Bitwarden vs git-crypt
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Bitwarden
Open-source password manager you can self-host
VS
git-crypt
Transparent file encryption for secrets stored in git
| Feature | Bitwarden | git-crypt |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,782 | ★ 9,837 |
| First released | 2016 | 2013 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or git-crypt better?
Neither is universally better. Bitwarden has the larger community, while git-crypt is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Bitwarden and git-crypt free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and git-crypt under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and git-crypt with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. git-crypt: check the project docs for container support.