Bitwarden vs Passwordstate (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Bitwarden: it is first in our ranking of password managers, and it grades higher too, 3.8 against 2.2.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Bitwarden grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bitwarden
Open-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting
Passwordstate
Self-hosted enterprise password manager for Windows servers
Which one is for you
Pick Bitwarden if
- Fits if you want a free password manager on all your devices with no limit on logins
- Works for a household of up to 6 at $3.99 a month, or anyone who wants to host it themselves
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free and want two-factor codes, attachments, health reports or emergency access, as all are paid
- Skip it if you share logins with several people but don't want Families, since solo plans share with one other user
- Not for you if you want a VPN or scam warnings bundled in, because Bitwarden sticks to passwords
- Watch out: listed prices assume yearly billing and leave out tax
- Pricey if your company wants single sign-on and policies, which need Enterprise at $6 a user a month
Pick Passwordstate if
- Fits if you run Windows servers and want the vault on your own network
- Works for IT teams that need role-based access and audit reports
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not run Windows Server, IIS and SQL Server
- Pricey if you add support, which renews at 20% of the licence value
- Watch out: the Password Reset Portal, High Availability and Remote Site Locations modules are priced separately
- Watch out: the 30% charity and education discount does not apply to reseller orders
How we grade them
| 3.8GPABitwardenExcellent | 2.2GPAPasswordstateFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe useful version costs nothing, and Premium is $1.65 a month, billed as $19.80 a year, against $2.99 for the middle of this category and $2.49 where its lowest-priced quarter starts. Families covers 6 people for $3.99 a month. | C$368 once for 5 users is about two years of the category's middle subscription for five seats, and support is $73.60 a year on top. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe one free plan in this category with no cap on logins or devices: unlimited logins, passkeys, notes and cards on unlimited devices, with no time limit. File attachments, the built-in authenticator and emergency access are the paid extras. | CA 30-day trial of the downloadable software; the page does not mention a card. There is no free plan. |
| Features | AIt covers the whole job, plus two things none of the paid rivals here offer: the code is open source, and you can run the whole service on your own server. Passwords, passkeys, autofill, a generator, Send for links that disappear, then two-factor codes and 5 GB of encrypted attachments on Premium. | BSelf-hosted vault, browser extensions, mobile apps, role-based access, reporting, an API and webhooks, with high availability as an add-on. |
| Ease of use | A4.76 from about 33,500 App Store ratings, the highest in this category. Sign up free and your logins fill in across your devices. The self-hosting is optional and most people will never go near it. | DNo store rating on record. It needs Windows Server 2022, IIS, .NET Framework 4.8.1 and SQL Server. |
| Platforms and integrations | BNo common device is left out: web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. There's no list of integrations and no public API on the listing, though. The only connecting out to other software is directory sync, SCIM and single sign-on, and those are business plans. | BWeb, iOS, Android and browser extensions, with Active Directory, Entra ID and PowerShell. No desktop app. |
| Best for | a free password manager on every device | a self-hosted password vault for IT teams |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bitwarden and Passwordstate. How we grade
Where they differ
- Bitwarden is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Passwordstate also covers reports.
At a glance
| Bitwarden | Passwordstate | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $1.65 per month, billed annually at $19.80 (Premium) | $368 once-off for 5 named users, plus $73.60 a year for support |
| Free plan | Free for 1 user: unlimited logins, passkeys, notes, cards and identities on unlimited devices, a password generator and text-only Send. No file attachments or integrated authenticator. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the Families, Teams and Enterprise plans, started from the sign-up pages the pricing page links to | 30-day free trial of the downloadable software |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Bitwarden, Inc. | Click Studios (SA) Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | bitwarden.com | clickstudios.com.au |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Bitwarden
- The free plan leaves out file attachments, the integrated authenticator, vault health reports and emergency access.
- Individual plans share items with only one other Bitwarden user; unlimited sharing starts with Families.
