git-crypt vs Mozilla SOPS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | git-crypt | Mozilla SOPS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 52 · Fair | 97 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,932 | ★ 23,200 |
| First released | 2013 | 2015 |
| Replaces | HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager | AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault |
What are git-crypt and Mozilla SOPS?
git-crypt
git-crypt is an open-source tool that enables transparent encryption and decryption of files in a git repository. Files you choose are encrypted when committed and decrypted when checked out, keeping secrets safe in version control.
- Transparent file encryption in git
- GPG-based key management
- Selective encryption via gitattributes
- No server required
Mozilla SOPS
SOPS is an open-source editor of encrypted files that supports YAML, JSON, ENV, INI and binary formats. It encrypts secret values so configuration with credentials can be safely stored in git.
- Encrypts only the values in config files
- Works with age, GPG and KMS keys
- Editor integration for encrypted files
- Git-friendly secrets management
git-crypt vs Mozilla SOPS: key differences
Git-crypt is written in C++, while Mozilla SOPS is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for git-crypt versus MPL-2.0 for Mozilla SOPS. Git-crypt is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for Mozilla SOPS. Git-crypt is the more established project (first released 2013), while Mozilla SOPS arrived in 2015. Mozilla SOPS has the considerably larger community, at 23,200 GitHub stars versus 9,932.
Why pick each one
Choose git-crypt if…
- Simple to integrate with git
- Keeps secrets in repos safely
Watch out for
- Not a vault with access control
Choose Mozilla SOPS if…
- Keeps secrets in version control safely
- No server to run
Watch out for
- Not a vault with access control
Frequently asked questions
Is git-crypt or Mozilla SOPS better?
Neither is universally better. Mozilla SOPS has the larger community, while git-crypt is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are git-crypt and Mozilla SOPS free and open-source?
Yes. git-crypt is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Mozilla SOPS under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run git-crypt and Mozilla SOPS with Docker?
git-crypt: check the project docs for container support. Mozilla SOPS: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, git-crypt or Mozilla SOPS?
git-crypt has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for Mozilla SOPS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.