gopass vs Psono
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | gopass | Psono |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Go | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,220 | ★ 700 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are gopass and Psono?
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
Psono
Psono is a self-hosted, open-source password manager focused on secure secret sharing for teams and enterprises. It targets organizations needing granular credential management. It is deployed via Docker.
- Granular secret sharing
- Client-side encryption
- LDAP and SAML support
- Browser extensions and apps
gopass vs Psono: key differences
Gopass is written in Go, while Psono is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for gopass versus Apache-2.0 for Psono. Gopass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Psono. Gopass has the considerably larger community, at 7,220 GitHub stars versus 700. Psono 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 Psono if…
- Strong sharing controls
- Enterprise auth support
- Open source
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Setup takes effort
Frequently asked questions
Is gopass or Psono 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 Psono free and open-source?
Yes. gopass is licensed under MIT and Psono under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run gopass and Psono with Docker?
gopass: check the project docs for container support. Psono: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, gopass or Psono?
gopass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Psono. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.