head to head · open source
KeePassXC vs Bitwarden
KeePassXC has 28,843 GitHub stars, 1,910 forks, 910 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Bitwarden has 20,156 stars, 1,772 forks, 230 open issues and last shipped yesterday. KeePassXC leads on adoption by 43% (28,843 vs 20,156 stars). KeePassXC is written in C++ under a custom or non-standard licence; Bitwarden is written in C# under a custom or non-standard licence. KeePassXC has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, Bitwarden 9%. Bitwarden was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| KeePassXC | Bitwarden | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 29K | ★ 20K |
| License | Custom / other | Custom / other |
| Written in | C++ | C# |
| Last push | 2026-09-16 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.9K | ⑂ 1.8K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick KeePassXC if
- You weight community size — 29K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Bitwarden if
- You want the Bitwarden feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C#
- You evaluated both and Bitwarden fits your workflow better
About KeePassXC
KeePassXC is a cross platform, open source password manager derived from the Windows application KeePass Password Safe. It runs natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux, storing sensitive data—such as usernames, passwords, URLs, notes, and file attachments—in a single, encrypted database file using the KDBX format (KDBX4 and KDBX3). The project is community driven, hosted on GitHub, and maintained under the NOASSERTION license.
read the full KeePassXC overview →
About Bitwarden
Bitwarden Server is the backend infrastructure for Bitwarden client applications, and it lives in the .NET ecosystem. The repository contains the APIs, database, and core services that support secure password management for individuals and businesses.
read the full Bitwarden overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is KeePassXC or Bitwarden more popular?
KeePassXC has 28,843 GitHub stars and Bitwarden has 20,156. KeePassXC has the larger community by that measure.
Are KeePassXC and Bitwarden free?
Neither KeePassXC nor Bitwarden declares a licence in this registry, so check each project's own repository before relying on either for a commercial use. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between KeePassXC and Bitwarden?
KeePassXC is written in C++ and Bitwarden in C#. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, KeePassXC or Bitwarden?
Choose KeePassXC if you want the larger community (28,843 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Bitwarden if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.