Vaultwarden is a free, open-source, self-hosted server compatible with official Bitwarden password manager clients.
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Security
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Last updated
July 17, 2026
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What is Vaultwarden?
Vaultwarden is a free, open-source server, written in Rust, that implements the Bitwarden Client API so that official Bitwarden clients can connect to it.
It's a community project (formerly named Bitwarden_RS) rather than an official Bitwarden product, licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Who Vaultwarden is for
Vaultwarden is aimed at people who want to self-host a password manager compatible with official Bitwarden apps, rather than relying on Bitwarden's hosted cloud service.
Key Features
Bitwarden API compatibility — Implements the Bitwarden Client API in Rust, so official Bitwarden mobile, desktop, and browser clients can connect to it.
Personal vault management — Store and manage personal passwords and vault items.
Send — Share text or files securely with the built-in Send feature.
Organizations — Supports organizations with collections, password sharing, member roles, and groups.
Multi-factor authentication — Supports Authenticator apps, Email, FIDO2 WebAuthn, YubiKey, and Duo for MFA.
Emergency access — Grant trusted contacts emergency access to a vault.
Admin backend — Includes an admin backend interface for managing the self-hosted instance.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license
Compatible with official Bitwarden client apps across mobile, desktop, and browser
Written in Rust using the Rocket framework, described as lightweight for self-hosting
Supports strong MFA options including FIDO2 WebAuthn and YubiKey
Active community project with 63.8k GitHub stars
Cons
Unofficial project, not affiliated with or officially supported by Bitwarden Inc.
Requires self-hosting and container knowledge (Docker/Podman) to deploy
Requires HTTPS with Web Crypto API support to function
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vaultwarden the same as Bitwarden?
No, Vaultwarden is an unofficial, community-built alternative server implementation of the Bitwarden Client API, compatible with official Bitwarden clients.
Is Vaultwarden free?
Yes, it's free, open-source software licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Was Vaultwarden previously called something else?
Yes, it was formerly called Bitwarden_RS and was renamed in v1.21.0 to avoid trademark confusion.
What clients work with Vaultwarden?
Official Bitwarden mobile, desktop, and browser clients.