BeyondTrust Password Safe vs Bitwarden comparison

BeyondTrust Password Safe

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 16, 2024

BeyondTrust Password Safe and Bitwarden compete in the password management category. BeyondTrust seems to have the upper hand for enterprise-level needs due to its advanced management capabilities, while Bitwarden stands out for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness for individual and small team use.

Features: BeyondTrust Password Safe offers session recording, password rotation, and the Smart Rules feature for automatic onboarding, along with strong asset management capabilities. Bitwarden provides features like emergency access, ease of use, and an open-source nature, making it ideal for personal use and smaller teams.

Room for Improvement: BeyondTrust Password Safe could better its documentation, ease integration complexities, and improve its user interface. Enhancing database management and standardizing documentation are other areas for growth. Bitwarden might improve device syncing and integration with open-source tools. Streamlining credential duplication and enhancing accessibility features could broaden its usability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: BeyondTrust Password Safe offers various deployment options, but users find technical support and deployment complex due to documentation and integration issues. Bitwarden, mainly deployed on-premises, is praised for its good support and simple deployment processes, although some users see room for service improvements.

Pricing and ROI: BeyondTrust Password Safe is perceived as expensive, though more affordable than some competitors like CyberArk. The pricing is asset-based, providing value for organizations with numerous systems, while ROI is realized through enhanced security and compliance. Bitwarden is cost-effective, offering a premium plan at $10 per year for individuals, which includes its valuable emergency access feature, making it ideal for cost-conscious individuals and small businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed BeyondTrust Password Safe vs. Bitwarden Report (Updated: July 2025).

BeyondTrust Password Safe vs. Bitwarden

July 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

BeyondTrust Password Safe

Ranking in Enterprise Password Managers

7th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Privileged Access Management (PAM) (9th)

Bitwarden

Ranking in Enterprise Password Managers

6th

Average Rating

9.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Enterprise Password Managers category, the mindshare of BeyondTrust Password Safe is 3.6%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Bitwarden is 7.1%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Password Managers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Bitwarden	7.1%
BeyondTrust Password Safe	3.6%
Other	89.3%

Enterprise Password Managers

Featured Reviews

IshtiaqKhalil

Information Security Engineer at BOK

Extensive experience with session management and quick technical support boost confidence

While generally a strong product, BeyondTrust Password Safe has a few areas that could use some polish. From an administrator's viewpoint, we sometimes see keystroke capturing fail. More significantly, RDP sessions occasionally disconnect without any error messages on the client side. This leaves us administrators in the dark, unable to identify the cause of the problem

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Alex Maftei

Head of Information Technology at AllX Technologies

An affordable and easy-to-use tool that enables users to save all their passwords in one place

We also use 1Password. 1Password is available like a small window. We can just load it up. It is really fast. 1Password has enterprise features and a lot more visibility and control for admins to secure things a bit more. I have also used LastPass and NordPass. I lost trust in LastPass after we had multiple breaches, so I didn't want to keep my passwords in there. NordPass was limited. It was so hard to use. We could have only one device in sync with the free account. We could not use the platform manager on more than one device at the same time. I chose Bitwarden because I really enjoyed the idea of having the option to store my passwords and information there. I don't have to rely on any other tool.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The product has improved security and login due to the system recordings. In case, there is a doubt that someone has done something which they shouldn't have been doing, we can just go back and check what the user actually did."

"BeyondTrust Password Safe has good reporting and Smart Rules which makes it convenient. Though Smart Rules are convenient, those who do not have much experience with such things may find it difficult to understand how these things work. Otherwise, I find Smart Rules very convenient to work with."

"The flexibility of the licensing model is significantly better as it offers both unlimited users and unlimited devices, unlike Delinea, which is based on the number of users."

"The time-saving benefits come from no longer having to remember multiple device passwords."

"Screen recording is valuable, and integration with applications is easy. We can customize whatever we want. We did a lot of application integration using scripting."

"One of the most valuable features is that this is a product designed with enterprises in mind."

"The solution protects organizations from internal and external threats."

"It is very easy to deploy. It's easy to use. That's the major thing I like about it."

