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Self-Hosting Vaultwarden: Your Own Password Manager

Vaultwarden is a lightweight Bitwarden-compatible server. All the Bitwarden features, self-hosted, using a fraction of the resources.

vaultwardenbitwardenpasswordssecurity

Why Self-Host Your Password Manager?


Your password manager holds the keys to your entire digital life. Hosting it yourself means:


  • Passwords never touch a third-party server
  • No risk of cloud breaches affecting your vault
  • No subscription fees ($10/year for Bitwarden Premium, $40/year for Family)
  • Full control over your security

    • Why Vaultwarden?


    Vaultwarden is an unofficial Bitwarden server implementation written in Rust. It's:


  • Compatible with all Bitwarden clients (browser extensions, mobile apps, desktop apps)
  • Runs on 50 MB RAM (official Bitwarden server needs 2+ GB)
  • Includes Premium features for free (TOTP, file attachments, emergency access)
  • Actively maintained and widely used

    • Features


    Password Management

  • Unlimited passwords and secure notes
  • Folder and collection organization
  • Password generator
  • Password strength checking

    • Two-Factor Authentication

  • TOTP authenticator app support
  • WebAuthn/FIDO2 hardware key support
  • Duo Security support

    • Sharing

  • Organizations for team/family sharing
  • Fine-grained collection permissions
  • Emergency access for trusted contacts

    • Premium Features (Free!)

  • TOTP authenticator built in
  • File attachments
  • Vault health reports

    • Deployment


    1. Deploy Vaultwarden on TinyPod

    2. Set up your admin account

    3. Install Bitwarden browser extension and mobile apps

    4. Point them to your Vaultwarden URL

    5. Import existing passwords (from Chrome, 1Password, LastPass, etc.)


    Security Hardening


  • Disable new user registration after creating your accounts
  • Enable HTTPS (TinyPod handles this automatically via Caddy)
  • Set up 2FA on your vault
  • Use a strong master password
  • Enable admin panel only when needed

    • Backup


    Vaultwarden uses a SQLite database. Back it up daily:

  • Database file: vaultwarden.db
  • Attachments directory: /data/attachments
  • RSA keys: /data/rsa_key*

    • Store backups encrypted and offsite. If you lose your vault and have no backup, you lose everything.