Why I chose Bitwarden as my password manager
We still have to use passwords. I want passwordless authentication to become the standard as soon as possible, but it will take some time. Until then, it is an excellent idea to protect your accounts with a good password manager.
I have used and tested several password managers over the past dozen years. This year I went back to using Bitwarden and have no intention of changing it.
I don’t use the Google ecosystem, so I can’t say how good the Google Password Manager is. The Apple Passwords should be enough if you use the Apple ecosystem and don’t have many passwords. In general, iCloud accounts are secure (even more so if you use hardware keys), and all the data is encrypted, so your passwords should be safe.
If you have more passwords that you use and share with co-workers, then an external password manager is a better option.
I like the KeePassX password manager. I used it a lot in the past, but I want to use something that has unified apps for all my devices and can synchronise the data without additional work.
I have used 1Password for the last two years, and it’s a great password manager. They have one of the best UI/UX when it comes to password managers. 1Password is secure and supports everything I need.
So why did I come back to Bitwarden?
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager
Open source plays a crucial role when choosing the software I use.
The source code for Bitwarden is hosted on GitHub and everyone is free to review, audit, and contribute to the Bitwarden codebase.
We believe that being open source is one of the most important features of Bitwarden. Source code transparency is an absolute requirement for security solutions like Bitwarden.
Source: Bitwarden is an open source password manager.
Hardware security key
Bitwarden allows me to use YubiKey as a second factor authorisation, so I only need the master password and hardware key. For example, 1Password does not allow you to remove 2FA via an authenticator application. You can add a hardware key but still need an application that generates codes. While I use 2FA codes wherever I cannot use a hardware key, I wanted to eliminate that option in the case of the password manager. The hardware key is more secure.
It’s secure
It’s audited and secure.
It supports everything I need
End-to-end encryption, autofill forms, biometrics, password generator, synchronisation across all devices, apps for all platforms, secure data sharing, vaults, security reports and many more. You can also run the Bitwarden server application on your server!
It is not expensive
I hope they make enough money to develop the app and to keep the product secure, but it doesn’t cost too much. I pay $10 a year for my account. It’s not something that influenced my choice much, but if I can pay less for something without losing security in this case, why not?
There is one downside
UI/UX. Bitwarden looks more outdated than, say, 1Password, but you can get used to it. It’s a password manager. It should be secure. The design plays a minor role here.
It’s your choice
I am not saying that Bitwarden is better than other password managers.
Use what you want as long as it is secure.
It’s just my choice. Do your research. It’s related to your online security.
Choose wisely.