Bitwarden vs Vaultwarden
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Bitwarden
Open-source password manager you can self-host
VS
Vaultwarden
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server
| Feature | Bitwarden | Vaultwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20,184 | ★ 68,031 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane |
What are Bitwarden and Vaultwarden?
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager offering encrypted vaults, sharing, and apps on every platform, with a self-hostable server. It targets individuals and teams wanting an audited password manager. It is deployed via Docker.
- Encrypted cross-platform vaults
- Secure password sharing
- Regular third-party audits
- Self-hostable official server
Vaultwarden
Vaultwarden is a lightweight, unofficial Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust that works with all official Bitwarden clients. It targets self-hosters who want Bitwarden without heavy resource use. It is deployed via Docker.
- Compatible with all Bitwarden clients
- Tiny resource footprint
- Organizations and sharing
- Includes premium-equivalent features
Bitwarden vs Vaultwarden: key differences
Bitwarden is written in C#, while Vaultwarden is built with Rust. Vaultwarden is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Bitwarden is the more established project (first released 2016), while Vaultwarden arrived in 2018. Vaultwarden has the considerably larger community, at 68,031 GitHub stars versus 20,184.
Why pick each one
Choose Bitwarden if…
- Audited and trusted
- Apps everywhere
- Open source
Watch out for
- Official server is resource heavy
- Setup more complex than Vaultwarden
Choose Vaultwarden if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Works with official apps
- Easy to deploy
Watch out for
- Unofficial, community project
- Self-hosting security is on you
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or Vaultwarden better?
Vaultwarden is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Bitwarden if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Bitwarden and Vaultwarden free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Vaultwarden under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and Vaultwarden with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. Vaultwarden: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bitwarden or Vaultwarden?
Vaultwarden has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.