Clipperz vs pass-otp
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Clipperz | pass-otp |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 28 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 750 | ★ 1,497 |
| First released | 2006 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | Authy, 1Password |
What are Clipperz and pass-otp?
Clipperz
Clipperz is an open-source, zero-knowledge web password manager. All encryption happens in the browser before data reaches the server, so the host never sees plaintext credentials.
- Zero-knowledge browser encryption
- No plaintext ever sent to server
- Direct login links to sites
- Exportable encrypted data
pass-otp
pass-otp is an open-source extension that adds TOTP one-time-password support to the standard Unix password manager. It generates two-factor codes directly from secrets stored in the pass tree.
- TOTP code generation
- Integrates with pass
- Offline two-factor
- Command-line based
Clipperz vs pass-otp: key differences
Clipperz is written in JavaScript, while pass-otp is built with Shell. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Clipperz versus GPL-3.0 for pass-otp. Pass-otp is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Clipperz. Clipperz is the more established project (first released 2006), while pass-otp arrived in 2017.
Why pick each one
Choose Clipperz if…
- True zero-knowledge design
- Runs in any browser
Watch out for
- Project is largely dormant
Choose pass-otp if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Clipperz or pass-otp better?
Neither is universally better. pass-otp has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Clipperz and pass-otp free and open-source?
Yes. Clipperz is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and pass-otp under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Clipperz and pass-otp with Docker?
Clipperz: check the project docs for container support. pass-otp: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Clipperz or pass-otp?
pass-otp has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Clipperz. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.