Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Authelia vs Bitwarden

Authelia logo

Authelia

Cybersecurity

Open-source authentication and two-factor portal for reverse proxies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bitwarden logo

Bitwarden

Cybersecurity

Open source password management for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authelia depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider; Bitwarden the integrated TOTP authenticator, encrypted file attachments, vault health reports and Emergency Access are all withheld from the free plan and need Premium at $1.65 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authelia and Bitwarden actually diverge.

Attributes where Authelia and Bitwarden differ
AttributeAutheliaBitwarden
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsDocker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hostedWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authelia

  • Reverse proxy integration
  • Access control rules
  • Lightweight backends

Only in Bitwarden

  • Unlimited password storage
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Secure password sharing
  • Password generator
  • Encrypted file attachments
  • Vault health reports
  • Emergency access
  • Active Directory

Both cover

  • Two-factor authentication

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authelia

  • Putting a login and 2FA in front of self-hosted services that have nonenot Bitwarden
  • Adding SSO across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platformnot Bitwarden
  • Home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxynot Bitwarden

Bitwarden

  • Personal password managementnot Authelia
  • Team credential sharingnot Authelia
  • Enterprise securitynot Authelia
  • Compliance requirementsnot Authelia
  • Developer secrets managementnot Authelia

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authelia

  • Depends on a reverse proxy: it is not a standalone identity provider
  • Configuration is YAML-first with no administrative interface, so changes mean editing files
  • Not a full IAM: user management, provisioning and federation are limited compared with Keycloak
  • Scales poorly as an organisation-wide identity solution, which is not its target

Bitwarden

  • The integrated TOTP authenticator, encrypted file attachments, vault health reports and Emergency Access are all withheld from the free plan and need Premium at $1.65 per month
  • Free accounts can share vault items with one other Bitwarden user and no more
  • File storage is capped at 5 GB on Premium and 5 GB personal plus 5 GB family on the Families plan
  • Two-step login accepts up to 10 hardware security keys per account
  • The Families plan is capped at 6 people, so a seventh member means moving to a Teams subscription at $4 per user per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Authelia

Free
  • AutheliaFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Bitwarden

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic password management
    • Zero-knowledge encryption
    • Advanced two-step login
  • Premium$1.65/month
    • Integrated authenticator
    • File attachments
    • Emergency access
  • Premium$19.8/year
  • Families$3.99/month
    • Up to 6 premium accounts
    • Unlimited sharing and collections
    • Organization storage included

Which should you pick?

Choose Authelia if

  • You need reverse proxy integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want access control rules.
Authelia review

Choose Bitwarden if

  • You need unlimited password storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli.
  • You also want cross-platform sync.
Bitwarden review

Questions people ask

Is Authelia or Bitwarden better?
Neither clearly leads. Authelia starts at Free and Bitwarden at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authelia or Bitwarden?
Authelia starts at Free and Bitwarden at Free.
Does Authelia or Bitwarden run on more platforms?
Authelia runs on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Self-hosted. Bitwarden runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli.
Can I use Authelia for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Authelia best used for?
Authelia is most often used for putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none, adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform, home and small-team infrastructure behind a single reverse proxy. Of those, putting a login and 2fa in front of self-hosted services that have none and adding sso across a small set of internal tools without a full identity platform are not what Bitwarden is typically brought in for.
What can Authelia do that Bitwarden cannot?
Authelia covers Reverse proxy integration, Access control rules, Lightweight backends. Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Cross-platform sync, Secure password sharing, Password generator. Both handle Two-factor authentication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authelia: Is Authelia free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Bitwarden: Does Bitwarden have a free plan?

Yes, Bitwarden offers a free tier with basic password management, zero-knowledge encryption, advanced two-step login, and unlimited devices across browser, mobile, and desktop apps.

Source
Authelia: Does Authelia need a reverse proxy?

Yes. It integrates through forward authentication with Nginx, Traefik, Caddy or HAProxy rather than sitting in front of traffic itself.

Bitwarden: How much does Bitwarden Premium cost?

Bitwarden Premium costs $1.65 per month billed annually at $19.80 per year, including integrated authenticator, file attachments, emergency access, and security reports.

Source
Authelia: Authelia or Keycloak?

Authelia is far lighter and aimed at protecting self-hosted services behind a proxy. Keycloak is a full identity and access management platform, and much more to run.

Bitwarden: What is the difference between Bitwarden Teams and Enterprise?

Teams plan at $4 per user per month (annual billing) includes centralized ownership and secure credential sharing. Enterprise at $6 per user per month adds granular access control, passwordless SSO, account recovery, self-hosting, and complimentary Families plans for all users.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Authelia

More on Bitwarden

Keep looking

Other head to heads