Bitwarden vs KeePassium
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
KeePassium
KeePass-compatible password manager for iOS and macOS
| Feature | Bitwarden | KeePassium |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | Swift |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,782 | ★ 1,663 |
| First released | 2016 | 2019 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | 1Password, LastPass |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or KeePassium better?
Neither is universally better. Bitwarden has the larger community, while KeePassium is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Bitwarden and KeePassium free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and KeePassium under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and KeePassium with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. KeePassium: check the project docs for container support.