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Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

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Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#131
post #9

I stopped endorsing closed-source software to friends and family years ago, because you can't trust the companies behind them not to quietly change directions. Years ago I used a free workout app that I really liked. After a few months of using it I recommended it to friends. I only much later found out that I was on a grandfathered version of the free plan without ads or restrictions. The company had made changes to…

Ooh, that's a great idea. I'm writing that down in my lost of ways to enshittify a company for money in case I ever end up in charge of a company that can be enshittified for money.

This seems like an overreaction. Would it be better to not grandfather in people?

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ooh, that's a great idea. I'm writing that down in my lost of ways to enshittify a company for money in case I ever end up in charge of a company that can be enshittified for money.

This seems like an overreaction. Would it be better to not grandfather in people?

If grandfathering in people results in greater revenue through WOM marketing, it's a good idea (for the business).

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#133

Why projects get destroyed just after I migrate to them?. Guess I'll have to go back to kepass.

I literally just spent hours in January of researching all the commonly mentioned options out there and trying them for myself before deciding fully on Bitwarden Family. I was a KeepassXC user for years and had my family on it as well. For 2026 I wanted to be more modern and was tired of worrying about backups (like a teenager only having their passwords on their phone), as well as syncing and accessibility. Then spent many more hours getting everyone off individual KeepassXC installs and transferred to the Bitwarden Family account.

I am locked in with paid annual until Next January, but if I have to change again do to enshittification or changes made to, what I felt was a good open-source product and company, I am not going to be happy, nor will my family.

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

I use bitwarden, but it not being able to share a single secret is becoming an issue. In my search for alternatived I stumbled across https://passbolt.com/ AGPLv3 and does support sharing single secrets, but no free hosted version. Free if you self host of course. It guess it's a vaultwarden without "the man in Nebraska" problem.

Looks promising. But no hosted offers for individuals as far as i can see.

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#136
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

vaultwarden is great, but password managers are security critical software that need consistent maintenance and constant updates. if bitwarden is acquired and the new owner decides an open source version of their product is not a business necessity, without someone actively supporting the salaries of engineers it’s unlikely to continue to be secure for much longer.

> vaultwarden is great, but password managers are security critical software that need consistent maintenance and constant updates. You’re acting like this isn’t the case already with vaultwarden? (and it’s easier to host as well, making for easier updates) https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/releases

Is it possible that you are assuming they are referring only to Vaultwarden itself? Half of the equation is a server component compatible with every app produced by a company, the other is every app that is produced by a company. If the company decides to stop being compatible (by changing their own communication), what are you left with besides the built-in web interface and a handful of “maybe-compatible, maybe-secure” apps?

Security updates aren’t just about the vault. What does having a fancy locking system mean if the moment you open the door everyone can just walk in?

Most people just want a product to do what it says from all their devices, and don’t care about any of this stuff. As such, they are more inclined to simply move to yet another least-friction mature ecosystem.

Vaultwarden as an alternative is a bit like suggesting a third-cousin who homebrews beer in a trash can knows a viable alternative as a nationwide replacement for Budweiser, because they both happen to use the same shape of bottles. I’m sure some family and friends might go along, but everyone else is just going to pick a new common brand that is similar to what they had, not start brewing their own beer. Some will…for a while.

The best thing about self-hosting your password vault is that you can be naive about how many times it has been compromised without detection.

(I’m not against self-hosting things — I’m against acting like it is a realistic alternative for average people who almost never have the skills to implement it securely.)

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

I use bitwarden, but it not being able to share a single secret is becoming an issue. In my search for alternatived I stumbled across https://passbolt.com/ AGPLv3 and does support sharing single secrets, but no free hosted version. Free if you self host of course. It guess it's a vaultwarden without "the man in Nebraska" problem.

A free hosted version pretty much just looks like prep for a rug pull to me.

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#139
Meanwhile, just below the screenshot in the article:

" Just getting started? Get basic password management today. Always free. Create Free Account "

See https://bitwarden.com/pricing/

EDIT: the article correctly mention that in an UPDATE

" Update: After publication, an employee on the Bitwarden subreddit said that “Always free” had been restored on its pricing page, calling it an “oversight” by the marketing team. The product page for Bitwarden’s personal password manager remains unchanged. "

Re: Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

#140

Actually, the part of the article that made me prick my ears up was this paragraph: In February, longtime CEO Michael Crandell moved to an advisory role, according to LinkedIn, with no announcement from the company. His replacement, Michael Sullivan, former CEO of both Acquia and Insightsoftware, touts his experience with “all facets of mergers and acquisitions” on his own LinkedIn page, including experience working…

I knew something was wrong when they started showing a popup on the web vault asking you to subscribe, every time you open it.

Enshittificstion incoming.

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