KeePass vs pass
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | KeePass | pass |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C# | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,000 | ★ 4,200 |
| First released | 2003 | 2012 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are KeePass and pass?
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
pass
pass is a minimalist password manager that stores each secret in a GPG-encrypted file, optionally versioned with git. It follows the Unix philosophy and works entirely from the command line.
- GPG-encrypted password files
- Optional git versioning and sync
- Scriptable command-line workflow
- Many compatible GUI and mobile clients
KeePass vs pass: key differences
KeePass is written in C#, while pass is built with Shell. Pass 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 pass arrived in 2012. Pass has the considerably larger community, at 4,200 GitHub stars versus 1,000.
Why pick each one
Choose KeePass if…
- Completely offline and private
- Time-tested and audited
Watch out for
- Dated Windows-centric interface
Choose pass if…
- Simple and transparent storage
- Composes well with other tools
Watch out for
- Command-line oriented
- Requires GPG knowledge
Frequently asked questions
Is KeePass or pass better?
Neither is universally better. pass 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 KeePass and pass free and open-source?
Yes. KeePass is licensed under GPL-2.0 and pass under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KeePass and pass with Docker?
KeePass: check the project docs for container support. pass: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, KeePass or pass?
pass 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.