Padloc 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 | Padloc | Passit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,923 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2016 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, 1Password |
What are Padloc and Passit?
Padloc
Padloc is a modern, open-source password manager with a clean interface and end-to-end encryption, offering a self-hostable server. It targets individuals and small teams. It is deployed via Docker.
- End-to-end encryption
- Clean modern interface
- Self-hostable server
- Organizations and sharing
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
Padloc vs Passit: key differences
Padloc is written in JavaScript, while Passit is built with Python. Passit is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Padloc. Padloc has the considerably larger community, at 2,923 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Padloc if…
- Polished UI
- Open source
- Cross-platform
Watch out for
- Smaller ecosystem
- Slower development pace
Choose Passit if…
- Simple sharing model
- Open and auditable
Watch out for
- Limited recent development
Frequently asked questions
Is Padloc or Passit better?
Neither is universally better. Padloc has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Padloc and Passit free and open-source?
Yes. Padloc is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passit under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Padloc and Passit with Docker?
Padloc: yes. Passit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Padloc or Passit?
Passit has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Padloc. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.