Bitwarden vs Passbolt
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
Passbolt
Open-source password manager built for teams
| Feature | Bitwarden | Passbolt |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 19,782 | ★ 6,056 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | 1Password, LastPass |
Why pick each one
Choose Passbolt if…
- Built for team sharing
- Strong encryption model
- Good admin controls
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or Passbolt better?
Neither is universally better. Bitwarden has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Bitwarden and Passbolt free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passbolt under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and Passbolt with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. Passbolt: yes.