Buttercup vs Rubywarden
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Buttercup | Rubywarden |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 11 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Archived |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 587 |
| First released | 2015 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | Bitwarden, 1Password |
What are Buttercup and Rubywarden?
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
Rubywarden
Rubywarden is an unofficial, self-hosted server that implements the Bitwarden API in Ruby, allowing Bitwarden clients to sync against a private backend. It is a lightweight alternative server for personal and small deployments.
- Bitwarden-compatible API
- Works with official clients
- Lightweight Ruby stack
- SQLite storage
Buttercup vs Rubywarden: key differences
Note that both projects' repositories are archived — neither is actively developed. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while Rubywarden is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Buttercup versus MIT for Rubywarden. Buttercup is the more established project (first released 2015), while Rubywarden arrived in 2017. Buttercup has the considerably larger community, at 4,388 GitHub stars versus 587.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose Rubywarden if…
- Simple personal deployment
- Compatible with Bitwarden apps
Watch out for
- Explicitly experimental
- Not recommended for large teams
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or Rubywarden better?
Buttercup is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Rubywarden if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Buttercup and Rubywarden free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Rubywarden under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and Rubywarden with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. Rubywarden: check the project docs for container support.