More BeyondTrust Password Safe pros

"Its integration capabilities and versatility, like the ability to securely save passwords and other critical information, make it incredibly useful."

"The product has a very friendly community."

"The customer service and support are good. The technician is on time and the follow-up is amazing."

"I've found something else that is extremely valuable. Bitwarden refers to it as "emergency access". It's essentially a digital legacy where you can assign approved users who can request access. If you don't decline within a certain timeframe, they can access it in case you're incapacitated or deceased. When I last checked, only a few services offered this feature. Bitwarden had the simplest and best implementation."

"It is open source and the premium package is reasonable."

"Having all the passwords in one place is helpful."

"In our organization, we use Bitwarden for managing product credentials. Bitwarden's collection feature enables us to securely create and store credentials, and we can easily provide team members with access to the relevant collections."

Cons

"The only improvement I could suggest would be standardizing documentation, but that's more the responsibility of the implementing engineer rather than BeyondTrust Password Trust itself. The documentation must be specific and narrow for implementation, not just broad guidelines."

"We face screensaver timeout issues and problems with the server. I would like the product to include a server visibility feature."

"There are multiple features that have issues, although they could be specific to our environment. What we have seen is that whenever a user gets added to the authentication store, the sync between Password Safe and the authentication store, which is generally easy, takes a lot of time. It does not occur immediately."

"We don't have much control over the appliance. When anything happens in the backend, we have to depend on the support team. We need to raise a case so that they can update the appliance. If we have control over it, we would be able to troubleshoot easily."

"When we deploy BeyondTrust, we have to deploy our own database on a SQL server. It doesn't deploy the database. I wish BeyondTrust packages the whole solution in one and includes the MySQL database so that when you deploy it, it deploys everything for you. BeyondTrust gives you the software, but you are in charge of setting up your own database. It is a single appliance just for the BeyondTrust portion but not the database. Unless that has changed in later releases, you have to set up your own database for BeyondTrust Password Safe. I find that part complex because we then need the expertise and help of the database team to set it up, which also increases the deployment time. If they can deploy the database, it will reduce the deployment time."

"Its documentation can be improved. Its documentation is currently complicated, and it is not good. It needs to be better. Their technical support can also be improved. It is not bad, but it can be better."

"The effectiveness of BeyondTrust Password Safe's session management capabilities for SSH and RDP is pretty much robust, but it needs more improvement for other applications and web-based applications."

"If there was one thing, it would be having the documentation standardized. They should keep the documentation consistent. For example, when BeyondTrust updated one of their admin guides, they left out the information on the discovery account requirements, and then over a period of time, we ended up having to search multiple different documents to put together a string of information for a specific topic, which was problematic. It was minor, but it was problematic. Standardized documentation would be the one thing I would suggest."

More BeyondTrust Password Safe cons

"It would be ideal if the application could be seamlessly integrated into our open-source software, especially for the purpose of enabling straightforward logging."

"The solution should be made more secure as it has the banking sector and assets saved."

"The product could be cheaper."

"The product must be a bit more unified and refined."

"Enhancing the tool by including additional security variables would be a valuable improvement."

"I would like to log in with a master account using a passkey, that would be easy."

"I often use another password manager as well to keep my passwords separate, ensuring redundancy. But one simple thing Bitwarden could improve is providing an option to duplicate credentials. Often, you're creating many sets of credentials for the same thing. If they all have the same information, notes, login, collection, and naming - all you're changing is the password. The ability to duplicate credential records quickly would be a big win. It doesn't do that right now."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This solution is not cheap—it's a very expensive solution. Very, very expensive compared to the features and functions that they offer."

"The pricing of BeyondTrust is very good as compared to other products. That was the main reason we decided to go with BeyondTrust at first."

"We just pay for Password Safe. Session management is included, but we don't use it. There aren't any additional costs besides the standard licensing fees. We pay for an annual license."

"It has subscription-based licensing. BeyondTrust is three times less expensive than CyberArk."

"The product is quite affordable."

