Bitwarden password manager review
Our Verdict
Bitwarden's free version has the basics of a skillful password manager, and its premium features are cheap. However, Bitwarden isn't the near intuitive platform to use.
For
- Totally unlimited costless version
- Consequent design across platforms
- Cheap premium pricing
- Open up-source and very secure
Against
- Not many bells and whistles
- Not all features are intuitive to use
Tom's Guide Verdict
Bitwarden'due south gratis version has the basics of a good password manager, and its premium features are cheap. However, Bitwarden isn't the near intuitive platform to use.
Pros
- +
Totally unlimited free version
- +
Consistent design across platforms
- +
Inexpensive premium pricing
- +
Open-source and very secure
Cons
- -
Not many bells and whistles
- -
Not all features are intuitive to employ
Bitwarden: Specs
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux
Costless version: Limits on file sharing and 2FA
2FA: Yep
Browser plugins: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, Tor
Grade filling: Yes
Mobile PIN unlock: Yes
Biometric login: Face up ID, Touch ID on iOS and macOS, fingerprint and face unlock on Android, Windows Hi
Killer feature: Unlimited syncing across all devices on gratis version
Bitwarden is a highly secure, open-source password manager that does the basics really well and at footling cost.
Information technology offers more on its costless tier than about competitors do, and its premium plan — with features such as advanced two-gene authentication (2FA) and secure storage — will set you back just $10 per twelvemonth.
Users just looking to save an unlimited number of passwords that sync across all their devices and automatically fill in online forms will get that with Bitwarden's free tier.
Bitwarden is not the about intuitive service to navigate, and it has some clunky functionality compared to other password managers. Nevertheless, information technology's a great value for anyone on a budget who's willing to figure it out. Bitwarden is our top free pick amidst the best password managers.
Read on for the rest of our Bitwarden review.
Bitwarden: Costs and what's covered
Bitwarden offers three pricing tiers for consumer accounts: Gratis, Premium ($10 per year) and Family ($40 per year).
The free tier comes with most of the basic features y'all'd desire in a password manager, making it a good option if you lot're merely looking for safe storage. The Premium program is a bargain when compared to similar tiers offered by other password managers, which often run almost $35 per twelvemonth.
Users on Bitwarden's Free plan get unlimited password and secure-annotation storage across as many devices as they want. There'due south also a password generator and an innovative characteristic called Bitwarden Send for sharing sensitive text-based information.
Bitwarden will auto-fill up usernames and passwords through its browser extensions on the desktop and with the Bitwarden mobile apps on iOS and Android. Form filling for identities and payment info is included with this tier, but on the desktop versions only.
If you upgrade to a Premium business relationship, $10 per year gets y'all all of the above features, plus file sharing via Bitwarden Transport, the Bitwarden Authenticator app for verifying your identity on accounts that use 2FA or fourth dimension-based erstwhile passwords (TOTPs) and an emergency admission feature that lets you grant vault access to some other user in case of, well, an emergency.
This premium tier also comes with i GB of secure storage, priority back up, advanced 2FA options such as YubiKey and "wellness reports" — basically, security audits (manually generated) that bear witness yous if your passwords are weak, recycled or have been exposed in a data alienation.
If you know how to set up up a server, then Bitwarden also offers cocky-hosting (versus deject hosting) options with all plans for anyone who wants complete command over their information using their own server.
The Bitwarden server can be anything from a leased cloud instance to a Raspberry Pi sitting on a shelf in your living room. Bitwarden has server specifications and instructions here, and there'due south a good third-party walkthrough here.
Finally, Bitwarden's $40-per-year Family unit program is basically Premium for up to vi users with unlimited sharing between accounts.
As we've noted, Bitwarden Free is a solid option for bones password management — maybe the best ane out there. LastPass, one of our other top freemium picks, at present limits syncing on its free plan to only computers or to only mobile devices, a significant gap that Bitwarden fills.
LastPass does include some of Bitwarden's Premium features, such as the ability to apply an in-house authenticator app, in its free tier, but at $36 per year, its premium selection costs almost 4 times what y'all'll pay for a similar Bitwarden programme.
