KeePassXC vs OpenBao
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?
KeePassXC
Cross-platform offline KeePass password manager
VS
OpenBao
Open-source secrets management forked from Vault
| Feature | KeePassXC | OpenBao |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28,301 | ★ 6,961 |
| First released | 2017 | 2024 |
| Replaces | LastPass, 1Password, Dashlane | AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is KeePassXC or OpenBao better?
KeePassXC is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenBao if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are KeePassXC and OpenBao free and open-source?
Yes. KeePassXC is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenBao under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KeePassXC and OpenBao with Docker?
KeePassXC: check the project docs for container support. OpenBao: yes.