Clipperz vs Passky Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Clipperz | Passky Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 32 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 750 | ★ 244 |
| First released | 2006 | 2021 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are Clipperz and Passky Server?
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
Passky Server
Passky is a simple and lightweight self-hostable password manager. The server component provides an encrypted backend that syncs with Passky web, desktop and mobile clients.
- Encrypted password sync server
- Lightweight PHP backend
- Web, desktop and mobile clients
- Two-factor authentication support
Clipperz vs Passky Server: key differences
Clipperz is written in JavaScript, while Passky Server is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Clipperz versus GPL-3.0 for Passky Server. Clipperz is the more established project (first released 2006), while Passky Server arrived in 2021. Clipperz has the considerably larger community, at 750 GitHub stars versus 244. Passky Server lists first-class Docker deployment; Clipperz does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Clipperz if…
- True zero-knowledge design
- Runs in any browser
Watch out for
- Project is largely dormant
Choose Passky Server if…
- Very easy to set up
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller community and ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Clipperz or Passky Server better?
Neither is universally better. Clipperz has the larger community, while Passky Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Clipperz and Passky Server free and open-source?
Yes. Clipperz is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passky Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Clipperz and Passky Server with Docker?
Clipperz: check the project docs for container support. Passky Server: yes.