AliasVault vs pass
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
pass
The standard Unix password manager built on GPG and git
| Feature | AliasVault | pass |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,141 | ★ 4,200 |
| First released | 2024 | 2012 |
| Replaces | 1Password, SimpleLogin | 1Password, LastPass |
What are AliasVault and pass?
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
pass
pass is a minimalist password manager that stores each secret in a GPG-encrypted file, optionally versioned with git. It follows the Unix philosophy and works entirely from the command line.
- GPG-encrypted password files
- Optional git versioning and sync
- Scriptable command-line workflow
- Many compatible GUI and mobile clients
AliasVault vs pass: key differences
AliasVault is written in TypeScript, while pass is built with Shell. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for AliasVault versus GPL-2.0 for pass. Pass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for AliasVault. Pass is the more established project (first released 2012), while AliasVault arrived in 2024. AliasVault lists first-class Docker deployment; pass 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 pass if…
- Simple and transparent storage
- Composes well with other tools
Watch out for
- Command-line oriented
- Requires GPG knowledge
Frequently asked questions
Is AliasVault or pass better?
Neither is universally better. pass has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are AliasVault and pass free and open-source?
Yes. AliasVault is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and pass under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AliasVault and pass with Docker?
AliasVault: yes. pass: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, AliasVault or pass?
pass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for AliasVault. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.