Vaultwarden
Vaultwarden is an unofficial, lightweight Rust implementation of the Bitwarden server API for self-hosted password management. It provides a Bitwarden-compatible server so desktop, mobile, and browser clients can use a self-hosted backend. The project focuses on low resource usage, small footprints, and simple single-node deployments.
It targets personal makers, small teams, and cost-conscious enterprises that want control over encryption keys, data residency, and storage. Vaultwarden solves low-cost self-hosting needs, central credential storage, and running a compatible password server on constrained hardware or a small VPS. It assumes you manage backups and operations yourself.
Use Cases
- Individuals needing Bitwarden clients with full control over encryption keys.
- Hobbyists running low-cost, low-resource servers like Raspberry Pi.
- Host a personal vault on a Coolify container with SQLite and local attachment storage.
- Small teams needing a budget-friendly central vault for service credentials.
- Teams requiring EU data residency and control of storage location.
- Groups willing to accept community support and manage operations in-house.
Strengths
- Implements Bitwarden server API; compatible with official Bitwarden clients.
- Lightweight defaults with SQLite support and low memory footprint.
- Switch to PostgreSQL backend for larger deployments and concurrency.
- Attachments stored on local filesystem or S3-compatible object stores.
- Supports TOTP storage via Bitwarden clients for two-factor secrets.
- Smaller resource footprint than official server; Rust implementation performs efficiently.
- Strong community adoption and many community-contributed deployment recipes.
- Well-suited for self-hosting on Coolify when simple setups are acceptable.
Limitations
- Not an official Bitwarden product; lacks vendor-backed enterprise support.
- Missing built-in SSO/SCIM and some first-party enterprise integrations.
- Formal SLAs, compliance certifications, and paid support are not provided.
- Feature parity can lag after Bitwarden API changes; community adapts.
- Operational hardening and governance workflows require additional tooling.
Final Thoughts
Try Vaultwarden now if you control hosting, need EU data residency, or run a small team and can manage backups and operations in-house. Wait if you require formal enterprise SLAs, built-in SSO/SCIM, or vendor-backed support.
Choose a managed cloud when you need SLAs, enterprise compliance, burst scaling, or vendor support; official Bitwarden cloud adds managed hosting, formal enterprise features, and vendor-backed support.