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Bitwarden:
open source. independently audited annually. end-to-end encrypted. your vault is encrypted locally before it ever leaves your device. Bitwarden's servers never see your master password or decrypted data.
free tier covers unlimited devices and passwords. $10/year premium adds TOTP codes, encrypted file attachments, and emergency access.
self-hostable on your own server if you don't trust their cloud.
The convenience advantage: seamless sync across every device automatically. browser extensions work well. works on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux.
The one risk: cloud-hosted vault means Bitwarden's servers are a potential target. their encryption architecture means a breach of their servers gets attackers encrypted blobs that require your master password to decrypt. if your master password is strong: the blob is useless to them.
KeePassDX:
open source. no cloud. your vault is a single encrypted file that lives wherever you put it: your phone, a USB drive, a self-hosted server...
No Subscription, Company. or Servers to breach. The database file is yours entirely.
The tradeoff: syncing across devices requires you to manage it. Syncthing, a self-hosted cloud, a USB drive, so it's manual.
KeePassDX is Android-specific. the broader KeePass ecosystem has clients for every platform (KeePassXC on desktop is the gold standard) but they're separate apps maintained by different teams.
Bitwarden wins on convenience. cross-device sync just works. browser extension autofill is seamless. most people will use it more consistently because the friction is lower.
KeePassDX wins on attack surface. no company. no servers. no sync infrastructure to compromise. the vault goes nowhere unless you move it.
Are you worried about a Bitwarden cloud breach? self-host Bitwarden or use KeePassDX.
are you worried about losing your vault because you manage it yourself? use Bitwarden.