// PASSWORDS
1Password vs Vaultwarden
1Password charges per user every month to store your own credentials. Vaultwarden is a self-hosted, Bitwarden-compatible vault — unlimited users, your secrets on your server, no subscription.
RENTED
1Password
From ~$7.99/user/mo
OWNED
Vaultwarden
Free + your hosting
// AT A GLANCE
How they compare
1Password
Vaultwarden
Pricing model
Per-user subscription
Free, open-source license
Per-user fees
Every user is billable
Unlimited users included
Who owns the site
1Password's cloud
Your server, your secrets
Apps & browser fill
Yes
Works with Bitwarden apps
Lock-in
Proprietary vault
Open data, exportable anytime
* Pricing is illustrative of published list rates and scales with seats/usage; open-source figures reflect license cost only.
// THE CATCH
Where 1Password starts to hurt
X
Per-seat forever
Every team member who needs a vault is another monthly charge.
X
Secrets in their cloud
Your most sensitive credentials live on 1Password's infrastructure.
X
Scaling cost
Onboarding the whole company means the bill keeps climbing.
// THE ALTERNATIVE
Vaultwarden does the same job — and you own it
Vaultwarden is a lightweight, Bitwarden-compatible password server — shared vaults, organizations, and the full set of official Bitwarden apps — self-hosted with unlimited users.
Unlimited users, no per-seat fees
Shared vaults and organizations
Works with official Bitwarden apps
Browser extensions and autofill
All secrets stay on your own server
// THE MATH
What it costs over three years
1Password · 3-YEAR LICENSE
$1,438+
Based on 5 users on a business plan; the bill grows with every team member you add.
Vaultwarden · LICENSE FEES
$0
No per-seat or usage fees ever. You pay only for the hosting you already run — plus our flat build & maintenance.
// WHY OPENSOFT, NOT DIY
Open-source is only free if your time is.
Vaultwarden is free and lightweight — but a vault holding your credentials must be hosted, secured, and backed up correctly. We install it, secure it, move your data over, connect it to the rest of your tools, and keep it running — all set up in your name. You get the savings of open-source without becoming your own IT department.
01
We host it for you
Deployed on reliable infrastructure, configured, secured, and monitored — no servers for you to babysit.
02
We migrate your data
Your existing records, contacts, and history moved over cleanly, so nothing is lost in the switch.
03
We connect your stack
Wired into your other tools so data flows automatically instead of being re-entered by hand.
04
We maintain & update
Updates, backups, and security patches handled on an ongoing basis — it just keeps working.
05
Set up in your name
Everything is titled to your company on your domain. No lock-in, no markup — the keys are yours.
06
Real people to call
When something needs attention, you reach us directly — not a ticket queue in another time zone.
Ready to drop 1Password?
Get a free audit. We'll price out your switch to Vaultwarden, map the migration, and show you the three-year savings — no obligation.
// MORE COMPARISONS
// GROWTH
// FINANCE
// OPERATIONS