- Listed prices are based on annual subscriptions, and taxes are not included.
- SSO integration and enterprise policies require the Enterprise plan.
Passwordstate
- The server needs Microsoft Windows Server 2022 or later, IIS, .NET Framework 4.8.1 and SQL Server.
- Support and upgrades are a separate yearly cost, renewing at 20% of the license value.
- A 30% discount is listed for registered charities and accredited education providers, but not for orders through resellers.
- The Password Reset Portal, High Availability and Remote Site Locations modules are priced separately.
Key features
Bitwarden
- Unlimited free vault
- The free plan stores unlimited logins, passkeys, notes, cards and identities and works on unlimited devices through browser, mobile and desktop apps.
- Open source
- Bitwarden's code is open source, and the company describes its security as independently verified.
- Passkeys, autofill and generator
- Stores and manages passkeys alongside passwords, autofills logins across devices and generates strong passwords and usernames.
- Bitwarden Send
- Shares sensitive information through a link that disappears. Free accounts can send text only; file sharing comes with paid plans.
- Self-hosting
- Bitwarden can be deployed on premises or in a private cloud. Families and Enterprise organizations can be moved to a self-hosted server.
- Business controls
- Teams adds event logs, directory synchronization and SCIM provisioning. Enterprise adds policies, SSO integration and granular access control.
Passwordstate
- Self-hosted vault
- Runs on your own Windows server with IIS, .NET Framework and SQL Server, so the password data stays on infrastructure you control.
- Browser extensions
- Extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave and other Chromium browsers save and fill logins and work with passkeys on supported sites.
- Mobile apps
- iOS and Android apps give offline access to cached credentials, biometric unlock and autofill, connected to your own server.
- Role-based access and reporting
- Permissions are set per password list, with compliance reports and audit trails for administrators.
- API and webhooks
- An HTTP API lets scripts and applications retrieve and manage passwords, using PowerShell, Curl and other tools.
- High availability and add-on modules
- Optional modules add a disaster-recovery replica, a self-service Active Directory password reset portal and remote-site agents.
Plans
Bitwarden
Free$0
1 user. Unlimited passwords and passkeys on unlimited devices, a password and username generator, and two-step login.
Premium$1.65
per month, billed annually at $19.80
Adds the integrated authenticator, 5 GB of encrypted file attachments, emergency access, security reports and priority support.
Families$3.99
per month for up to 6 users, billed annually at $47.88
6 premium accounts with unlimited sharing and collections, plus shared organization storage.
Teams$4
per user / month, billed annually
Secure credential sharing for a team, event logs, directory synchronization and SCIM provisioning.
Enterprise$6
per user / month, billed annually
Everything in Teams, plus enterprise policies, passwordless SSO integration, granular access control and self-hosting.
Passwordstate
Named Users$368
once-off for 5 users, plus $73.60 per year for support
One production install and a set number of named users (the calculator starts at 5); the cost rises with the user count.
Enterprise LicenseCustom
One production installation with an unlimited number of users; priced in the licence calculator.
Global LicenseCustom
An unlimited number of production installations and users, within one company structure; priced in the licence calculator.
Ways to pay less
Bitwarden
- Other savings
Free Families plan for Enterprise users
Bitwarden's pricing page states that the Enterprise plan includes a free Families plan for all of its users.
Passwordstate
- Nonprofit
30% off for charities and education
Registered charities and accredited educational institutions get 30% off Passwordstate and High Availability licenses, with proof of eligibility.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Bitwarden or Passwordstate?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Bitwarden starts at $1.65 per month, billed annually at $19.80 (Premium), and Passwordstate starts at $368 once-off for 5 named users, plus $73.60 a year for support.
Which has a free plan, Bitwarden or Passwordstate?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Bitwarden has a free plan. Passwordstate does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Bitwarden and Passwordstate run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Bitwarden lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.