Head-to-head

Bitwarden vs KeePass

The two free and open source champions: the modern cloud service against the veteran that keeps everything local.

Our pick
Free
Bitwarden logoBitwarden
Bitwarden Inc.

Bitwarden

Open source, audited, and the best free plan around.

Free
KeePass logoKeePass
Dominik Reichl (open source)

KeePass

Completely free, and your vault never leaves your computer.

BitwardenKeePass
Our score4.7 / 54.1 / 5
PriceFreeFree
Free plan
Best forAlmost everyoneTechnical users
CategoryFree & open sourceFree & open source
ProviderBitwarden Inc.Dominik Reichl (open source)

Our verdict

KeePass gives you maximum control: your vault lives on your own computer and nowhere else. But syncing, backups, and browser integration are all yours to set up. Bitwarden offers nearly the same openness with the convenience of automatic sync across all your devices. For almost everyone, Bitwarden is the more sensible choice; KeePass is there for those who deliberately want nothing in the cloud.

The free plan does everything most people need, the code is open source, and the audits are public. Our first recommendation for almost everyone.Editorial team, on Bitwarden
Maximum control: your vault stays on your own computer and everything is open source. Sync and backups are on you, so this one is for technical users.Editorial team, on KeePass