Buttercup vs Password Gorilla
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Buttercup | Password Gorilla |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 53 · Fair |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Tcl |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 425 |
| First released | 2015 | 2005 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Password Safe |
What are Buttercup and Password Gorilla?
Buttercup
Buttercup is a free, open-source password manager available for desktop, mobile and browsers. Vaults are stored in an encrypted format and can sync through Dropbox, WebDAV, Google Drive or local files.
- Encrypted vaults with multiple backends
- WebDAV and cloud storage sync
- Browser extensions for autofill
- Cross-platform desktop and mobile apps
Password Gorilla
Password Gorilla is an open-source password manager that stores credentials in encrypted databases compatible with the Password Safe format. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS as a lightweight desktop app.
- Password Safe compatible
- Encrypted database
- Cross-platform desktop
- Lightweight
Buttercup vs Password Gorilla: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Password Gorilla is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while Password Gorilla is built with Tcl. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Buttercup versus GPL-2.0 for Password Gorilla. Password Gorilla is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Buttercup. Password Gorilla is the more established project (first released 2005), while Buttercup arrived in 2015. Buttercup has the considerably larger community, at 4,388 GitHub stars versus 425.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose Password Gorilla if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Tcl
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or Password Gorilla better?
Neither is universally better. Buttercup has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Buttercup and Password Gorilla free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Password Gorilla under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and Password Gorilla with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. Password Gorilla: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or Password Gorilla?
Password Gorilla has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Buttercup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.