"The pricing structure is better than the competitors. It's much cheaper than CyberArk. They do the licensing on the basis of assets, not on the number of users. For CyberArk, they base the licensing on the number of users, and they have an expensive model of pricing. BeyondTrust has a cheaper model."

"At the time, BeyondTrust was significantly cheaper than CyberArk. Pricing-wise, if I remember correctly, it goes by assets. The pricing was negotiated for our instances based on the number of assets that we onboard into the system. It is a little different from CyberArk, where the pricing is by users. So, it depends. If you have a lot of assets, it can get very expensive."

"When you buy Password Safe and perform your initial Discovery, you have all these servers that are added to your assets in BeyondTrust, but you're not using a license until you actually start managing the systems. BeyondTrust's licensing is based on the systems when they're managed, which means when an administrator is able to connect to the server through BeyondTrust with a managed account. There would be a privileged account on the endpoint when the licensing starts. A significant advantage to that is that there are many organizations that want to evaluate their environment prior to automatic management."

More BeyondTrust Password Safe pricing and cost advice

"It is an open-source tool."

"I use a free version and it works well for me."

"The solution is reasonably priced."

"In our region, it comes at an affordable price."

"The product is not costly. I pay $10 per month."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

13%

Healthcare Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	10

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for BeyondTrust Password Safe?

My experience with BeyondTrust Password Safe's pricing, setup cost, and licensing has been positive, primarily due to its asset-based licensing model. This is a significant advantage for us because...

What needs improvement with BeyondTrust Password Safe?

We do not utilize the dynamic privilege elevation and delegation feature yet, because the customer is not planning to use this feature. They want to control the manner of user creation processes in...

What is your primary use case for BeyondTrust Password Safe?

Currently, we have one customer using BeyondTrust Password Safe. BeyondTrust Password Safe is usually used for two things: compliance and audit.

What do you like most about Bitwarden?

I've found something else that is extremely valuable. Bitwarden refers to it as "emergency access". It's essentially a digital legacy where you can assign approved users who can request access. If ...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Bitwarden?

The product is not costly. I pay $10 per month. I use the basic plan, so I don't need the higher plan with more compliance features.

What needs improvement with Bitwarden?

The functionality to fully utilize passkeys could be improved. The last time I spoke to support, they said the development team was working on it. So far, it's working okay on my personal devices. ...

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs BeyondTrust Password Safe

Comparisons

Compared 14% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs BeyondTrust Password Safe

Compared 13% of the time

BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access vs BeyondTrust Password Safe

Compared 10% of the time

Azure Key Vault vs BeyondTrust Password Safe

Compared 9% of the time

1Password Business vs BeyondTrust Password Safe

Compared 5% of the time

More BeyondTrust Password Safe Competitors

HashiCorp Vault vs Bitwarden

Compared 38% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Bitwarden

Compared 17% of the time

Azure Key Vault vs Bitwarden

Compared 14% of the time

AWS Secrets Manager vs Bitwarden

Compared 6% of the time

Netwrix Password Secure vs Bitwarden

Compared 3% of the time

More Bitwarden Competitors

Product Reports

BeyondTrust Password Safe

August 2025

Download BeyondTrust Password Safe product report

Download Bitwarden product report

August 2025

Also Known As

BeyondTrust PowerBroker Password Safe

No data available

Overview

Beyond Trust Password Safe is an automated solution that combines password and privileged session management into a single platform. Password Safe delivers secure access control, auditing, alerting, recording, and monitoring.

This free and open-source password manager supports Windows and Linux, and some ports are available for other platforms as well. Their proprietary algorithm, Twofish, is considered highly secure, with the advantage that it is not affiliated with NIST. The Twofish algorithm secures the data while keys are delivered using SHA-256 authentication.

The application is easy to use, and you can download the Windows app from several sites. Additionally, the application is available in 14 languages.

