Buttercup vs Yopass
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Yopass
Securely share secrets with encrypted one-time links
| Feature | Buttercup | Yopass |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 87 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,388 | ★ 3,148 |
| First released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, Doppler |
What are Buttercup and Yopass?
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
Yopass
Yopass is an open-source tool for sharing secrets in a quick and secure manner. Secrets are encrypted in the browser and shared via links that expire after a set time or a single view.
- Client-side encrypted secrets
- One-time and time-limited links
- Tiny resource footprint
- Memcached or Redis backend
Buttercup vs Yopass: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Buttercup's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Yopass is actively maintained. Buttercup is written in TypeScript, while Yopass is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Buttercup versus MIT for Yopass. Yopass is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Buttercup. Yopass 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 Yopass if…
- Very lightweight
- No persistent database needed
Watch out for
- Focused on sharing, not storage
Frequently asked questions
Is Buttercup or Yopass better?
Neither is universally better. Buttercup has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Buttercup and Yopass free and open-source?
Yes. Buttercup is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Yopass under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Buttercup and Yopass with Docker?
Buttercup: check the project docs for container support. Yopass: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Buttercup or Yopass?
Yopass 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.