Buttercup vs Vaultwarden
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Vaultwarden
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server
| Feature | Buttercup | Vaultwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 100 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 68,080 |
| First released | 2015 | 2018 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane |
What are Buttercup and Vaultwarden?
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
Vaultwarden
Vaultwarden is a lightweight, unofficial Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust that works with all official Bitwarden clients. It targets self-hosters who want Bitwarden without heavy resource use. It is deployed via Docker.
- Compatible with all Bitwarden clients
- Tiny resource footprint
- Organizations and sharing
- Includes premium-equivalent features
Buttercup vs Vaultwarden: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Vaultwarden is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while Vaultwarden is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Buttercup versus AGPL-3.0 for Vaultwarden. Buttercup is the more established project (first released 2015), while Vaultwarden arrived in 2018. Vaultwarden has the considerably larger community, at 68,080 GitHub stars versus 4,388. Vaultwarden lists first-class Docker deployment; Buttercup does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Buttercup if…
- Flexible storage options
- Clean modern UI
Watch out for
- Sync relies on third-party storage
Choose Vaultwarden if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Works with official apps
- Easy to deploy
Watch out for
- Unofficial, community project
- Self-hosting security is on you
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or Vaultwarden better?
Neither is universally better. Vaultwarden has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Buttercup and Vaultwarden free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Vaultwarden under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and Vaultwarden with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. Vaultwarden: yes.