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.
Not the right match-up?
Bitwarden
Open-source password manager you can self-host
VS
pass-tomb
Encrypted storage extension for the pass manager
| Feature | Bitwarden | pass-tomb |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ★ 19,782 | ★ 435 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | 1Password, KeePass |
Why pick each one
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.