AliasVault vs Clipperz
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
AliasVault
End-to-end encrypted password and email alias manager
VS
Clipperz
Browser-based open-source encrypted password manager
| Feature | AliasVault | Clipperz |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,141 | ★ 750 |
| First released | 2024 | 2006 |
| Replaces | 1Password, SimpleLogin | 1Password, LastPass |
What are AliasVault and Clipperz?
AliasVault
AliasVault is a self-hosted, end-to-end encrypted password manager that also generates private email aliases to protect your real address. It combines credential storage with built-in alias mailboxes so you can sign up for services without exposing personal data.
- Zero-knowledge encrypted vault
- Built-in private email aliases
- Browser extensions
- Docker-based self-hosting
Clipperz
Clipperz is an open-source, zero-knowledge web password manager. All encryption happens in the browser before data reaches the server, so the host never sees plaintext credentials.
- Zero-knowledge browser encryption
- No plaintext ever sent to server
- Direct login links to sites
- Exportable encrypted data
AliasVault vs Clipperz: key differences
AliasVault is written in TypeScript, while Clipperz is built with JavaScript. Clipperz is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for AliasVault. Clipperz is the more established project (first released 2006), while AliasVault arrived in 2024. AliasVault has the considerably larger community, at 3,141 GitHub stars versus 750. AliasVault lists first-class Docker deployment; Clipperz does not.
Why pick each one
Choose AliasVault if…
- Combines vault and alias mail
- Strong encryption model
Watch out for
- Young project
- Requires running mail components
Choose Clipperz if…
- True zero-knowledge design
- Runs in any browser
Watch out for
- Project is largely dormant
Frequently asked questions
Is AliasVault or Clipperz better?
Neither is universally better. AliasVault has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are AliasVault and Clipperz free and open-source?
Yes. AliasVault is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Clipperz under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AliasVault and Clipperz with Docker?
AliasVault: yes. Clipperz: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, AliasVault or Clipperz?
Clipperz has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for AliasVault. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.