Bitwarden, a widely adopted open-source password manager, has come under increased scrutiny following a series of subtle changes related to its leadership, pricing, website messaging, and stated company values.
First, a confirmed change involves Bitwarden’s paid plans. Earlier this year, the company increased the price of its individual Premium plan to $1.65 per month, billed annually at $19.80. Bitwarden stated that the updated subscription reflects expanded security capabilities, including additional Premium features and increased storage.
The price increase drew attention because Bitwarden was previously known for its low-cost Premium tier, priced at $10 per year. Although the free plan remains available, this adjustment represents nearly a twofold increase in the service’s cost.
But recent concerns extend beyond pricing. Earlier this year, Bitwarden underwent a leadership transition, with former CEO Michael Crandell assuming an advisory role and Michael Sullivan becoming the new CEO.
Coincidence or not, at the same time, users have also noted changes in Bitwarden’s public messaging. The phrase “Always free” was temporarily removed from the company’s website before reappearing, which drew attention given the free plan’s centrality to Bitwarden’s appeal.
Another notable change involves Bitwarden’s GRIT values. Previously, GRIT stood for Gratitude, Responsibility, Inclusion, and Transparency. The current wording is Gratitude, Responsibility, Innovation, and Trust, although references to Inclusion and Transparency persist in some existing materials.
Of course, none of these developments means that Bitwarden intends to discontinue its free plan, close its source code, or restrict self-hosting. Bitwarden continues to offer a free individual plan and describes itself as an open-source password manager.
However, expectably, this pattern has prompted questions among users. And the reason is the bitter experience gained from similar initiatives that start with very minor changes and end with a radical overhaul of the service offered; the most recent example of this is MinIO’s actions.
Nevertheless, I hope that this is simply a matter of internal company actions and that there is no pre-determined plan that could come as an unpleasant surprise to the open-source community at some point. After all, Bitwarden is one of the most respected, reliable, and widely used password managers among open-source enthusiasts, and I sincerely hope that this will remain the case going forward.
