Proton Pass or Bitwarden: which password manager?
Both are open source, encrypted and free for the essentials. Proton Pass adds email aliases and 2FA codes in a single tool, with unlimited devices on the free plan. Bitwarden has ten years of maturity and a very affordable family plan. You can't really go wrong.
Information verified on July 10, 2026
This topic is chapter 11 of the book
Managing Your Passwords
Here, the big picture. In the book: the full method and the detailed walkthrough.
Forthcoming 22/10/2026 from Éditions Eyrolles
Keeping your passwords in Chrome means tying them to your Google account: whoever gets into the account gets in everywhere. A dedicated manager fixes that problem and improves your security along the way, with strong, unique passwords generated for every site. That left the two best open source options to separate.
The match in one table
| Criterion | Proton Pass | Bitwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (unlimited devices). Plus from $1.99/month (commitment) | Very complete free plan. Premium at $19.80/year, Families at $47.88/year (6 people) |
| Encryption | End-to-end | End-to-end |
| Source code | Open | Open |
| Built-in email aliases | Yes (mask your real address) | No (via third-party services) |
| Built-in 2FA codes | Yes | Premium only |
| Track record | Young product, evolving fast | A decade of references |
What Proton Pass does better
The all-in-one. Proton Pass manages your passwords, but also your two-factor codes and email aliases: when you sign up on a site, it offers you a disposable address that masks the real one. Three tools in one, free, on as many devices as you want.
Integration with the Proton suite counts too. If you’ve already migrated your emails to Proton Mail, the manager arrives in the same account, with the same interface and the same model: subscriptions, no ads.
What Bitwarden does better
Maturity. Ten years of existence, regular security audits, clients on every imaginable platform and a spotless reputation in the security community. Advanced features sometimes ask for a bit of configuration, but nothing is unstable.
Family sharing is its other strong point: $47.88/year for six people, with shared vaults for household subscriptions or important documents. It’s the natural choice to equip a whole household in one go.
Verdict
Choose Proton Pass if you’re building your digital independence around the Proton suite, or if built-in email aliases and 2FA codes make your life easier. It’s my default recommendation.
Choose Bitwarden if you prefer the most battle-tested tool on the market, or if you’re equipping a family with shared vaults.
Either way, you get your passwords out of your Google account, and that’s what counts. The detailed profiles: Proton Pass and Bitwarden, and all the alternatives to Google’s password manager.
Where do you stand?
24 questions to measure how much you depend on Google services. Free, no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Are Proton Pass and Bitwarden free?
Yes. Proton Pass is free with unlimited devices; the Plus plan starts at $1.99/month with a commitment. Bitwarden is free in an already very complete version; Premium costs $19.80/year and the Families plan $47.88/year for six people.
How do you leave Chrome's password manager?
Export your passwords from Chrome, then import the file into Proton Pass or Bitwarden: both handle direct import from Chrome and other managers. Count five minutes. Then delete the passwords saved in Chrome and turn off its offer to save them.
Is a password manager really safe?
Safer than every realistic alternative: reused passwords, a paper notebook, or the browser's manager tied to your Google account. Proton Pass and Bitwarden encrypt your vault end to end, their code is open and audited, and only one master password is left to remember.