What is Bitwarden?
Bitwarden is a password manager with plans for individuals and businesses. Its source code is published on GitHub, and the company says it has regular security audits carried out by independent firms such as Cure53.
Bitwarden’s free plan includes unlimited devices and passwords, passkey storage and Bitwarden Send. The built-in 2FA authenticator, file attachments and emergency access are part of the Premium plan. For families, Bitwarden offers a separate Families plan, and for businesses there are Teams and Enterprise plans billed per user.
Why look for a Bitwarden alternative?
Bitwarden is a good choice for many people. Those who look for an alternative usually have one of these reasons:
- They want to use 2FA codes, file attachments and emergency access without upgrading to a paid plan.
- They want to share items with their family or a small team without paying per user.
- They prefer a different interface or a different approach to the product.
If none of these apply to you, there may be no reason to switch. If one of them does, the comparison below shows where the two products differ.
Bitwarden vs. KeyZula: how do they compare?
| Feature | KeyZula | Bitwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Price for individuals | Free; every feature included | Free plan; Premium $19.80/yr |
| Family use | Shared vault with a free organization | Families $47.88/yr (up to 6 users) |
| Devices and passwords on the free plan | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| 2FA (TOTP) codes in the vault | Free | Premium and above (there’s also a free, separate Bitwarden Authenticator app) |
| Passkey storage | Free | Included in the free plan |
| Encrypted file attachments | Free; 100 MB per account | Premium: 5 GB (can be expanded) |
| Emergency access | Free | Premium and above |
| Secure sharing link (Send) | Free | Included in the free plan |
| Team plan | Free; SSO via OIDC included | Teams $4, Enterprise $6/user/mo (billed yearly) |
| Self-hosting | Coming soon | Available (listed on the Enterprise plan) |
| Source code | Encryption library is open source | Source code on GitHub |
| Independent security audit | No published report yet | Regular third-party audits (per Bitwarden) |
Bitwarden information compiled on from bitwarden.com/pricing and bitwarden.com/open-source. Prices are list prices in US dollars and may change. Bitwarden is a registered trademark of its owner. Compare →
In short: both products give you unlimited devices and passwords, passkey storage and a secure sharing link (Send) for free. The main differences are in what sits behind Bitwarden’s Premium and business plans, which KeyZula includes for free, and in transparency and hosting options, where Bitwarden is currently ahead.
What does KeyZula offer?
Every KeyZula feature is free; there is no paid plan. The highlights:
- Passwords, passkeys, secure notes and payment cards with autofill, all in one vault.
- A built-in 2FA authenticator: scan a QR code straight from the page, move everything over from Google Authenticator at once, and have the code copied automatically after autofill.
- Encrypted file attachments and a Files section (100 MB per account, 25 MB per file), Send for secure sharing links that expire, and emergency access.
- Team sharing with organizations, departments and collections; single sign-on (SSO) via OIDC and access logs. Details: KeyZula for business.
- The web vault, apps for iPhone, iPad and Mac and for Android; extensions for Chrome, Edge, Brave, Firefox and Safari; and a command-line tool with an SSH agent.
- On-device encryption with Argon2id, XChaCha20-Poly1305 and X25519. The encryption library is open source.
For a family, this means a shared vault through a free organization instead of a Families subscription. For a small team, it means collections, SSO and access logs without a per-user fee.
Where is Bitwarden stronger?
To be fair, there are areas where Bitwarden is ahead of KeyZula:
- Source code: Bitwarden’s server and app code is published on GitHub. In KeyZula, only the client-side encryption library is open source.
- Independent audits: Bitwarden refers to regular third-party audits. KeyZula hasn’t published an independent audit report yet.
- Self-hosting: Bitwarden offers this option today; KeyZula is working on it (coming soon).
- A longer track record and a wider range of platforms: Bitwarden has apps that have been available for a long time, including desktop apps. KeyZula has no desktop app for Windows; on Windows you use the web vault and the browser extension.
If a fully public codebase, published audits or running the server yourself are must-haves for you, Bitwarden is the better fit today.
How do you switch from Bitwarden to KeyZula?
Switching takes a few minutes, and your file is never sent to the server:
- In the Bitwarden web vault, go to Tools → Export vault and export in .json (unencrypted) or .csv format. KeyZula can’t read Bitwarden’s “encrypted” export format, so choose plain JSON.
- Create your KeyZula account, then upload the file on the Settings → Import page of the web vault. The file is read in your browser and each item is encrypted on your device; folders and 2FA keys are preserved.
- Once the import is done, delete the unencrypted export file from your computer and empty the trash.
Frequently asked questions
Is KeyZula more secure than Bitwarden?
Both use end-to-end (zero-knowledge) encryption. Bitwarden’s source code is fully open and the company refers to independent audits. In KeyZula, the encryption library is open source and the design is described in the security whitepaper, but no independent audit report has been published yet. Keep this difference in mind when you choose.
Will my 2FA codes from Bitwarden carry over to KeyZula?
Yes. The 2FA (TOTP) keys in your Bitwarden export file are imported into KeyZula, and the codes are then generated by KeyZula’s built-in authenticator.
Can I run KeyZula on my own server?
Not yet. We’re working on a self-hosted package and will announce it when it’s released. Bitwarden offers this option today.
Do my Bitwarden folders come with me?
Yes. When you import a Bitwarden export, your folders are preserved in KeyZula along with your items and 2FA keys.
Can I share my vault with my family for free?
Yes. In KeyZula, you create a free organization and share collections with your family, so everyone sees only the items you choose. On Bitwarden, shared family use is part of the Families plan, listed at $47.88/yr for up to 6 users.