Buttercup vs pass-otp
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Buttercup | pass-otp |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 28 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 1,498 |
| First released | 2015 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | Authy, 1Password |
What are Buttercup and pass-otp?
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
pass-otp
pass-otp is an open-source extension that adds TOTP one-time-password support to the standard Unix password manager. It generates two-factor codes directly from secrets stored in the pass tree.
- TOTP code generation
- Integrates with pass
- Offline two-factor
- Command-line based
Buttercup vs pass-otp: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while pass-otp is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while pass-otp is built with Shell. Pass-otp is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Buttercup. Buttercup is the more established project (first released 2015), while pass-otp arrived in 2017. Buttercup has the considerably larger community, at 4,388 GitHub stars versus 1,498.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose pass-otp if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or pass-otp better?
Buttercup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Buttercup if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Buttercup and pass-otp free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and pass-otp under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and pass-otp with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. pass-otp: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or pass-otp?
pass-otp has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Buttercup. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.