gopass 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 | gopass | Passky Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 32 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,220 | ★ 244 |
| First released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are gopass and Passky Server?
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
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
gopass vs Passky Server: key differences
Gopass is written in Go, while Passky Server is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for gopass versus GPL-3.0 for Passky Server. Gopass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Passky Server. Gopass is the more established project (first released 2017), while Passky Server arrived in 2021. Gopass has the considerably larger community, at 7,220 GitHub stars versus 244. Passky Server 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 Passky Server if…
- Very easy to set up
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller community and ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is gopass or Passky Server better?
Neither is universally better. gopass 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 gopass and Passky Server free and open-source?
Yes. gopass is licensed under MIT and Passky Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run gopass and Passky Server with Docker?
gopass: check the project docs for container support. Passky Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, gopass or Passky Server?
gopass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Passky Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.