Buttercup vs KeeWeb
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Buttercup | KeeWeb |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 65 · Good |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 12,998 |
| First released | 2015 | 2015 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, 1Password |
What are Buttercup and KeeWeb?
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
KeeWeb
KeeWeb is a free, cross-platform password manager compatible with KeePass databases, usable in a browser or as a desktop app. It targets KeePass users who want web access to their vault. It is deployed via Docker or static hosting.
- Reads and writes KeePass files
- Browser and desktop versions
- No backend database needed
- Offline support
Buttercup vs KeeWeb: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while KeeWeb is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while KeeWeb is built with HTML. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Buttercup versus MIT for KeeWeb. KeeWeb has the considerably larger community, at 12,998 GitHub stars versus 4,388. KeeWeb lists first-class Docker deployment; Buttercup does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose KeeWeb if…
- Works with KeePass files
- No server database
- Cross-platform
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- No team features
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or KeeWeb better?
Neither is universally better. KeeWeb has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Buttercup and KeeWeb free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and KeeWeb under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and KeeWeb with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. KeeWeb: yes.