LessPass vs One-Time Secret
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | LessPass | One-Time Secret |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,065 | ★ 2,942 |
| First released | 2016 | 2012 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, Doppler |
What are LessPass and One-Time Secret?
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
One-Time Secret
One-Time Secret is an open-source service for sharing passwords and other sensitive information through links that can only be viewed once. After the secret is read or expires, it is permanently deleted.
- Self-destructing secret links
- Optional passphrase protection
- Configurable expiration times
- Simple REST API
LessPass vs One-Time Secret: key differences
LessPass is written in TypeScript, while One-Time Secret is built with Ruby. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for LessPass versus MIT for One-Time Secret. LessPass is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for One-Time Secret. One-Time Secret is the more established project (first released 2012), while LessPass arrived in 2016. LessPass has the considerably larger community, at 6,065 GitHub stars versus 2,942.
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 One-Time Secret if…
- Great for one-off credential sharing
- Easy to self-host
Watch out for
- Not a long-term vault
Frequently asked questions
Is LessPass or One-Time Secret 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 One-Time Secret free and open-source?
Yes. LessPass is licensed under GPL-3.0 and One-Time Secret under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run LessPass and One-Time Secret with Docker?
LessPass: yes. One-Time Secret: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, LessPass or One-Time Secret?
LessPass has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for One-Time Secret. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.