Bitwarden vs pass-tomb
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Bitwarden
Open-source password manager you can self-host
VS
pass-tomb
Encrypted storage extension for the pass manager
| Feature | Bitwarden | pass-tomb |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 46 · Fair |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20,184 | ★ 437 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | 1Password, KeePass |
What are Bitwarden and pass-tomb?
Bitwarden
Bitwarden is an open-source password manager offering encrypted vaults, sharing, and apps on every platform, with a self-hostable server. It targets individuals and teams wanting an audited password manager. It is deployed via Docker.
- Encrypted cross-platform vaults
- Secure password sharing
- Regular third-party audits
- Self-hostable official server
pass-tomb
pass-tomb is an open-source extension for the standard Unix password manager that keeps the password store inside an encrypted Tomb container. It hides the directory structure of secrets when the store is locked.
- Encrypted Tomb container
- Hides store structure
- Integrates with pass
- Command-line workflow
Bitwarden vs pass-tomb: key differences
Bitwarden is written in C#, while pass-tomb is built with Shell. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Bitwarden versus GPL-3.0 for pass-tomb. Pass-tomb is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Bitwarden has the considerably larger community, at 20,184 GitHub stars versus 437. Bitwarden lists first-class Docker deployment; pass-tomb does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Bitwarden if…
- Audited and trusted
- Apps everywhere
- Open source
Watch out for
- Official server is resource heavy
- Setup more complex than Vaultwarden
Choose pass-tomb if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or pass-tomb better?
Bitwarden is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider pass-tomb if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Bitwarden and pass-tomb free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and pass-tomb under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and pass-tomb with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. pass-tomb: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bitwarden or pass-tomb?
pass-tomb has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.