The price you pay in year one and the price you pay after
On 30 October 2026 the NordPass plans page showed Premium at $23.88 for the first 12 months on the 1-year tab and $37.53 for the first 27 months on the 2-year tab, with displayed prices excluding VAT [1]. The checkout pages for both terms stated the renewal price as $35.88 a year, adding that the price is subject to change with notice before charging [3] [2].
Bitwarden lists Premium at $1.65 a month billed annually at $19.80, with taxes not included [10]. Its pricing page does not show a separate introductory rate, so the figure you see is the figure we used for every year below. NordPass subscription terms say an introductory price applies only to the initial subscription period and that renewals are charged at the renewal price valid at that time [9].
| Item | NordPass Premium | Bitwarden Premium |
|---|---|---|
| First payment | $23.88 for 12 months, or $37.53 for 27 months on the 2-year offer [1] | $19.80 for 12 months [10] |
| Stated renewal | $35.88 per year [3] | $19.80 per year (listed annual price) [10] |
| Free plan devices | One active session on one device [4] | Unlimited devices [10] |
| Free plan sharing | Secure sharing not included on Free [1] | Share with one other user through a free organization, up to two collections [11] |
| Built-in TOTP codes | NordPass Authenticator on Premium and Family in the feature grid; the plan cards on the same page marked it not included [1] | Integrated authenticator on Premium [10] |
| Self-hosting | Hosted on AWS in US and EU data centers [5] | Self-hosting is free; Premium features need a license file from a paid subscription [13] |
Worked example: three years for one person
Figures are list prices before tax, copied from the pages above. The NordPass 2-year route charges $37.53 up front and then one $35.88 renewal, for $73.41 and about 39 months of coverage if the 3 extra months are applied [1] [2]. The 1-year route charges $23.88, then $35.88 twice, for $95.64 over 36 months [3]. Bitwarden Premium at $19.80 a year comes to $59.40 over 36 months [10].
Bitwarden Free costs nothing for the same period and still covers unlimited devices and passwords [10]. NordPass Free also costs nothing, but its single active session is the limit most people hit first [4]. NordPass terms say non-monthly plans are charged 14 days before the renewal period starts, so put the cancel-or-keep decision on your calendar at least two weeks before the anniversary [9].
| Route | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-year total (pre-tax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordPass Premium, 2-year offer then renew | $37.53 (covers 27 months) | $0 | $35.88 | $73.41 |
| NordPass Premium, 1-year then renew | $23.88 | $35.88 | $35.88 | $95.64 |
| Bitwarden Premium | $19.80 | $19.80 | $19.80 | $59.40 |
| Bitwarden Free | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Encryption and audit disclosures, side by side
Both vendors describe zero-knowledge, end-to-end encrypted vaults; these are vendor statements, not findings of ours. NordPass says vault items are encrypted locally with XChaCha20 and that the master key is derived with Argon2id and a 16-byte salt [5]. Bitwarden says it uses AES-CBC 256-bit encryption, that only your master password can decrypt vault data, and that its source code is public on GitHub [12].
On third-party evidence, Bitwarden states it is SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 certified, ISO 27001 certified, and completes annual source code audits and penetration tests for each client [12]. NordPass published a Cure53 audit of NordPass Business in October 2021 that found 15 security-relevant issues, one rated High and fixed, and in December 2023 reported a SOC 2 Type 2 attestation for Nord Security, the provider of NordPass Business [6] [7]. Its security page cites ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 and says the product undergoes regular independent third-party audits [5]. Bitwarden adds that all of its source code is public on GitHub [12].
Apps, browsers and self-hosting
NordPass lists apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, plus extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Edge [8]. Bitwarden lists Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps, iOS and Android apps, a CLI, a web vault, and extensions for Edge, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi, Brave and Tor [14]. NordPass says its Chrome extension also works in Chromium, Brave and Vivaldi [8]. If you browse in Tor or DuckDuckGo, only Bitwarden lists an extension for them on the download pages reviewed.
Self-hosting is a Bitwarden-only option here. Bitwarden says self-hosting is free, but Premium features on your own server need a license file tied to a paid subscription [13]. NordPass describes a hosted service on AWS in US and EU data centers [5]; we found no self-hosted option on the pages reviewed.
Who should pick which, and who should skip both
- Pick Bitwarden Free if you want sync on a phone and a laptop at zero cost and can live without built-in TOTP codes and emergency access [10].
- Pick Bitwarden Premium if you want the lowest paid price that stays flat, emergency access and vault health reports [10].
- Pick NordPass Premium if you specifically want Email Masking, Data Breach Scanner and Password Health in one app and accept the $35.88 renewal [1] [3].
- Skip NordPass Free if you use more than one device at the same time; it allows one active session [4].
- Skip both and stay with what you have if your current manager already syncs your devices and you have no sharing or recovery gap to close.
Questions before you decide
Is NordPass cheaper than Bitwarden?
Not after the first term. NordPass Premium showed $23.88 for the first year and a $35.88 renewal at checkout, while Bitwarden Premium lists $19.80 a year.
Can I use either one free on two devices?
Bitwarden Free lists unlimited devices. NordPass Free allows one active session on one device, so a second simultaneous login needs Premium.
Can I self-host NordPass?
NordPass describes its service as hosted on AWS in US and EU data centers. Bitwarden is the one that documents self-hosting, with Premium features unlocked by a license file.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- NordPass plans (1-year and 2-year tabs, compare all features) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass checkout order summary: Premium 2-year Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass checkout order summary: Premium 1-year Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass: Premium vs Free version of NordPass Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass security overview Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass: NordPass Business has undergone an independent security audit (20 Oct 2021) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass: SOC 2 Type 2 attestation (12 Dec 2023) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- NordPass download page Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Nord Account: Subscription Terms (last updated 15 Feb 2026) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bitwarden pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bitwarden help: Password Manager plans Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bitwarden compliance, audits and certifications Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bitwarden help: licensing for paid features on a self-hosted server Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Bitwarden download page Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.