I Do Not Recommend Bitwarden
xn--gckvb8fzb.com
May 2, 2026
22 min read
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43/100
Summary
Bitwarden was self-hosted for several years but has been abandoned for a different password manager. A previous guide detailed setting up a LastPass alternative using Vaultwarden on OpenBSD or Raspberry Pi.
Key Takeaways
- The author no longer recommends Bitwarden after several years of self-hosting due to negative experiences.
- Bitwarden is backed by $100 million in growth equity, raising concerns about its shift from serving users to serving investors.
- Self-hosting Bitwarden can lead to complex deployment issues, prompting many users to consider the lighter alternative, Vaultwarden.
- Bitwarden introduced a "lighter" version of its backend called Bitwarden unified lite, but it still requires significantly more resources than Vaultwarden.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- Bitwarden's open-source model and affordable premium pricing make it an attractive choice for users seeking transparency and control over their password management.
- The free version of Bitwarden is highly functional, offering significant value for users who do not wish to self-host.
- Vaultwarden provides an easy-to-deploy alternative for self-hosting, appealing to users who prioritize simplicity and reliability.
Concerns
- The user interface of Bitwarden is criticized as one of the worst, leading to frustration among users who find it less intuitive than competitors like 1Password.
- Autofill functionality on Bitwarden is unreliable, particularly on Android, which undermines the user experience and efficiency.
- Self-hosting Bitwarden is described as demanding and complicated, deterring users who might prefer a simpler setup.