Buttercup vs KeePassXC

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?
FeatureButtercupKeePassXC
CategoryPassword ManagersPassword Managers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageTypeScriptC++
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebinary, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 4,394★ 28,301
First released20152017
Replaces1Password, LastPassLastPass, 1Password, Dashlane

Why pick each one

Choose Buttercup if…

  • Flexible storage options
  • Clean modern UI
Buttercup details

Choose KeePassXC if…

  • Fully offline and private
  • No subscription
  • Mature and trusted
KeePassXC details

Frequently asked questions

Is Buttercup or KeePassXC better?

Neither is universally better. KeePassXC has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Buttercup and KeePassXC free and open-source?

Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and KeePassXC under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Buttercup and KeePassXC with Docker?

Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. KeePassXC: check the project docs for container support.

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