New Deployment Option for Self-Hosting Bitwarden

For those who have the resources to install, run, and maintain hardware, Bitwarden is pleased to offer a new, flexible deployment option for self-hosted environments. The Bitwarden unified self-hosted deployment joins the existing standard deployment option as a lightweight option for those who choose to deploy and manage their password management solution on their own private network or infrastructure. 

Warning: This is a beta release, which means that this deployment option may be unstable and have issues. If you manage a Bitwarden organization vault, we recommend using the officially-supported, standard deployment option.

The Bitwarden unified self-host option, initially available in an open beta, supports a streamlined and flexible set-up, allowing users to choose from multiple database and environment options while being resource-efficient.

The unified deployment option offers:

• A simplified Docker deployment with all services running in a single Docker container. 

• Database flexibility and portability so that users can more easily utilize different types of database solutions to host their Bitwarden server — including Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. 

Bitwarden is excited to partner with the Bitwarden community in this open beta. If you decide to deploy the unified self-host option, please report any issues you discover in GitHub.

Learn more about how to get started with the unified deployment in this help center article.

The standard self-host deployment has been available since the beginning of Bitwarden and supports hosting on Linux, macOS, and Windows machines. Configured to use a Microsoft SQL Server database, the standard deployment utilizes multiple Docker containers orchestrated via Docker Compose for self-hosting Bitwarden servers. Deployment is also available via a DigitalOcean droplet for users interested in a one-click cloud-based solution.

See the core differences between the unified and standard deployment options in the table below:

Other helpful articles and resources for deploying a Bitwarden self-hosted server: 

• Help Center: Hosting FAQs

• Help Center: Backup your Hosted Data

• Blog: Self-hosting Bitwarden on DigitalOcean

• Help Center: Install and Deploy - Unified (Beta)

Ranked by G2 and SoftwareReviews as the number one password manager, Bitwarden offers business and individual plans that help everyone secure sensitive information online. Check out a weekly live demo or visit our pricing page to find the right plan for you!