A family password manager you host yourself, with Vaultwarden
How to run a self-hosted family password manager with Vaultwarden, compatible with every official Bitwarden app. Setup steps, backups, and honest limits.
Vaultwarden is an open-source, self-hosted server that speaks the same protocol as Bitwarden — so every official Bitwarden app (iOS, Android, desktop, every browser) works against your own box instead of Bitwarden's cloud.
For a household or a small team, this replaces a paid family plan with a vault you control.
How it works
STEP 1 — Install Vaultwarden on your box
Runs alongside the other modules on the same hardware — it is a lightweight service.
STEP 2 — Create accounts for your household
Each person gets their own vault; shared logins go in a shared organization, same concept as Bitwarden Families.
STEP 3 — Install the official Bitwarden app
Point it at your own server address instead of bitwarden.com in the settings. Everything else works identically.
STEP 4 — Import from your current manager
Bitwarden's official import tool reads exports from 1Password, LastPass, and most others directly.
What we actually configure
A reverse proxy with a real TLS certificate in front of it — browsers refuse to unlock a vault over plain HTTP for anything but localhost, so this step is not optional, just easy to skip in a rush.
A separate admin token for the setup panel, distinct from any vault credential — losing one should never compromise the other.
Scheduled, encrypted backups of the vault database, tested by actually restoring one — a backup nobody has restored is a hope, not a backup.
Outbound email configured for invites and two-factor codes — the step most self-hosters skip, then can't figure out why nobody else in the house can join.
Honest limitations
If your box is offline, browser extensions fall back to their local cache — you are not locked out, but you should understand that dependency before switching.
You are the one responsible for backing up the vault database. We include this in annual cover; doing it yourself means actually doing it, not just meaning to.
No dedicated support line if you self-host — you are on Vaultwarden's community forums and GitHub issues, same as any other self-hosted app.
What this replaces: Replaces a paid family plan like 1Password Families ($5.99/mo) or Bitwarden Families — prices checked on the subscription calculator.