KeePass vs Yopass
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Yopass
Securely share secrets with encrypted one-time links
| Feature | KeePass | Yopass |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | C# | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,000 | ★ 3,148 |
| First released | 2003 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, Doppler |
What are KeePass and Yopass?
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
Yopass
Yopass is an open-source tool for sharing secrets in a quick and secure manner. Secrets are encrypted in the browser and shared via links that expire after a set time or a single view.
- Client-side encrypted secrets
- One-time and time-limited links
- Tiny resource footprint
- Memcached or Redis backend
KeePass vs Yopass: key differences
KeePass is written in C#, while Yopass is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for KeePass versus MIT for Yopass. KeePass is the more established project (first released 2003), while Yopass arrived in 2016. Yopass has the considerably larger community, at 3,148 GitHub stars versus 1,000. Yopass lists first-class Docker deployment; KeePass does not.
Why pick each one
Choose KeePass if…
- Completely offline and private
- Time-tested and audited
Watch out for
- Dated Windows-centric interface
Choose Yopass if…
- Very lightweight
- No persistent database needed
Watch out for
- Focused on sharing, not storage
Frequently asked questions
Is KeePass or Yopass better?
Neither is universally better. Yopass has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are KeePass and Yopass free and open-source?
Yes. KeePass is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Yopass under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KeePass and Yopass with Docker?
KeePass: check the project docs for container support. Yopass: yes.