Bitwarden Password Manager vs Proton Authenticator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bitwarden Password Manager
Secure your digital life by generating and storing unique, strong passwords for all your accounts in an end-to-end encrypted vault. Access your data securely across unlimited devices and share sensitive information with others.
- End-to-end encrypted password vault
- Unlimited password and passkey storage
- Cross-platform access
- Secure data sharing
- Built-in password generator
- Advanced 2FA support
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Recognized as best password manager by PCMag, The Verge, CNET, G2, and more! SECURE YOUR DIGITAL LIFE Secure your digital life and protect against data breaches by generating and saving unique, strong passwords for every account. Maintain everything in an end-to-end encrypted password vault that only you can access. ACCESS YOUR DATA, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ON ANY DEVICE Easily manage, store, secure, and share unlimited passwords and passkeys across unlimited devices without restrictions. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE TOOLS TO STAY SAFE ONLINE Utilize Bitwarden for free with no ads and or selling data. Bitwarden believes everyone should have the ability to stay safe online. Premium plans offer access to advanced features. EMPOWER YOUR TEAMS WITH BITWARDEN Plans for Teams and Enterprise come with professional business features. Some examples include SSO integration, self-hosting, directory integration and SCIM provisioning, global policies, API access, event logs, and more. Use Bitwarden to secure your workforce and share sensitive information with colleagues. More reasons to choose Bitwarden: World-Class Encryption Passwords are protected with advanced end-to-end encryption (AES-256 bit, salted hashing, and PBKDF2 SHA-256) so your data stays secure and private. 3rd-party Audits Bitwarden regularly conducts comprehensive third-party security audits with notable security firms. These annual audits include source code assessments and penetration testing across Bitwarden IPs, servers, and web applications. Advanced 2FA Secure your login with a third-party authenticator, emailed codes, or FIDO2 WebAuthn credentials such as a hardware security key or passkey. Bitwarden Send Transmit data directly to others while maintaining end-to-end encrypted security and limiting exposure. Built-in Generator Create long, complex, and distinct passwords and unique usernames for every site you visit. Integrate with email alias providers for additional privacy. Global Translations Bitwarden translations exist for more than 60 languages, translated by the global community though Crowdin. Cross-Platform Applications Secure and share sensitive data within your Bitwarden Vault from any browser, mobile device, or desktop OS, and more.
Proton Authenticator
Securely manage your two-factor authentication codes with an open-source, end-to-end encrypted authenticator app. It offers seamless cross-device syncing, effortless import from other apps, and robust backup options, all protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. Take control of your digital security with a trusted and private solution.
- End-to-end encrypted iCloud sync
- Effortless import from other authenticators
- Secure backup and export
- Swiss privacy by design
- Open source and transparent
- Offline support
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Get the authenticator trusted by millions — from Proton Mail, the world's largest encrypted email provider. Proton Authenticator is open source, end-to-end encrypted, and protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. Protect all your new accounts and strengthen security on your existing ones. Proton Authenticator keeps your 2FA codes secure, accessible, and completely private — with full control over where your data is stored. KEY FEATURES Local-First Storage:Your 2FA codes are stored entirely on your device, giving you complete control over your data. Effortless Import: Migrate from Google Authenticator, Authy, or any other app in seconds. Secure Backup & Export: Retain full control of your data with easy backup and restore options. Swiss Privacy by Design: Built under Switzerland's strongest data protection regulations. Open Source & Transparent: Auditable code. No tracking. No ads. Take control of your digital security with encryption you can trust. Free to use: No Proton account required, ad-free. Offline support: On mobile and desktop apps No other 2FA app provides this combination of security and privacy. Trusted by millions. Built by Proton. Take control of your digital security today. Terms of service: https://proton.me/legal/terms Learn more: https://proton.me
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Bitwarden Password Manager at 4.8 against Proton Authenticator's 4.4. Bitwarden Password Manager also leads on ratings volume (34K vs 242) and chart position (#174 vs unranked). Proton Authenticator's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Bitwarden Password Manager holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bitwarden Password Manager has 34K ratings behind it against 242, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Bitwarden Password Manager's written reviews are positive against 56% of Proton Authenticator's.
Bitwarden Password Manager ships an update fortnightly, Proton Authenticator weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bitwarden Password Manager | Proton Authenticator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (34K ratings) — better | 4.4 (242 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews — better | 55.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 34K — better | 242 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #174 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 119 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bitwarden Inc | Proton AG |
Customer experience
Bitwarden Password Manager
Proton Authenticator
User reviews
Bitwarden Password Manager
From 34K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🔒 Secure and encrypted storage
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 💡 Affordable premium subscription
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Inconsistent auto-fill behavior
- 🐛 Issues with syncing and accessing passwords
- 🐛 Unreliable master password verification
- 🐛 Glitches with recent app updates
Proton Authenticator
From 242 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Cross-platform support
- 🔒 Secure cloud sync
- 👍 Easy import from other authenticators
- 🚀 Convenient 'next' feature for codes
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy UI (scrolling jitters, random sorting)
- 👎 Lack of customization options (pin favorites, change icons)
- 🐛 Sync/login issues on iPad
Bugs and requests
Bitwarden Password Manager
Reported bugs
5 issues- Inability to edit or delete existing login entries
- Crashes when trying to access the vault
- Sync issues causing loss of password data
- Master password not working after updates
- Auto-fill not working consistently across apps and websites
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to add attachments to records
- Improved password sharing functionality
- Option to view password history
- Hierarchical folder structure for better organization
- Automatic password update detection and prompts
Proton Authenticator
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sync/login loop on iPad
- 2FA input broken on non-iPhone devices
- Screen strobing on iPad
- Duplicate entries after import
Requested features
5 requests- PIN unlock for desktop
- Alphabetical sorting option
- Export function (not just Proton-specific backup)
- Native macOS app
- Option to hide item icons
In-app purchases
Bitwarden Password Manager
No in-app purchases
Proton Authenticator
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bitwarden Password Manager free?
Is Proton Authenticator free?
Which has better reviews, Bitwarden Password Manager or Proton Authenticator?
Do Bitwarden Password Manager or Proton Authenticator have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bitwarden Password Manager or Proton Authenticator?
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