YKYH Picks
☰ Menu
Home›Security & Privacy›Bitwarden
App 4,978 installs/mo

Bitwarden for Mac

Desktop password and login vault

Quick answer: Bitwarden is a security tool for macOS. Install it with brew install --cask bitwarden. The licence is not declared in Homebrew metadata. It has 4,978 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What Bitwarden is

Bitwarden is a security tool for macOS: desktop password and login vault.

It is distributed as a Homebrew cask, which installs a .app bundle into your Applications folder. The project is open source and lives at https://bitwarden.com/.

How to install Bitwarden

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install --cask bitwarden.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

Alternatives to Bitwarden

Compared within the same category and with a comparable install base, so the list stays useful rather than turning into a popularity chart.

1PasswordPassword manager that keeps all passwords secure behind one passwordApp6,488/moKeePassXCPassword manager appAppOpen source2,776/moGPG SuiteTools to protect your emails and filesApp354/moKnockKnockTool to show what is persistently installed on the computerAppOpen source662/moDo Not DisturbOpen-source physical access (aka 'evil maid') attack detectorAppOpen source13/moLuLuOpen-source firewall to block unknown outgoing connectionsAppOpen source1,973/mo

Compare Bitwarden with its alternatives in detail →

Frequently asked questions

How do I install Bitwarden on Mac?

Run brew install --cask bitwarden in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is Bitwarden open source?

Homebrew's metadata does not declare a licence for this app, so the official site is the authoritative source.

Does Bitwarden run on Apple silicon?

Yes, as a universal binary.

How popular is Bitwarden?

It was installed 4,978 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #328 in this catalogue.

What version of Bitwarden is current?

The latest packaged version is 2026.10.1.