The premium and family plans offered past other password managers will also set you back a lot more than than $10 (or $40 for families) annually, which may exist bonny only if y'all actually need bonus features like a built-in VPN.
The Bitwarden desktop application supports Windows 7, viii.1 and 10; macOS 10.14 and later; and nigh major distributions of Linux. The Windows and Mac versions can be downloaded directly from the Bitwarden website or via the Windows and Mac app stores.
At that place's also a "portable" Windows version you lot tin can install on a USB flash drive. If you want to get really elite, there'southward a control-line version that works on Windows, Mac and Linux akin.
In that location are Bitwarden desktop browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Dauntless, Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi and the Firefox-based Tor browser. Mobile apps are available for both iOS (10.0 or after) and Android (5.0 and upward). You can likewise admission your vault via whatever web browser at vault.bitwarden.com.
For this review, I tested Bitwarden on a 2020 MacBook Air running macOS 10.xv Catalina and an iPhone XR. I used Google Chrome for browser testing.
Bitwarden: Setup
To become started, y'all'll need to create an account on Bitwarden's website using your email address and name. You lot'll also cull your master password and an optional password hint. There is no password recovery if you forget your master password, and then the hint may exist helpful. Either style, make your chief key something both secure and memorable.
Bitwarden doesn't exercise much manus-holding through the setup procedure, although its Help pages are actually pretty helpful. Once you have your account prepare, you'll exist logged into your spider web vault to get-go importing and organizing your passwords.
To import data from LastPass, 1Password, Firefox, Chrome or another 1 of many supported file formats, select Tools > Import Data and fill out the dropdown fields. If Bitwarden doesn't officially support the service you lot currently use, you can create and upload a CSV file. Note that data uploads are possible only in the web app, not via desktop or mobile.
Next, download the relevant desktop and mobile apps every bit well as browser extensions. It took most no time for me to install these and get logged in. Extension features similar autofill and countersign generation functioned immediately, with no additional setup needed.
However, the Bitwarden browser extension did not automatically sync, so if you lot download the extension before you import passwords into your vault, y'all'll need to go to Settings > Sync > Sync Vault Now to be able to view your logins.
Bitwarden on desktop
Bitwarden would be piece of cake to employ with simply the browser extension and spider web app, every bit the desktop app doesn't add together whatsoever functionality and is only slightly sleeker. In fact, some features, such as emergency access and vault health reports, are bachelor only in your web vault (under Tools > Reports).
The browser extension looks a lot similar a mobile app, with tabs for your principal vault, Bitwarden Send, a password generator and your settings.
There are a few ways to apply the automatic formfilling feature. If the website y'all're on has a saved login, the Bitwarden extension icon in your browser toolbar will have a number on it. Tap the icon to open the extension and select the password you want to auto-fill.
To auto-fill up credit cards or identities (addresses, for example) when checking out or filling out forms, toggle the Bitwarden extension icon and hitting Tab on your keyboard. All available cards and identities should be visible to select.
I found it easier to open up the extension immediately than to correct-click (CTRL + click on Mac) and navigate through several menus to select the correct login, although that's also an option if you prefer.
Possibly the easiest choice is a keyboard shortcut that auto-fills your most recently used login without actually opening the extension or dropdown menus. Bitwarden has a few standard keyboard shortcuts:
- Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Fifty
- macOS: Cmd + Shift + 50
- Linux: Ctrl + Shift + 50
- Safari: Cmd + \ or Cmd + 8 or Cmd + Shift + P
My Chrome shortcut was set to something dissimilar by default, so if that's the case, you lot can view and configure dissimilar shortcuts in your browser if needed.
Bitwarden'due south password generator is a little chip clunky compared to those of other countersign managers — you have to manually go into the Bitwarden extension to create and copy/paste a password.
When you create a new login on a website, Bitwarden should ask if you desire to save information technology to your vault. This worked each time I tested it, though you'll want to be careful that Bitwarden saves updated passwords properly.
Sharing texts and files with Bitwarden Transport is quick and easy using the browser extension. You can besides view and edit the detail or copy login data directly from the extension.
