KeeWeb vs Nextcloud Passwords
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | KeeWeb | Nextcloud Passwords |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 64 · Good | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | HTML | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,997 | ★ 249 |
| First released | 2015 | 2018 |
| Replaces | LastPass, 1Password | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are KeeWeb and Nextcloud Passwords?
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
Nextcloud Passwords
Nextcloud Passwords is a feature-rich password manager that runs as an app inside a Nextcloud instance, with client-side encryption and browser extensions. It integrates with existing Nextcloud users and sharing.
- Client-side encryption
- Browser extensions
- Password sharing
- Security audits
KeeWeb vs Nextcloud Passwords: key differences
KeeWeb is written in HTML, while Nextcloud Passwords is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for KeeWeb versus AGPL-3.0 for Nextcloud Passwords. KeeWeb is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Nextcloud Passwords. KeeWeb is the more established project (first released 2015), while Nextcloud Passwords arrived in 2018. KeeWeb has the considerably larger community, at 12,997 GitHub stars versus 249.
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 Nextcloud Passwords if…
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Strong feature set
Watch out for
- Requires Nextcloud
- Tied to PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is KeeWeb or Nextcloud Passwords better?
Neither is universally better. KeeWeb has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are KeeWeb and Nextcloud Passwords free and open-source?
Yes. KeeWeb is licensed under MIT and Nextcloud Passwords under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run KeeWeb and Nextcloud Passwords with Docker?
KeeWeb: yes. Nextcloud Passwords: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, KeeWeb or Nextcloud Passwords?
KeeWeb has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Nextcloud Passwords. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.