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Bitwarden New CEO has extensive M&A, Private equity experience, Removes Transparency from its Motto
(www.fastcompany.com)
this post was submitted on 15 May 2026
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Is it that time when I say "oh shit!" and starts to look at alternatives? I've seen this scenario a hundred times already and I'm tired.
I don't have the patience to switch to alternatives until they make a change that actually affects the usability of the tool.
This is absolutely a red flag though.
Just FYI, you can export your Bitwarden database to plain text and import that with KeePassXC
All the attachments, though... man this is going to be such a pain :/
Same question here. What are the best alternatives?
KeePassXC is the best FOSS option, but you'll need to figure out self hosting if you want to sync the database between devices.
As the database is encrypted in your device, you dont really need to self host. A keepass database in the Google cloud is not really problematic, although you should still choose a more private cloud provider.
Syncthing is probably a simple fix.
I use both KeePassXC and Syncthing for passwords. Works fine.
Assuming you have a degoogle'd phone. The syncthing-fork devs announced that they aren't going to certify for Google Play when that's made a requirement in a few months
fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck
Ugh, I forgot about this. Aren't you still going to be able to install apps from third-party marketplaces? I thought the plan was just that the phone was going to hassle you and require multiple hoops.
Yes, that's the plan
I think other apps will require ADB to install
After initial wait period of 24 hours, which is intolerably dumb, you don't need ADB.
They should interview me when I make a purchase and determine the likelihood of me falling for a scam where a family member will save me if I just had an extra day
https://f-droid.org/packages/com.chiller3.basicsync/
And you can use a keyfile separate from the database for even more security. If the database is backed up on Google Drive and the keyfile is saved on a USB or in a (non-Google) email somewhere for the rare times you add a new device, your passwords should be safe even from keyloggers or Google themselves.
make sure to use post-quantum encryption algs
Which algs would that be? ed25519 okay? Is that even an encryption alg? I'm not too hot with encryption.
or use syncthing, no hosting experience required
Syncthing on the phone seems to use up a lot of battery, though.
If you don't need real time sync you can disable background use of the app. That's what I've done, and I just open the app when I need to update. Probably a smarter way to do it, but it works for me.
It doesn't need to be complicated. I use syncthing to synch them. It's pretty trivial. You just tell it what folders to synch, between which devices, and it'll synch whenever it's running.
I use the built in ftp sync option with any file explorer that makes an ftp server on my phone.
I found the easiest way to sync is to use rclone. This way you can use any cloud provider like Google Drive or OneDrive or DropBox. First create the rclone remote for your cloud provider using
rclone config. Second step is to create a second remote using the encryption option (menu item 16), choosing an appropriate path<first remote>:<path to directory>. Upload your KeepassXC database to this encrypted remote usingrclone copy.On Android you can use the RoundSync app from F-droid to configure the the same remotes, then create a task to copy or sync from that encrypted remote and a trigger to run that task on a schedule. Overall, this one-time setup works really well for me. This is my backup in addition to using Bitwarden for several years. Bitwarden is not going to get my money any more.
I use Vaultwarden
But you still use the official BW client apps, correct?
Unless you forego usage of the clients and access Vaultwarden through the browser (removing accessibility and convenience especially on mobile), it is not an e2e replacement solution.
Are there any alternative FOSS clients/apps that work with Vaultwarden?
Edit: I see further down that the official client is open source, and would get forked in the event of any fuckery. So I'm sticking with Vaultwarden + Official client app approach for now.
I just use the webapp UI and don't bother with the clients/extensions. Easy enough to just log in, copy/paste from there.
But yeah, the official client (and probably browser extension as well) would probably be forked if/when needed.
What about passkeys?
For now
Coincidentally, I moved to self-hosting Vaultwarden last night, which is open source but compatible with Bitwarden. If you want a simple transition and are capable of hosting it yourself, that would be my recommendation.
I've been hosting it for a couple years now and question why it took me so long.
Proton Pass.
I'm pretty sure that isn't self hostable.
That's true.
I use keepassxc. It does the job.
KeePassXC + Syncthing to sync passwords across devices
Alias vault seems the most feature complete and self hostable https://www.aliasvault.net/
Sigh. This will be a huge pita. I have probably over 100 things saved into bitwarden. Where's a good foss alternative.
GabeN, please don't die before me.
Cute. A hundred items :p /j
I’ve been pretty happy with Apple passwords
Oh great. Let's go from an open client to a vendor closed-source lock-in.
Sometimes I am baffled by the polarity of Lemmy.
From Tryhard-only-libre-software type of users over A-bit-of-each users (but tending to sway towards (F)OSS application) over to this opinion/suggestion.
Wild.
Vendor lock in is an issue, true, but it's a different issue than the enshittification we're starting to see from Bitwarden. Also, apple passwords isn't "locked in" per se, as passwords aren't difficult to export.
Lately, I'm starting to feel like finding good software (often FOSS but not exclusively) is increasingly a hook for later increased monetization. The 'agreement' I had with Bitwarden was they provide a solid service, and (while not required) I pay the $10/year honor system fee. That's been upped to $20 now, and now they're appearing to move away from their core principles. I won't be paying for another year.
With Apple, the unspoken agreement is I "overpay" for my hardware, and they don't have incentive to monetize me otherwise. I'll admit, there are cracks forming in that agreement, but that's my read on it currently anyway, and I think probably the person to which you are replying to as well.
Your decision are sound.
Not a fan of the usability of Apple devices (I have an iPad, so I am not talking ou of my butt) but I can't deny they reduced user hostility is attractive.
iPad usability is in a really weird place. It's definitely the least "usable" of Apple's platforms, and to be honest I probably wouldn't be an Apple user at all if all they had was iPadOS and iOS. macOS is still attractive to me (the Liquid Glass theme notwithstanding). For the record, I split my password manager use between Apple Passwords and [now] self-hosted Vaultwarden. Each has advantages, and while I'd like to just use one, having two is working okay for me for now.
What? Is it frowned upon here to just use what works?
A lot of people chose Bitwarden because it was open-source, so they don't see the very closed Apple Passwords as a suitable alternative.