Accelerating innovation at Bitwarden. published: June 17, 2026 I started Bitwarden with a conviction that security should be more open, more accessible, and more trustworthy. That approach still guides Bitwarden today. The initial goal was straightforward: build a password manager people could trust, verify, and use anywhere. Open source set a foundation for that vision, along with the belief that online security should be available to everyone, regardless of budget, team size, or technical resources. This foundation has carried Bitwarden farther than I could have ever imagined. Today, Bitwarden serves more than 15 million users and 80,000 businesses globally. The product portfolio grew to include secrets management, passkeys, and AI-driven workflows, all supported by a global team and an impassioned community. Bitwarden must continue evolving to lead in online security, while retaining the principles instrumental to its success. This is why the company is expanding leadership and increasing investment in R&D, user experience, and the next generation of Bitwarden products. Expanding leadership for continued growth. As Bitwarden continues to secure users globally at scale, the company sought an engineering leader to build teams and continue developing trusted, high-quality solutions for customers and the user community. That leader is Andrew Hartnett, who is joining Bitwarden as Chief Technology Officer. Andrew joins from One Identity, where he served as Chief Technology Officer and brings deep experience across identity security, engineering leadership, and enterprise software development. In this role, Andrew will lead the technical organization behind Bitwarden, and be part of a broader push to accelerate innovation at Bitwarden with a 50% increase in R&D investment towards user experience initiatives and a broader security portfolio. With this expansion, I am shifting into a new role as Chief Innovation Officer, where I will dedicate more time to exploring, building, and delivering new products and technologies for Bitwarden customers and the wider community. My commitment to Bitwarden and its mission remains unchanged. I will continue to be deeply involved in the future direction of the product portfolio and work closely with company teams to improve Bitwarden products and build new capabilities that keep users secure. Looking ahead. The future of the security industry is already here. Passwords and passkeys remain critical to protecting sensitive information, and passwordless authentication, AI-driven workflows, and new models for identity and access create new challenges around trust, governance, and secure access. These are the problems Bitwarden knows how to solve, and I look forward to delivering for users and customers. That work starts with continuing to improve the products people already rely on every day, from Bitwarden Password Manager and Secrets Manager to Standalone Authenticator and passkeys. It also means expanding the portfolio in ways that make trusted security easier to adopt, easier to use, and more effective across the moments where people and organizations need protection most. Bitwarden has always been more than a password manager to me. It is a commitment to a more secure digital world and to creating security tools in ways that earn trust. I am proud of what this team has built, grateful for the community that continues to push Bitwarden Inc. forward, and I am excited for what comes next. Get started with Bitwarden today.

Bitwarden faces leadership change amid price hike controversy. Bitwarden's leadership shakeup and what it means. Bitwarden has undergone significant changes lately, with longtime CEO Michael Crandell transitioning to an advisory role and being replaced by Michael Sullivan, a private equity specialist. The company has also silently removed its commitment to a free tier and redefined its core values, now emphasizing "Innovation" and "Trust" over "Inclusion" and "Transparency." Why the shift matters for founders. For founders, especially in SaaS, this is a cautionary tale. Bitwarden, once seen as an ethical alternative in the password management space, is shifting toward a model that prioritizes metrics over values. With a CEO focused more on mergers and acquisitions than on product or culture, you need to ask yourself: what does this mean for your startup? If you're building a product around trust and community, ensure those values manifest in every aspect of your business. Action steps to consider. * Communicate Openly with Users: Don't make the same mistake. If you're changing pricing, features, or core values, give customers advance notice. This builds loyalty and avoids backlash. * Evaluate Your Leadership Team: Ensure your leadership isn't solely focused on short-term gains. Look for leaders who understand the long-term vision and can foster a culture that aligns with your mission. * Be Transparent About Product Changes: Don't hide changes in existing content. When you make updates, treat them as significant announcements. Customers appreciate clarity and will reward you with their loyalty. Your startup's integrity hinges on maintaining trust. As Bitwarden shifts gears, remember: a transparent approach will set you apart in a crowded market.