Bitwarden vs Psono
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
Psono
Self-hosted password manager for teams
| Feature | Bitwarden | Psono |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | C# | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20,190 | ★ 700 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane | 1Password, LastPass |
What are Bitwarden and Psono?
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
Psono
Psono is a self-hosted, open-source password manager focused on secure secret sharing for teams and enterprises. It targets organizations needing granular credential management. It is deployed via Docker.
- Granular secret sharing
- Client-side encryption
- LDAP and SAML support
- Browser extensions and apps
Bitwarden vs Psono: key differences
Bitwarden is written in C#, while Psono is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Bitwarden versus Apache-2.0 for Psono. Psono is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Bitwarden has the considerably larger community, at 20,190 GitHub stars versus 700.
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 Psono if…
- Strong sharing controls
- Enterprise auth support
- Open source
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Setup takes effort
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitwarden or Psono 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 Psono free and open-source?
Yes. Bitwarden is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Psono under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bitwarden and Psono with Docker?
Bitwarden: yes. Psono: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bitwarden or Psono?
Psono has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Bitwarden. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.