All industries · head to head
Bitwarden vs Microsoft Defender
M
Microsoft Defender
Security & Cybersecurity
Always-on protection for you and your family's data and devices
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Bitwarden has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; Microsoft Defender the overview page names Business, Business Premium and Enterprise tiers but publishes no per-seat figure on the page itself, routing every plan to a separate pricing page instead
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bitwarden and Microsoft Defender actually diverge.
| Attribute | Bitwarden | Microsoft Defender |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli | Web |
| Category | All industries | Security & Cybersecurity |
| Founded | 2016 | Unknown |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Microsoft Defender
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 Microsoft Defender
- Team credential sharingnot Microsoft Defender
- Enterprise securitynot Microsoft Defender
- Compliance requirementsnot Microsoft Defender
- Developer secrets managementnot Microsoft Defender
Microsoft Defender
No use cases recorded yet. See the Microsoft Defender 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
Microsoft Defender
- The overview page names Business, Business Premium and Enterprise tiers but publishes no per-seat figure on the page itself, routing every plan to a separate pricing page instead
- Full family and business protection requires a Microsoft 365 Family, Personal or Premium subscription rather than being included with the free built-in Windows version
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
Microsoft Defender
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Defender 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.
Choose Microsoft Defender if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft Defender from Bitwarden on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Bitwarden or Microsoft Defender better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bitwarden starts at Free and Microsoft Defender at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bitwarden or Microsoft Defender?
- Bitwarden has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bitwarden and On request for Microsoft Defender.
- Does Bitwarden or Microsoft Defender run on more platforms?
- Bitwarden runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli. Microsoft Defender runs on Web.
- Can I use Bitwarden for free?
- Yes. Bitwarden has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft Defender starts at On request.
- 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 Microsoft Defender is typically brought in for.
- What can Bitwarden do that Microsoft Defender cannot?
- Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Cross-platform sync, Secure password sharing, Password generator.
Related pages
More on Microsoft Defender
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