app wasn’t extraordinary either. While using the autosave and autofill features, there were some glitches, but reporting about those glitches was comparatively easier, and those problems get solved later.

Browser Extensions

Opening the app whenever you need to save a password or log in quickly is tedious. Instead, you can use browser extensions that capture your typed passwords and save them on the platform for future use. When you log into these platforms next time, the extensions fill in the details on your behalf. So, you can instantly log in to the platform without typing anything.

Bitwarden has browser extensions for all major browsers, such as Google Chrome, Edge, Mozilla Firefox, etc. So, you can easily use the extension for your browser and enjoy a faster login experience.

Unlimited Storage

As we use hundreds of platforms daily, the number of stored passwords or other information can rise quickly. Bitwarden offers unlimited storage to tackle that problem, so you can save as many passwords as you want.

Not only having passwords, but you can also save other items in the secure web vault. No one except you can access that web vault, so your items will always be safe on the platform.

We liked this feature because this allows you to continuously use the platform without spending extra on buying additional storage. Once you subscribe to the platform, you are all set to save as much information as you need.

Multiple Types of Information

Though its primary job is to manage your passwords, Bitwarden doesn’t end there. Bitwarden offers unlimited cloud storage to save all your necessary information. For example, you can save notes in Bitwarden. Simply type anything in notes and save them to the platform to keep secure.

Similarly, you can save credit card details so that you don’t need to type them every time you want to buy something. This becomes much harder for third parties to hack your credit card details.

You might want to save personal information on the platform, such as phone numbers, addresses, etc. That is also easy to deal with. Overall, saving passwords or any other type of information is a breeze with this tool.

Easy and Secure Sharing

Though you aren’t supposed to share your passwords, sharing them sometimes becomes a necessity. You must have a secure channel to share passwords with others. Bitwarden provides that secure channel through Bitwarden Send, which allows you to transmit sensitive information to other users without compromising security.

Besides passwords, you can also share texts, billing credentials, or other documents. There are options for setting up deletion or expiration dates, and you can enable password protection for shared items so that no unwanted person can intercept the transmission.

Generate Usernames and Passwords

Besides saving your credentials, creating strong passwords for all platforms is also essential. We tend to create easy-to-guess passwords and use the same password for all platforms. That increases security risks to a great extent. To get rid of that situation, Bitwarden offers a username and password generator. 

Bitwarden will suggest complex and strong passwords for every website you browse. You can easily use those passwords as you don’t need to remember them, and the safety of your accounts is increased due to strong passwords.

Two-Factor Authentication

Like other good password manager tools, Bitwarden has two-factor authentication. So, even if someone gets a hold of your credentials, they can’t access your vault without two-factor authentication. Biometric authentication can also be used to improve the security of your data.

Check Password Health

Besides saving passwords, you can also check them for strength. Bitwarden will provide you with the password health report so that you know which passwords are more vulnerable. You can also check the health report of your secure vault. 

Pros & Cons of Bitwarden

Bitwarden comes with a lot of impressive features, but they don’t completely hide the lacking. Here is a list of the benefits and drawbacks of Bitwarden. Check them out.

Bitwarden Plans & Pricing

Bitwarden offers pricing plans for personal and business use. We will give you a quick overview of all plans. Take a look.

• Free – starting at $0/mo
  • Unlimited passwords
  • Unlimited devices
  • All the core functions
  • Always free
• Premium – starting at less than $0.83/mo
  • Advanced 2FA
  • Emergency access
  • Bitwarden authenticator
  • Security reports and more
• Families – starting at $3.33/mo
  • 6 premium accounts
  • Unlimited family sharing 
  • Unlimited collections
  • Organization storage
• Teams Organization – starting at $3/mo/user
  • Unlimited sharing through collections
  • API access
  • Event and audit logs
  • User groups
• Enterprise Organization – $5/mo/user
  • Enterprise policies
  • SSO integration
  • Admin password reset
  • Self-host option

Our Thoughts on Bitwarden

Bitwarden is a popular open-source password manager that can also be used as a secure web vault. Bitwarden uses AES 256-bit end-to-end encryption so that no one can take a sneak peek at your sensitive data. Autosave and autofill features give you a faster and more convenient browsing experience. Besides passwords, you can save your credit card information, personal details, etc. Bitwarden uses two-factor authentication, accessing your web vault isn’t possible for anyone, not even individuals working at Bitwarden. You can securely share your information with other users through Bitwarden Send. Creating strong passwords for different websites is also possible here, but the app interface may disappoint you because it takes a bit of a learning curve to master sharing features. This tool is highly affordable, and it even has a free plan. Personal plans start from $0.83 per month, and business plans start from $3 per month. So, it is definitely worth giving it a try.