There are two things that put people off switching to a proper password manager: time and money.
If that’s you, know that I don’t blame you. For a long time, I was exactly the same and stuck to using my browser password manager. It was free, convenient, and given that I don’t download random files on Telegram or spend time combing torrent sites for free games, I’m pretty good at avoiding malware.
But the reality is that a dedicated password manager is more secure than your browser password manager, and better still, switching over is crazy easy these days. That’s what I found when I finally made the switch to Bitwarden, and I wish I’d done it sooner.
- OS
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Cross-platform
- Developer
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Bitwarden
- Price model
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Free, Premium available
- Services
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Password manager, password generator, secure file sending, credential management, etc.
Bitwarden is a secure, open-source password manager that helps you generate, store, and autofill strong passwords across all your devices. It uses end-to-end encryption, meaning only you can access your data—not even Bitwarden itself. With support for passkeys, secure notes, and cross-platform apps, it’s a privacy-focused alternative to built-in browser password managers.
You don’t need an expensive password manager subscription
There’s no need to pay for better password security
Bitwarden is one of the most popular password managers, and for good reason. It’s completely free to use, for an unlimited number of devices, and you get all of Bitwarden’s core features, such as its browser, desktop, and mobile apps, passkey management, password generator, and so on.
With that said, if you do start using Bitwarden’s free tier, think it’s amazing, and want to show support for the developers, the Premium tier is only $1 per month. In terms of paying out for a premium app, that’s definitely on the low end of the scale; we’re talking two or three Starbucks lattes over the course of the year, and you get additional support, large secure file sending capabilities, an integrated authenticator, and more.
However, I’m getting off-script: we’re here to talk about Bitwarden’s amazing free offerings and how ridiculously easy it is to switch.
Switching from your browser password manager is super simple
Bitwarden couldn’t have made it any easier
Upon creating your Bitwarden account, you’ll be asked to make a Master Password.
Of course, you should choose something strong and unique, but also memorable. This is actually one of the moments where a longer passphrase is a great option instead of a complicated password, which can be difficult to remember. Opt for a favorite song lyric or similar, then append it with some numbers and other characters to increase the entropy.
If you forget your master password, you’re done. There is no coming back from it. A potential secure backup option is to actually write it down and hide it somewhere. If someone is rummaging through your desk for a password, you’ve probably got some other problems, too.
Now the real fun gets going: importing your existing password vault into Bitwarden. You can import your password vault via the Bitwarden browser extension or the desktop app, and the process works the same for each option. Indeed, once you load your vault in one, it will also sync with the other, which is super handy.
Once you’re signed in, you can import your passwords.
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Head to File > Import data.
- In the Bitwarden browser extension, head to Settings > Vault options > Import items.
- Select the Vault you want to use. As it’s your first time using Bitwarden, it’ll be My vault.
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Now, select the File format, which will vary depending on where you’re importing from. Bitwarden supports a huge number of vault types, including Chrome’s CSV password file, among other popular password managers. Scroll down and select the corresponding option.
- If you choose Chrome, there is the option to import directly from the browser or from the downloaded CSV file. If you choose to download from the browser, you’ll have to choose the user profile whose data you want to import.
- Bitwarden then runs an automated import process and tells you how many credentials were imported at the end.
- Now, press Choose file and browse to the password vault or file from your previous password manager.
Next, import the data, and you’ll be good to go.
Your password vault will auto-populate like magic
Everything in the right place
I really like that my imported passwords appeared without issue. But what I liked more was that the password vault was also immediately available in my browser. I primarily use Google Chrome, and the Bitwarden browser extension was immediately accessible. It’s just one of the reasons it’s worth switching to Bitwarden.
Syncing between devices is a really important aspect of using a password manager, and is one reason why many folks stick with a browser password manager (or use a Google Account to keep things synced).
The only thing I wish I could import was my saved card information from the browser. I’ve never encountered an issue with Chrome holding my card information, but there are many folks who strongly advise you against doing so.
Bitwarden has a secure card function that works really well; I’d just like to grab all of my details and import them, too. But let’s face it: adding some card details to the more secure app is hardly a chore.
The 7 Best Bitwarden Features You’re Not Using
Bitwarden is hiding a heap of features you should absolutely be using.
Bitwarden is the best free password manager
Bitwarden’s greatest strengths are basically as you’d expect. It’s transparent about security, works across platforms, and is simple to use and import your data. It ticks the three main boxes for why you’d switch to a password manager, and best of all, it’s totally free. What’s not to love?
