Projects / Vaultwarden

Vaultwarden

Privacy & Security

Store and synchronize personal or household vaults using a community server compatible with Bitwarden clients.

Use with conditions
Last updatedRelease 2026-09-13
Open source licenseAGPL-3.0
PlatformsDocker / Podman server · Bitwarden-compatible clients · Web
DeploymentContainers / self-hosted

About this project

Vaultwarden implements an alternative Bitwarden client API server in Rust. It can work with official Bitwarden clients, providing the server side of a self-hosted password-management arrangement while those clients provide the user interface. The project is not affiliated with Bitwarden. Issues specific to this implementation should be reported to Vaultwarden rather than to Bitwarden's official support.

Its feature list includes personal vaults, attachments, Send, and organization collections for sharing passwords. Member roles and permissions organize access, alongside administrative functions, event logs, and emergency access. Supported authentication options include authenticator applications, email, and FIDO2. These are documented capabilities to configure according to the installation, rather than an assertion that every option is already active.

The project recommends its container images and also documents building from source. Container examples mount persistent storage for application data. Although the underlying web framework supports TLS, the project recommends a reverse proxy. HTTPS and a secure context are required by the web vault, so reaching the server alone does not establish that browser access is correctly configured.

Decision guide
01

Why it is worth a look

  • Personal vault and attachments in one application
  • First-party usage or installation documentation is available
  • A verifiable formal release record is available
02

Before you use it

  • This is an independent community implementation; Bitwarden official support does not cover it
  • The web vault requires an HTTPS secure context
  • New client versions may require a server upgrade
  • Verify the recovery plan before migrating a vault
Manual setupHigh
With an AI agentModerate
DeploymentContainers / self-hosted
Additional requirements3 confirmed; others not verified

Prepare a reliable host and persistent directories; Confirmed requirements: Command line, Docker, An always-on device or service; Some requirements have not been verified. Check the official setup instructions.

03

What it can do

  • Personal vault
  • Attachments
  • Organizations and password sharing
  • Multifactor authentication
  • Emergency access

Who it fits

Good for

People with server administration experience; Households willing to maintain a password vault

Not a fit

Lacking vault backup and recovery capability; Requiring official Bitwarden service support

Getting started

  1. Prepare a reliable host and persistent directories
  2. Use the official container image
  3. Configure an HTTPS reverse proxy and DOMAIN
  4. Verify backups before connecting clients

Alternatives to consider