Clipperz 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 | Clipperz | Yopass |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 750 | ★ 3,148 |
| First released | 2006 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, Doppler |
What are Clipperz and Yopass?
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
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
Clipperz vs Yopass: key differences
Clipperz is written in JavaScript, while Yopass is built with Go. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Clipperz versus MIT for Yopass. Yopass is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Clipperz. Clipperz is the more established project (first released 2006), while Yopass arrived in 2016. Yopass has the considerably larger community, at 3,148 GitHub stars versus 750. Yopass 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 Yopass if…
- Very lightweight
- No persistent database needed
Watch out for
- Focused on sharing, not storage
Frequently asked questions
Is Clipperz or Yopass better?
Yopass is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Clipperz if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Clipperz and Yopass free and open-source?
Yes. Clipperz is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Yopass under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Clipperz and Yopass with Docker?
Clipperz: check the project docs for container support. Yopass: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Clipperz or Yopass?
Yopass has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Clipperz. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.