Bitwarden vs Proton Pass: which free password manager suits a small business?

Prices checked on the official pricing pages on . Prices are in US dollars and can change at any time.

The short answer

Both free plans work on unlimited devices. Bitwarden Free stores unlimited passwords and lets you share with one other person. Proton Pass Free limits you to 2 vaults, but adds 10 hide-my-email aliases and lets you share a vault with 2 people. To upgrade, Bitwarden Premium costs $19.80 a year and Proton Pass Plus $35.88 a year; both add a built-in 2FA authenticator. Pick Bitwarden for the cheapest capable setup, and Proton Pass if you already use Proton Mail or want email aliases.

Choose Bitwarden if

  • You want the cheapest paid upgrade ($19.80 a year)
  • Free sharing with one other person is enough
  • You might want to host it yourself one day

Choose Proton Pass if

  • You already use Proton Mail or other Proton apps
  • You want hide-my-email aliases to keep your real address off sign-up forms
  • You want to share a vault with 2 people on the free plan

Bitwarden vs Proton Pass, side by side

BitwardenProton Pass
PricePremium $1.65 a month ($19.80 billed yearly); Families $3.99 a month for up to 6 people; Teams $4 per user a month.Pass Plus $2.99 a month billed yearly ($35.88); Pass Family $4.99 a month billed yearly.
Free planUnlimited passwords on unlimited devices; share items with one other person.Unlimited devices, 2 vaults, 10 hide-my-email aliases, and vault sharing with 2 other people. The built-in 2FA authenticator and sharing single items need Pass Plus.
Best forAnyone who wants a capable free password manager on both computer and phone.Privacy-minded users, especially anyone already using Proton Mail.
Works onWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, Browser extensionWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and iPad, Android, Browser extension
Open sourceYesYes
Pros
  • The strongest free plan in this category
  • Cheapest paid upgrade
  • Email aliases cut spam from sign-up forms
  • Free plan works on every device
Cons
  • Apps are plainer than 1Password's
  • Free sharing is limited to one other person
  • Free plan limited to 2 vaults and 10 aliases
  • No 2FA authenticator on the free plan
Key features
  • Free on unlimited devices
  • Open-source code
  • Self-hosting option
  • Imports from LastPass and other managers
  • Built-in 2FA authenticator, file attachments and emergency access (Premium)
  • Hide-my-email aliases
  • Unlimited devices on the free plan
  • Built-in 2FA codes (Pass Plus)
LinksAlternatives
Bitwarden website		Alternatives
Proton Pass website

Prices checked on the official pricing pages on . Prices are in US dollars and can change at any time.

Neither quite right?

Other password managers tools worth a look:

  • 1Password: A polished paid password manager with apps for every major platform. From $3.99/mo.
  • LastPass: A long-running password manager with a free plan limited to one type of device. From $3/mo, free plan.

Sources

Official pages we checked for the prices, plans and limits on this page:

How we choose and check these tools

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