KeeWeb vs Passit
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | KeeWeb | Passit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | HTML | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,997 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Replaces | LastPass, 1Password | LastPass, 1Password |
What are KeeWeb and Passit?
KeeWeb
KeeWeb is a free, cross-platform password manager compatible with KeePass databases, usable in a browser or as a desktop app. It targets KeePass users who want web access to their vault. It is deployed via Docker or static hosting.
- Reads and writes KeePass files
- Browser and desktop versions
- No backend database needed
- Offline support
Passit
Passit is a self-hosted, open-source password manager with browser extensions. It encrypts credentials client-side before syncing them to your own Django-based server and supports group sharing.
- Client-side encrypted vault
- Browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox
- Group password sharing
- Self-hosted Django backend
KeeWeb vs Passit: key differences
KeeWeb is written in HTML, while Passit is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for KeeWeb versus AGPL-3.0 for Passit. KeeWeb is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Passit. KeeWeb has the considerably larger community, at 12,997 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose KeeWeb if…
- Works with KeePass files
- No server database
- Cross-platform
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- No team features
Choose Passit if…
- Simple sharing model
- Open and auditable
Watch out for
- Limited recent development
Frequently asked questions
Is KeeWeb or Passit better?
KeeWeb is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Passit if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are KeeWeb and Passit free and open-source?
Yes. KeeWeb is licensed under MIT and Passit under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KeeWeb and Passit with Docker?
KeeWeb: yes. Passit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, KeeWeb or Passit?
KeeWeb has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Passit. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.