LessPass 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 | LessPass | Passit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,065 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2016 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, 1Password |
What are LessPass and Passit?
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
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
LessPass vs Passit: key differences
LessPass is written in TypeScript, while Passit is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for LessPass versus AGPL-3.0 for Passit. LessPass is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Passit. LessPass has the considerably larger community, at 6,065 GitHub stars versus 200.
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 Passit if…
- Simple sharing model
- Open and auditable
Watch out for
- Limited recent development
Frequently asked questions
Is LessPass or Passit better?
LessPass 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 LessPass and Passit free and open-source?
Yes. LessPass is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Passit under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LessPass and Passit with Docker?
LessPass: yes. Passit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, LessPass or Passit?
LessPass 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.