Buttercup vs pass-tomb
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-tomb |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 46 · Fair |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 437 |
| First released | 2015 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, KeePass |
What are Buttercup and pass-tomb?
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-tomb
pass-tomb is an open-source extension for the standard Unix password manager that keeps the password store inside an encrypted Tomb container. It hides the directory structure of secrets when the store is locked.
- Encrypted Tomb container
- Hides store structure
- Integrates with pass
- Command-line workflow
Buttercup vs pass-tomb: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while pass-tomb is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while pass-tomb is built with Shell. Pass-tomb 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 pass-tomb arrived in 2017. Buttercup has the considerably larger community, at 4,388 GitHub stars versus 437.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose pass-tomb if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or pass-tomb 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-tomb free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and pass-tomb under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and pass-tomb with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. pass-tomb: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or pass-tomb?
pass-tomb 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.