Buttercup vs KeePassium
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Buttercup | KeePassium |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 70 · Good |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Swift |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 1,697 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are Buttercup and KeePassium?
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
KeePassium
KeePassium is an open-source password manager for iOS and macOS that works with KeePass KDBX databases. It supports Face ID, Touch ID and AutoFill while keeping all data under user control.
- KDBX-compatible iOS and macOS app
- Face ID and Touch ID unlock
- Password AutoFill integration
- Hardware key support
Buttercup vs KeePassium: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while KeePassium is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while KeePassium is built with Swift. KeePassium is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Buttercup. Buttercup is the more established project (first released 2015), while KeePassium arrived in 2019. Buttercup has the considerably larger community, at 4,388 GitHub stars versus 1,697.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose KeePassium if…
- Polished Apple-platform experience
- Open source
Watch out for
- Apple platforms only
- Premium tier for some features
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or KeePassium 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 KeePassium free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and KeePassium under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and KeePassium with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. KeePassium: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or KeePassium?
KeePassium 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.