gopass vs Passbolt
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Passbolt
Open-source password manager built for teams
| Feature | gopass | Passbolt |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 91 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,220 | ★ 6,136 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are gopass and Passbolt?
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
Passbolt
Passbolt is an open-source password manager designed for teams, built around end-to-end encryption and OpenPGP. It targets organizations sharing credentials securely. It is deployed via Docker or packages.
- OpenPGP-based encryption
- Team-oriented sharing and roles
- Browser extension and apps
- Audit logs
gopass vs Passbolt: key differences
Gopass is written in Go, while Passbolt is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for gopass versus AGPL-3.0 for Passbolt. Gopass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Passbolt lists first-class Docker deployment; gopass does not.
Why pick each one
Choose gopass if…
- Great for teams using git
- Single static binary
Watch out for
- Still command-line focused
Choose Passbolt if…
- Built for team sharing
- Strong encryption model
- Good admin controls
Watch out for
- Setup is involved
- Some features in paid tiers
Frequently asked questions
Is gopass or Passbolt better?
Neither is universally better. gopass has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are gopass and Passbolt free and open-source?
Yes. gopass is licensed under MIT and Passbolt under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run gopass and Passbolt with Docker?
gopass: check the project docs for container support. Passbolt: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, gopass or Passbolt?
gopass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.