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.
Not the right match-up?
KeePass
Original free and open-source password manager
VS
pass
The standard Unix password manager built on GPG and git
| Feature | KeePass | pass |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Why pick each one
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.