Bitwarden vs Bitwarden Server
Self-hosted for $4/mo on hetzner CAX11, versus $1-$6/user/mo on Bitwarden.
Side-by-side
| Bitwarden | Bitwarden Server (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $1-$6/user/mo | $4.13/mo flat (any team size) |
| Hosting | Bitwarden's servers | Your VPS (hetzner CAX11) |
| Data ownership | Bitwarden controls the data | Your disk, your encryption |
| Source code | Closed | Open (NOASSERTION) |
| Customization | API + integrations only | Full source access; modify freely |
| Maintenance burden | Zero | Backups + updates (manual) |
| Health score (ossreplace) | — | 74 / 100 |
Why teams leave Bitwarden
- Hosted plan still cheap, but data lives on Bitwarden's servers
- Premium for self-hosting attachment uploads
- Audit log + advanced 2FA gated to Enterprise
- Some users want zero third-party trust
Bitwarden Server answers this by: Vaultwarden is the Rust-rewritten Bitwarden server, same browser/mobile clients, runs in 256MB RAM.
The cost math
Assumes 5-person team using Bitwarden at the midpoint price ($3.5/user/mo).
| Period | Bitwarden | Bitwarden Server on hetzner | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $17.5 | $4.13 | $13.37 |
| Yearly | $210 | $49.56 | $160.44 |
| 3 years | $630 | $149 | $481 |
Deploy Bitwarden Server now
One-click deploys at the cheapest provider for this workload:
Affiliate disclosure — these links may earn ossreplace a commission at no cost to you.
Common questions
Is Bitwarden Server a good alternative to Bitwarden?
Bitwarden Server is an open-source, self-hostable alternative to Bitwarden with an ossreplace health score of 74/100 — a composite of project activity, maturity, community, security, and adoption. It runs on your own hetzner VPS from $4.13/mo with full source access under the NOASSERTION license, versus Bitwarden's $1–6/user/mo hosted plans.
How much cheaper is Bitwarden Server than Bitwarden?
A 5-person team pays about $17.5/mo on Bitwarden. Self-hosting Bitwarden Server on hetzner CAX11 costs a flat $4.13/mo regardless of team size — roughly $481 less over three years (76% lower).
Is Bitwarden Server hard to self-host?
Bitwarden Server self-hosts on your own VPS. You handle the install, backups, and updates yourself in exchange for full data ownership and no per-seat fees.
Do you keep control of your data with Bitwarden Server vs Bitwarden?
Yes. Because Bitwarden Server runs on your own server, the data lives on your disk under your encryption. With Bitwarden, Bitwarden controls the hosting, storage, and access.