gopass vs KeePass
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | gopass | KeePass |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Go | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,211 | ★ 1,000 |
| First released | 2017 | 2003 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are gopass and KeePass?
gopass
gopass is a feature-rich command-line password manager written in Go that is compatible with the standard Unix password store. It adds team features, multiple stores and improved tooling.
- pass-compatible encrypted store
- Multiple mounted stores
- Team and per-secret access control
- Browser and editor integrations
KeePass
KeePass is a free, open-source password manager that stores credentials in a strongly encrypted local database. It is the original KeePass implementation that spawned an entire ecosystem of compatible clients.
- Strongly encrypted local database
- Portable, no installation required
- Extensive plugin ecosystem
- KDBX format used industry-wide
gopass vs KeePass: key differences
Gopass is written in Go, while KeePass is built with C#. Licensing differs — MIT for gopass versus GPL-2.0 for KeePass. Gopass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 64 MB for KeePass. KeePass is the more established project (first released 2003), while gopass arrived in 2017. Gopass has the considerably larger community, at 7,211 GitHub stars versus 1,000.
Why pick each one
Choose gopass if…
- Great for teams using git
- Single static binary
Watch out for
- Still command-line focused
Choose KeePass if…
- Completely offline and private
- Time-tested and audited
Watch out for
- Dated Windows-centric interface
Frequently asked questions
Is gopass or KeePass better?
Neither is universally better. gopass has the larger community, while KeePass is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are gopass and KeePass free and open-source?
Yes. gopass is licensed under MIT and KeePass under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run gopass and KeePass with Docker?
gopass: check the project docs for container support. KeePass: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, gopass or KeePass?
gopass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 64 MB for KeePass. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.