I previously wrote about my concerns that the changes Bitwarden was making foreshadowed the possible “enshittification” of Bitwarden. These concerns were enough for me to switch from Bitwarden to 1Password. Well, Bitwarden has now changed its licensing.
Previous Changes
Bitwarden is a cloud-based, open-source password manager that has undergone several changes. First, they replaced long-standing executives with management experienced in mergers and acquisitions. Second, Bitwarden changed the meaning of its stated core values. Third, they doubled their prices and were not transparent about this increase. Fourth, they removed the phrase “Always Free” from their website (but later restored this after negative publicity).
Licensing Change
On October 9, 2026, Bitwarden announced that, as of October 25, 2026, they are changing the license for their officially distributed apps. Starting with the next release, apps distributed through app stores and Bitwarden’s direct-download page will use Bitwarden’s commercial license instead of the GPLv3 build. A GPLv3 version will continue to be published on GitHub.
What Does This Mean?
The company says existing users do not need to take immediate action and that self-hosting is not being discontinued. But there will now be a distinction between Bitwarden’s officially distributed applications and its open-source versions.
Bitwarden has indicated that future new features may be available only in commercially licensed builds. This could create differences between the standard apps most users install and the GPLv3 versions preferred by open-source advocates.
Bottom Line
Bitwarden seems to be continuing its enshittification. The licensing change raises further questions about whether the open-source version will remain a fully functional alternative or gradually fall behind the commercial apps. Personally, this latest move reinforces my decision to switch to 1Password.
Let me know your thoughts on Bitwarden’s latest licensing changes in the comments.
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