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Software · head to head

Bitwarden vs Cisco Duo

Bitwarden logo

Bitwarden

Software

Open source password management for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cisco Duo logo

Cisco Duo

Software

Trusted access for all users, all devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Cisco Duo free tier caps at 10 users; every paid tier requires a minimum of 10 users

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bitwarden and Cisco Duo actually diverge.

Attributes where Bitwarden and Cisco Duo differ
AttributeBitwardenCisco Duo
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, CliWeb
Founded2016Unknown

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

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 Bitwarden

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

Only in Cisco Duo

Nothing recorded that Bitwarden does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Bitwarden

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

Cisco Duo

No use cases recorded yet. See the Cisco Duo review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Cisco Duo

  • Free tier caps at 10 users; every paid tier requires a minimum of 10 users
  • Licenses cannot be bought individually above the free tier: under 100 users they are sold in increments of 10, and over 100 users in increments of 25
  • Duo Premier, the top tier with the most adaptive access controls, costs $9 per user per month on top of the per-increment purchase requirement

Pricing, plan by plan

Bitwarden

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited passwords
    • 2 users (organizations)
    • Sync all devices
  • Teams$3/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited users
    • Shared collections
  • Enterprise$6/month
    • Everything in Teams
    • SSO integration
    • Enterprise policies

Cisco Duo

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cisco Duo review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Cisco Duo if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cisco Duo review

Questions people ask

Is Bitwarden or Cisco Duo better?
Neither clearly leads. Bitwarden starts at Free and Cisco Duo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bitwarden or Cisco Duo?
Bitwarden starts at Free and Cisco Duo at Free.
Does Bitwarden or Cisco Duo run on more platforms?
Bitwarden runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli. Cisco Duo runs on Web.
Can I use Bitwarden for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bitwarden best used for?
Bitwarden is most often used for personal password management, team credential sharing, enterprise security, compliance requirements. Of those, personal password management and team credential sharing are not what Cisco Duo is typically brought in for.
What can Bitwarden do that Cisco Duo cannot?
Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Cross-platform sync, Secure password sharing, Password generator.
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