How to Cancel Bitwarden Premium in 2026 (Downgrade to Free + Export Vault)
Updated 2026-02-26 · 6 min read
✅ Good News: Bitwarden Free Is Actually Great
Unlike most "freemium" services that cripple the free tier, Bitwarden Free includes unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, password generator, and cross-device sync — all for $0. The free plan is genuinely one of the best password managers available. Premium is only $10/year, and most people don't need it. This guide helps you figure out which features you actually use and whether downgrading makes sense.
What Premium Adds (and Whether You Need It)
TOTP authenticator ($10/year): Built-in 2FA code generator. Alternative: use the free Aegis Authenticator (Android) or Apple's built-in Passwords app (iOS/Mac). Both are free and arguably more secure since they separate your 2FA from your password manager
File attachments (1GB encrypted): Store files in your vault. Alternative: use encrypted cloud storage like Cryptomator + Google Drive (free)
Emergency access: Grant trusted contacts access if you're incapacitated. Alternative: write down your master password and keep it in a fireproof safe
Security reports: Vault health reports, exposed passwords, weak password detection. Alternative: Have I Been Pwned is free and does the same check
Priority support: Faster email responses. The community forum and documentation handle 99% of issues
Hardware key support (YubiKey, FIDO2): Premium-only feature for hardware 2FA. If you use a YubiKey for Bitwarden login, this is the one feature worth paying $10/year for
Step 1: Export Your Vault (Safety Backup)
Open Bitwarden Web Vault at vault.bitwarden.com
Go to Tools → Export vault
Choose format: Encrypted JSON (recommended — keeps everything encrypted) or CSV (plain text — be careful)
Enter your master password to confirm
Download and store the file in a secure location (encrypted USB drive or external hard drive)
Delete the export after verifying — a CSV export contains all passwords in plain text
⚠️ Warning: CSV Exports Are Unencrypted
If you export as CSV, every password is in plain text. Anyone who finds that file has access to everything. Use encrypted JSON export unless you specifically need CSV for importing into another password manager. Delete the CSV immediately after import.
Step 2: Cancel Premium / Downgrade to Free
To cancel Premium and keep your free account:
Go to vault.bitwarden.com → Settings → Subscription
Click Cancel subscription
Your premium features remain active until the current billing period ends
After expiration, your account automatically drops to the Free tier
All your passwords stay intact — you don't lose any saved logins
TOTP codes stop generating, but your passwords, notes, and identities are untouched
To cancel a Families plan ($40/year):
Same process: Settings → Subscription → Cancel
Each family member keeps their individual free account
Shared collections become inaccessible — have each member save shared items to their personal vault first
Step 3: Set Up Free 2FA (Replace TOTP)
If you used Bitwarden's built-in TOTP authenticator, you need to move your 2FA codes before downgrading:
Download a free authenticator app: Aegis (Android), Raivo/2FAS (iOS), or use Apple's built-in Passwords app
For each account with TOTP: go to that account's security settings → disable 2FA → re-enable 2FA → scan the new QR code with your free authenticator app
Don't disable 2FA on all accounts at once — do them one at a time to stay protected
Test each code before moving to the next account
Save backup codes in your Bitwarden vault notes (these are just text, not a premium feature)
💡 Security Best Practice
Separating your 2FA codes from your password manager is actually more secure. If someone compromises your Bitwarden vault, they get both your passwords AND your 2FA codes if they're stored together. Using a separate authenticator app means an attacker needs to compromise two different systems.
Bitwarden Free vs. Other Free Options
Bitwarden Free: Unlimited passwords, unlimited devices, open source, cross-platform — the best free option
Apple Passwords (built-in): Free on iOS/Mac, passkey support, shared groups — excellent if you're all-Apple
Google Password Manager (built-in): Free, auto-fills in Chrome and Android — limited to Google ecosystem
Proton Pass (Free): Unlimited passwords, 10 email aliases, open source — from the ProtonMail team
KeePassXC (Free, open source): Offline-only, local database — maximum privacy, less convenience
If You Want to Delete Your Account Entirely
Export your vault first (encrypted JSON)
Import into your new password manager
Verify all passwords transferred correctly
Go to vault.bitwarden.com → Settings → Danger Zone → Delete Account
Enter your master password to confirm
This is permanent and irreversible — make absolutely sure your export is complete
💸 The Bottom Line
Bitwarden Premium is only $10/year — one of the fairest prices in tech. But if you're looking to cut every subscription, the free tier genuinely has everything most people need. Unlike canceling LastPass ($36/year) or Dashlane ($60-96/year), downgrading from Bitwarden Premium saves you just $10 — but you keep a fully functional, unlimited, cross-device password manager for free. That's rare.
Find Every Subscription You're Paying For
$10/year for Bitwarden is nothing — but what about the $50/month subscriptions you forgot about?