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Cybersecurity · head to head

Bitwarden vs Sardine

Bitwarden logo

Bitwarden

Cybersecurity

Open source password management for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sardine logo

Sardine

Cybersecurity

Device intelligence and behaviour biometrics for fraud and compliance

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Sardine signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
  • They diverge on capability: Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Sardine covers Device intelligence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bitwarden and Sardine actually diverge.

Attributes where Bitwarden and Sardine differ
AttributeBitwardenSardine
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, CliWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: 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 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 Sardine

  • Device intelligence
  • Behaviour biometrics
  • Scam detection
  • Onboarding risk scoring
  • AML transaction monitoring
  • Dispute and chargeback handling
  • Rules editor

What people use each for

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

Bitwarden

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

Sardine

  • A neobank losing money to authorised push payment scams where the customer genuinely approved the transfernot Bitwarden
  • A crypto exchange trying to detect accounts being operated by remote access rather than by their ownernot Bitwarden
  • A fintech seeing synthetic identity signups that pass document verification but share device characteristicsnot Bitwarden
  • A lender wanting first party fraud signals at application time that a credit bureau file does not containnot Bitwarden

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

Sardine

  • Signal quality depends on the SDK being embedded in your own web and mobile clients, so fraud improvements become dependent on your app release cycle and any coverage gap is a blind spot.
  • Behavioural and device telemetry collection needs a documented lawful basis under GDPR, and EU privacy reviews frequently delay rollouts that were scoped as engineering work.
  • Pricing is per session or per active user, so a consumer product with many low value sessions pays in proportion to traffic rather than to fraud exposure.
  • As a younger private company it lacks the enforcement-tested audit history that a bank examiner expects, which makes it a harder sell inside a regulated bank than inside a fintech.
  • It is strongest on session-time signals and weaker as a system of record for long horizon AML typologies, so larger institutions end up running it alongside a traditional monitoring platform rather than instead of one.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Sardine

On request
  • Sardine$undefined/year
    • Priced per user session or per monthly active user
    • Annual contract with volume commitment
    • SDK for web, iOS and Android

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 Sardine if

  • You need device intelligence.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want behaviour biometrics.
Sardine review

Questions people ask

Is Bitwarden or Sardine better?
Neither clearly leads. Bitwarden starts at Free and Sardine at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bitwarden or Sardine?
Bitwarden has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bitwarden and On request for Sardine.
Does Bitwarden or Sardine run on more platforms?
Bitwarden runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web, Cli. Sardine runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Bitwarden for free?
Yes. Bitwarden has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sardine 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 Sardine is typically brought in for.
What can Bitwarden do that Sardine cannot?
Bitwarden covers Unlimited password storage, Cross-platform sync, Secure password sharing, Password generator. Sardine covers Device intelligence, Behaviour biometrics, Scam detection, Onboarding risk scoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Sardine: Does Sardine do document verification?

It focuses on device, behavioural and transaction signals, and integrates identity verification providers rather than being one. Treat it as complementary to a KYC vendor.

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
Sardine: What does it need from us to work?

An SDK in your web and mobile applications plus transaction feeds. Without the client side collector you lose the signals that differentiate it.

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
Sardine: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted, typically per session or per monthly active user with an annual volume commitment.

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