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LessPass vs Passky Server

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?
LE LessPass Stateless password manager that derives passwords on demand VS PA Passky Server Simple, lightweight and open-source password manager backend
FeatureLessPassPassky Server
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score88 · Excellent32 · At risk
CategoryPassword ManagersPassword Managers
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageTypeScriptPHP
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metaldocker, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 6,065★ 244
First released20162021
Replaces1Password, LastPassLastPass, Bitwarden

What are LessPass and Passky Server?

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

Read the full LessPass guide →

Passky Server

Passky is a simple and lightweight self-hostable password manager. The server component provides an encrypted backend that syncs with Passky web, desktop and mobile clients.

  • Encrypted password sync server
  • Lightweight PHP backend
  • Web, desktop and mobile clients
  • Two-factor authentication support

LessPass vs Passky Server: key differences

LessPass is written in TypeScript, while Passky Server is built with PHP. LessPass is the more established project (first released 2016), while Passky Server arrived in 2021. LessPass has the considerably larger community, at 6,065 GitHub stars versus 244.

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
LessPass details

Choose Passky Server if…

  • Very easy to set up
  • Minimal footprint

Watch out for

  • Smaller community and ecosystem
Passky Server details

Frequently asked questions

Is LessPass or Passky Server better?

Neither is universally better. LessPass has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are LessPass and Passky Server free and open-source?

Yes. LessPass is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Passky Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run LessPass and Passky Server with Docker?

LessPass: yes. Passky Server: yes.

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