OpenBao vs Vaultwarden
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?
OpenBao
Open-source secrets management forked from Vault
VS
Vaultwarden
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server
| Feature | OpenBao | Vaultwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,961 | ★ 65,100 |
| First released | 2024 | 2018 |
| Replaces | AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane |
Why pick each one
Choose Vaultwarden if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Works with official apps
- Easy to deploy
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenBao or Vaultwarden better?
Vaultwarden is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider OpenBao if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are OpenBao and Vaultwarden free and open-source?
Yes. OpenBao is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Vaultwarden under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenBao and Vaultwarden with Docker?
OpenBao: yes. Vaultwarden: yes.