Startups > Bitwarden

Bitwarden

Bitwarden helps organizations and individuals secure credentials with zero-knowledge encryption.

Series B $100M total Founded 2016 Santa Barbara, California 102 employees

Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that enables individuals, teams, and enterprises to securely store and manage credentials with zero-knowledge encryption—meaning Bitwarden cannot access user data. The platform serves over 10 million users across 180+ countries and offers specialized products including a Password Manager, Secrets Manager for developers, and Passwordless.dev for building FIDO2 WebAuthn authentication. Bitwarden differentiates through open-source transparency, client-side encryption, fast enterprise deployment (70% live in under a month), and a freemium model that converts users to paid plans.

Problem solved

Organizations and individuals face rising cybercrime threats and data breaches that compromise multiple accounts; existing password managers lack transparency, have complicated deployments, or operate with proprietary closed-source code.

Target customer

Individuals seeking free password management; SMBs and enterprises requiring team password sharing, SSO, and advanced security policies; DevOps teams managing machine credentials; developers building passkey authentication.

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Founders

Kyle Spearrin

Founder & CTO

Created Bitwarden in 2015-2016 after identifying gaps in existing password managers; previously co-founded and served as CTO at Kwalla.

Funding history

Series A Undisclosed 2019 Led by Unknown · Unknown

Series B $100M September 2022 Led by PSG · Battery Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Lagfe

Total raised: $100M

Industries

Enterprise Software Cyber Security Identity Management Privacy Software

Pricing

Freemium model: free core password manager with unlimited storage; Premium for individuals at $19.80/year; Families plan at $47.88/year (6 users); Teams at $4/user/month (annual billing); Enterprise at $6/user/month (annual billing) with SSO, advanced reporting, and priority support.

Notable customers

Over 50,000 businesses and 10 million individual users; customers span 180+ countries. Enterprise customers report 99% satisfaction and 70% achieve go-live within one month.

Integrations

Imports from 50+ password managers (LastPass, 1Password, Keeper); integrations with email alias services, directory services (SSO), FIDO2 WebAuthn passkey management, TOTP, export to JSON.

Website

bitwarden.com/

Competitors

1Password

1Password offers broader platform features but lacks open-source transparency and zero-knowledge architecture that Bitwarden emphasizes.

Dashlane

Dashlane focuses on consumer features but Bitwarden leads in enterprise deployment speed, cost-effectiveness, and open-source security model.

LastPass

LastPass has broader market recognition but has faced security incidents; Bitwarden's zero-knowledge encryption and open-source code offer greater transparency and security assurance.

Why this matters: Bitwarden has achieved rare market leadership by combining open-source transparency, zero-knowledge encryption, and aggressive pricing that undercuts proprietary competitors—while maintaining 99% enterprise customer satisfaction and 11 consecutive quarters as the #1-rated enterprise password manager on G2. The company's $100M Series B validates that security-first, user-centric, open-source business models can compete against entrenched players.

Best for: Best for organizations prioritizing security, transparency, and cost-efficiency; enterprises needing fast deployment and high ROI; developers building modern authentication; individuals wanting free, auditable password management.

Use cases

Enterprise Password Sharing and Compliance

Large organizations use Bitwarden Teams and Enterprise tiers to share credentials across departments with audit logs, SSO integration, and enterprise policies. 99% of enterprise customers report improved security posture with 70% deploying within one month, delivering faster ROI than competitors.

Developer Credential Management

DevOps teams use Bitwarden Secrets Manager to centralize and secure machine credentials, API keys, and database passwords across development environments. The tool prevents hardcoded secrets and enables rotation at scale.

Breach Mitigation and Account Security

Individuals and SMBs use Bitwarden's password generator and vault to create unique, strong passwords for every account, ensuring that if one site suffers a data breach, other accounts remain protected.

Alternatives

1Password Closed-source with broader brand recognition but less transparent about data security; choose 1Password if you prioritize UI polish and established enterprise sales support.

Dashlane Consumer-focused with strong UX but weaker enterprise deployment speed; choose Dashlane if you prioritize consumer features over enterprise efficiency.

LastPass Market leader but has faced high-profile security breaches; choose LastPass only if legacy integration requirements outweigh security and trust concerns.

FAQ

What does Bitwarden do? +

Bitwarden is an open-source password manager that securely stores and manages credentials using zero-knowledge encryption, meaning Bitwarden cannot see user data. It serves individuals, teams, and enterprises with products including Password Manager, Secrets Manager for developers, and Passwordless.dev for building passkey authentication.

How much does Bitwarden cost? +

Bitwarden offers a free tier with unlimited storage. Premium for individuals costs $19.80/year; Families plan is $47.88/year for up to 6 users. Business pricing: Teams at $4/user/month; Enterprise at $6/user/month (both billed annually).

What are alternatives to Bitwarden? +

Top alternatives include 1Password (closed-source with strong brand recognition), Dashlane (consumer-focused with good UX), and LastPass (market leader but with past security issues). Each has trade-offs in transparency, deployment speed, and security model.

Who uses Bitwarden? +

Over 50,000 businesses and 10 million individuals across 180+ countries use Bitwarden. Target customers include enterprises requiring secure credential sharing and compliance; SMBs seeking cost-effective solutions; developers managing machine credentials; and individuals prioritizing open-source security.

How does Bitwarden compare to 1Password? +

Bitwarden uses open-source, zero-knowledge encryption allowing public code auditing, while 1Password is closed-source. Bitwarden leads in enterprise deployment speed (70% go-live in under one month) and cost, while 1Password has stronger brand recognition and broader feature polish. Bitwarden ranked #1 in enterprise user satisfaction for 11 consecutive quarters on G2.