Padloc 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.
| Feature | Padloc | Passky Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 18 · At risk | 32 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,923 | ★ 244 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are Padloc and Passky Server?
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
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
Padloc vs Passky Server: key differences
Padloc is written in JavaScript, while Passky Server is built with PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Padloc versus GPL-3.0 for Passky Server. Passky Server is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Padloc. Padloc is the more established project (first released 2016), while Passky Server arrived in 2021. Padloc has the considerably larger community, at 2,923 GitHub stars versus 244.
Why pick each one
Choose Padloc if…
- Polished UI
- Open source
- Cross-platform
Watch out for
- Smaller ecosystem
- Slower development pace
Choose Passky Server if…
- Very easy to set up
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller community and ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Padloc or Passky Server better?
Neither is universally better. Padloc has the larger community, while Passky Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Padloc and Passky Server free and open-source?
Yes. Padloc is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passky Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Padloc and Passky Server with Docker?
Padloc: yes. Passky Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Padloc or Passky Server?
Passky Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Padloc. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.