Password Gorilla vs Spectre
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Password Gorilla | Spectre |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Tcl | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 425 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2005 | 2012 |
| Replaces | LastPass, Password Safe | 1Password, LastPass |
What are Password Gorilla and Spectre?
Password Gorilla
Password Gorilla is an open-source password manager that stores credentials in encrypted databases compatible with the Password Safe format. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS as a lightweight desktop app.
- Password Safe compatible
- Encrypted database
- Cross-platform desktop
- Lightweight
Spectre
Spectre, the successor to Master Password, is an open-source stateless password manager. It derives strong, unique passwords from your name and a master password rather than storing them in a vault.
- Deterministic password derivation
- No vault to store or sync
- Cross-platform clients
- Works fully offline
Password Gorilla vs Spectre: key differences
Password Gorilla is written in Tcl, while Spectre is built with C. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Password Gorilla versus GPL-3.0 for Spectre. Password Gorilla is the more established project (first released 2005), while Spectre arrived in 2012. Password Gorilla has the considerably larger community, at 425 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Password Gorilla if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Tcl
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Spectre if…
- Nothing to back up
- Stateless by design
Watch out for
- Niche project
- Hard to change individual passwords
Frequently asked questions
Is Password Gorilla or Spectre better?
Password Gorilla is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Spectre if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Password Gorilla and Spectre free and open-source?
Yes. Password Gorilla is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Spectre under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Password Gorilla and Spectre with Docker?
Password Gorilla: check the project docs for container support. Spectre: check the project docs for container support.