Buttercup vs Spectre
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Buttercup | Spectre |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2015 | 2012 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are Buttercup and Spectre?
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
Spectre
Spectre, the successor to Master Password, is an open-source stateless password manager. It derives strong, unique passwords from your name and a master password rather than storing them in a vault.
- Deterministic password derivation
- No vault to store or sync
- Cross-platform clients
- Works fully offline
Buttercup vs Spectre: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Spectre is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while Spectre is built with C. Spectre is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Buttercup. Spectre is the more established project (first released 2012), while Buttercup arrived in 2015. Buttercup has the considerably larger community, at 4,388 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose Spectre if…
- Nothing to back up
- Stateless by design
Watch out for
- Niche project
- Hard to change individual passwords
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or Spectre 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 Spectre free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Spectre under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and Spectre with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. Spectre: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or Spectre?
Spectre 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.