Bitwarden vs. Proton Pass
Whenever someone asks me which password manager to use, I give them the same two names: Bitwarden and Proton Pass. Both are good. Either one beats reusing passwords or letting your browser handle it, so you can’t really pick wrong.
What they share
Both encrypt your vault on your device before it syncs, so neither company can read it. Both are open source and independently audited. Both work on every browser and phone I’ve tried, store passkeys, and have a free plan with unlimited passwords on unlimited devices.
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is the simple, proven option. It’s been around longer, the free plan is the most generous you’ll find, and Premium is $19.80 a year. It can also be self-hosted, so you’re never locked in. The apps are a bit plain and autofill isn’t as smooth as Proton’s, but it gets the job done.
- Free: unlimited passwords, devices, and passkeys, plus 2FA to protect your vault.
- Premium: adds the built-in authenticator for 2FA codes, encrypted file attachments, emergency access, and vault health reports.
Proton Pass
Proton Pass costs more and does more. The apps feel more modern, and aliases are built right in. I already pay for Proton Unlimited, which bundles Pass with Mail, VPN, and Drive, so for me it was free. On its own, Plus costs noticeably more than Bitwarden Premium, and that only makes sense if you’ll use what you’re paying for.
- Free: unlimited passwords and devices, 10 aliases, and codes for up to three 2FA accounts.
- Plus: adds unlimited aliases and 2FA codes, vault sharing, dark web monitoring, emergency access, and custom domains for your aliases.
If you want 2FA codes in your vault, you’ll need a paid plan on either one. It’s a tradeoff. Codes in the vault protect you when a website gets breached, but they don’t help if someone gets into the vault itself, since the passwords and the codes sit in the same place. Decide how much that matters to you.
Email aliases
An alias is a forwarding address. You give each site its own, mail still lands in your inbox, and the site never sees your real email. That means less spam, fewer ways for data brokers to link your accounts, and an easy way to tell who leaked your address. Turn off the alias and the spam stops.
I’ve gotten used to them, and I love creating one every time I sign up for something new. I wouldn’t go back to handing out a single address I have no control over, with no say in how many times it gets shared or spammed. With how much of our lives is online now, I consider it a must-have. That’s me, though. Plenty of people are well covered by a password manager, unique passwords, and 2FA on their email, and aliases are extra for anyone who doesn’t want to generate and keep track of them.
One catch: your email is how you reset passwords, so an alias service becomes part of that chain. Keep your bank, government, and password manager accounts on your real address, and use your own domain if you end up leaning on aliases heavily. More on why in Your Email Is the Master Key .
You don’t need Proton to get aliases. If you pay for iCloud+, Apple’s Hide My Email is included, and it can forward to any address on your Apple Account, so your email doesn’t have to be hosted with iCloud. DuckDuckGo’s Email Protection is free and forwards to whatever inbox you already use. Both work, but they take some setup and aren’t as seamless as clicking “new alias” while you add a login in Proton Pass.
Which one should you use?
If you want something that works, costs less, and will be around for years, use Bitwarden. I started on KeePassXC, moved to Bitwarden for syncing across devices, and used it for years. I highly recommend it, especially if you don’t want to bother with aliases. If you’ll use the extra features, or you want aliases built in without setting up another service, use Proton Pass. It’s also the easier one to hand to a family member who isn’t technical.
I moved to Proton Pass for the aliases and the Unlimited plan, and the aliases are what I’d miss most. For me, a top-tier VPN, custom domain email, and a secure drive where big tech isn’t rummaging through my uploads made Proton Unlimited a no-brainer, and Pass came along with it. If those speak to you too, Unlimited might be good value for you as well.
Do it this week
- Pick one and install it everywhere you log in.
- Make the master password long and random. My password generator or Diceware tool can do it.
- Set up account recovery, and keep that info outside the vault. The backup plan post covers how.
- Try an alias on your next signup if you’re curious.