AliasVault vs Psono
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
Psono
Self-hosted password manager for teams
| Feature | AliasVault | Psono |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,141 | ★ 700 |
| First released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, SimpleLogin | 1Password, LastPass |
What are AliasVault and Psono?
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
Psono
Psono is a self-hosted, open-source password manager focused on secure secret sharing for teams and enterprises. It targets organizations needing granular credential management. It is deployed via Docker.
- Granular secret sharing
- Client-side encryption
- LDAP and SAML support
- Browser extensions and apps
AliasVault vs Psono: key differences
AliasVault is written in TypeScript, while Psono is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for AliasVault versus Apache-2.0 for Psono. Psono is the more established project (first released 2017), while AliasVault arrived in 2024. AliasVault has the considerably larger community, at 3,141 GitHub stars versus 700.
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 Psono if…
- Strong sharing controls
- Enterprise auth support
- Open source
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Setup takes effort
Frequently asked questions
Is AliasVault or Psono 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 Psono free and open-source?
Yes. AliasVault is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Psono under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AliasVault and Psono with Docker?
AliasVault: yes. Psono: yes.