Beyond Trust Password Safe Key Features

Continuous automated account discovery: Scan, identify and profile assets with the discovery engine. The solution has dynamic categorization that enables the automated onboarding of assets into groups.
Application-to-application password management: Password Safe offers an adaptable API interface including an unlimited number of password caches, therefore providing scalability and redundancy.
Secure SSH key management: The system automatically rotates SSH keys to enforce granular access control and workflow. Private keys securely log users onto systems without exposing them.
Adaptive access control: Evaluates context and provides access requests by considering factors such as time of access and location to determine the user’s authorization level.
Enhanced privileged session management: Admins can record, lock, and document suspicious behavior without disrupting productivity by managing sessions live.
Advanced privileged threat analytics: Password Safe monitors assets and user behavior every day, analyzing what are normal patterns and detecting deviations.
Multi-factor authentication: Password Safe supports 2FA (two-factor authentication) using Yubikey 4, Nano, or Neo.

What can you do with Password Safe?

Cross-device and cross-platform syncing: You can safely store encrypted password files online, where you can access them via Password Safe-compatible apps.
Drag and drop password: Password Safe has a “Dragbar,” which you can use to complete forms by dragging and dropping icons over the form - for example, passwords, usernames, design tiles, and emails.
Autotype: With Password Safe, when you click on a web page or login box, the autotype feature will try to fill in your credentials automatically for you.
Import and export: You can import passwords from text, XML, or CSV fails. You can also export passwords in text, XML, and the PSAFE format.
Password generator: Generate secure passwords by using the algorithm. You can also define your password rules.

Beyond Trust Password Safe Benefits

Controls third-party access: Password Safe secures the connection and automatically checks privileged credentials. The solution records all sessions.
Uses context to determine access: Password Safe considers risk factors like location, day, or time of access and uses them to adjust the permissions and privileges of each user.
Manages access for privileged and non-privileged accounts: By integrating with SailPoint IdentityIQ, Password Safe effectively manages user access for privileged as well as non-privileged accounts.
Reduces cloud risk: Password Safe simplifies secure storage and session management. It supports major cloud providers such as Azure, Amazon, Google, Rackspace, and GoGrid. It also supports social networks - Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Integrates password and privilege management: Integrates with Endpoint Privilege Management to control the resources users can access and the actions they are allowed to take

Reviews from Real Users

A PAM Architect at a tech services company says, "BeyondTrust Password Safe's features that I have found most valuable are really those that are knitted in. That is their Smart Rules and Smart Groups, where you design your administration model so you create your AD groups and your asset groups, and configure Password Safe."

An I.S. Architect at a insurance company mentions that "Session recording, password rotation, and password vaulting are the most valuable features."

"One of the most valuable features is that this is a product designed with enterprises in mind," adds a Cybersecurity Architect at a tech vendor.

BeyondTrust

Bitwarden stands out with its open-source platform and cost-effective premium options, offering password suggestions and alerts, secure sharing via the "send" feature, and reliable performance. Its digital legacy management through emergency access is unmatched at its price.

Bitwarden provides an open-source platform suitable for individual and team password management. Users benefit from password suggestions and alerts, secure sharing, and constant performance reliability. Emergency access sets Bitwarden apart by allowing digital legacy management. The mobile app offers quick password autofill and vault health reports, enhancing usability. Challenges include improving security features, better integration of automated functions, and reducing costs relative to competitors. Users value the open-source nature, cross-platform compatibility, and self-hosting capabilities, which ensure portability and permissions management.

What are Bitwarden's Key Features?

Open-Source Platform: Ensures transparency and flexibility.
Emergency Access: Provides digital legacy management.
Password Suggestions and Alerts: Enhances password security.
Secure Sharing: Allows safe information exchange.
Mobile App Usability: Offers quick password autofill.

What Benefits Should Users Look for in Reviews?

Reliability: Consistent performance across devices.
Cost-Effectiveness: Competitive pricing for the features offered.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Operates on multiple devices and systems.
Flexibility with Self-Hosting: Control over data storage and management.
Digital Legacy Management: Provides access to accounts in emergencies.

In industries where data security is crucial, Bitwarden's open-source platform is favored for managing sensitive credentials, allowing secure information sharing among team members. Its compatibility with different platforms and self-hosting options provides the flexibility and control needed to maintain data security without vendor lock-in.

Sample Customers

Aera Energy LLC, Care New England, James Madison University

Information Not Available