If you opt to download the desktop app as well, you'll find a left-justified menu bar where you can select your specific login types to view all the usernames and passwords in that category.
You tin can as well organize or view by binder — use the plus sign to create a new binder — or view your favorites or trash. Search the selected category using the search bar at the top and add a new record using the plus icon at the bottom.
If you toggle Send at the bottom instead, you can create file or text links to content on your estimator, which you lot can the copy or share to send. Yous tin can select a appointment on which access to your send will expire, or on which your ship volition be permanently deleted, as well as a maximum access count.
File sharing is available only with a Premium account, though you can send text links on the Gratuitous tier. Ship recipients exercise non demand to use Bitwarden to open the sent links or files.
Unlike the browser extension (and the mobile app, as described below), the Bitwarden desktop app does not have a carve up tab for the password generator. Instead, you'll detect it under View in the main application toolbar.
Bitwarden mobile apps
Like the desktop app and browser extension, the Bitwarden mobile app is basic. The interface and functionality are almost exactly the aforementioned, so the experience will exist similar no thing which device you're on.
When you first log into your mobile app, y'all'll likely see a popular-up notifying you that you lot have to enable notifications for your vault to sync properly.
The default screen is your vault habitation, organized by particular types and folders. There's a plus sign in the upper right corner to create items and a search icon to search your entire vault. If you tap on Login or some other particular type or folder, yous'll come across the full list of items in that category.
Tap on the three horizontal dots to view, edit or copy the account information. You can also launch the website or app directly from Bitwarden.
Password auto-fill up is like shooting fish in a barrel to enable in your phone Settings — but unless y'all want to blazon in your master countersign each time you need to connect to Bitwarden, go to Settings > Unlock with Face ID or Unlock with PIN Code in the app. One time enabled, this feature works smoothly. Nevertheless, yous cannot machine-fill cards or identities on mobile.
The Bitwarden app has a built-in password generator, which allows you to gear up the parameters for the password and copy it to paste directly into the app or website.
You can also use Bitwarden Transport in the app just as on the desktop: Create links to text or content on your device, which you can copy or share using any share options on your telephone. Toggle the Send icon on the bottom toolbar and select the plus sign in the upper correct corner.
Bitwarden: Security
Like most countersign managers, Bitwarden uses AES-256 encryption to protect the data stored in your countersign vault. Your information is simply unencrypted, and simply locally on your device, once you lot've logged into your vault with your master fundamental.
Bitwarden is too SOC 2 Blazon 2 and SOC 3 compliant, pregnant the organization has met standards set past the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) for handling consumer information. Bitwarden undergoes a security inspect every two years, just it's also open-source, then the lawmaking is available for anyone to review for flaws.
All Bitwarden users get several 2FA options for accessing their vaults. Costless-tier members can set upward a ii-factor authentication login process using electronic mail verification or an authenticator app similar Authy or Google Authenticator.
The Premium tier likewise supports Duo Security, YubiKey and FIDO U2F-compliant USB security keys. Equally mentioned earlier, Premium subscribers tin also utilize Bitwarden's own authenticator app instead of a third-party one.
Once you lot've logged in with your master countersign and whatsoever enabled two-pace method, you can unlock your vault using a PIN or a biometric method. Bitwarden supports fingerprint and face unlock on Android, both Touch ID and Face ID on iOS, biometrics on Windows 10 via Windows Hi and Touch ID on macOS.
Bitwarden password managing director review: Lesser line
Bitwarden is a solid password manager, particularly at such a low cost point. Its free version is arguably the all-time budget option bachelor now that LastPass has restricted data syncing on its free program. Plus, at but $10 per year, Bitwarden's premium tier is well worth paying for to get extras like security audits and avant-garde 2FA.
Bitwarden does have a learning curve for those who are new to countersign managers, and some of its features are clunkier than its competitors. But if all you want is a free — and highly secure — way to shop and sync logins, Bitwarden is the obvious choice.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/bitwarden
Posted by: powersclous1993.blogspot.com
0 Response to "Bitwarden password manager review"
Post a Comment