Buttercup vs pass
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 4,200 |
| First released | 2015 | 2012 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are Buttercup and pass?
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
pass is a minimalist password manager that stores each secret in a GPG-encrypted file, optionally versioned with git. It follows the Unix philosophy and works entirely from the command line.
- GPG-encrypted password files
- Optional git versioning and sync
- Scriptable command-line workflow
- Many compatible GUI and mobile clients
Buttercup vs pass: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while pass is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while pass is built with Shell. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Buttercup versus GPL-2.0 for pass. Pass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Buttercup. Pass is the more established project (first released 2012), while Buttercup arrived in 2015.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose pass if…
- Simple and transparent storage
- Composes well with other tools
Watch out for
- Command-line oriented
- Requires GPG knowledge
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or pass 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 free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and pass under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and pass with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. pass: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or pass?
pass 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.