Bitwarden vs Password Gorilla
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Bitwarden
Open-source password manager you can self-host
VS
Password Gorilla
Cross-platform password vault compatible with Password Safe
| Feature | Bitwarden | Password Gorilla |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C# | Tcl |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,782 | ★ 425 |
| First released | 2016 | 2005 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | LastPass, Password Safe |
Why pick each one
Choose Password Gorilla if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Tcl
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or Password Gorilla better?
Neither is universally better. Bitwarden has the larger community, while Password Gorilla is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Bitwarden and Password Gorilla free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Password Gorilla under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and Password Gorilla with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. Password Gorilla: check the project docs for container support.