Bitwarden vs Passit
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
Passit
Self-hosted password manager with browser extensions
| Feature | Bitwarden | Passit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C# | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20,190 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2016 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | LastPass, 1Password |
What are Bitwarden and Passit?
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
Passit
Passit is a self-hosted, open-source password manager with browser extensions. It encrypts credentials client-side before syncing them to your own Django-based server and supports group sharing.
- Client-side encrypted vault
- Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox
- Group password sharing
- Self-hosted Django backend
Bitwarden vs Passit: key differences
Bitwarden is written in C#, while Passit is built with Python. Passit is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Bitwarden has the considerably larger community, at 20,190 GitHub stars versus 200.
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 Passit if…
- Simple sharing model
- Open and auditable
Watch out for
- Limited recent development
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or Passit 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 Passit free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passit under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and Passit with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. Passit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bitwarden or Passit?
Passit has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.