LessPass vs pass-otp
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | LessPass | pass-otp |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 28 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,065 | ★ 1,498 |
| First released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | Authy, 1Password |
What are LessPass and pass-otp?
LessPass
LessPass is an open-source password manager that generates unique passwords deterministically from a master password and site details. Because nothing is stored, there is no vault to sync or back up.
- Deterministic password generation
- No vault to store or sync
- Browser extensions and mobile apps
- Optional self-hosted profile sync
pass-otp
pass-otp is an open-source extension that adds TOTP one-time-password support to the standard Unix password manager. It generates two-factor codes directly from secrets stored in the pass tree.
- TOTP code generation
- Integrates with pass
- Offline two-factor
- Command-line based
LessPass vs pass-otp: key differences
LessPass is written in TypeScript, while pass-otp is built with Shell. Pass-otp is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for LessPass. LessPass has the considerably larger community, at 6,065 GitHub stars versus 1,498. LessPass lists first-class Docker deployment; pass-otp does not.
Why pick each one
Choose LessPass if…
- Nothing to back up
- Works fully offline
Watch out for
- Hard to change a single password
- Profiles must be remembered
Choose pass-otp if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is LessPass or pass-otp better?
LessPass is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider pass-otp if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are LessPass and pass-otp free and open-source?
Yes. LessPass is licensed under GPL-3.0 and pass-otp under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LessPass and pass-otp with Docker?
LessPass: yes. pass-otp: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, LessPass or pass-otp?
pass-otp has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for LessPass. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.