Padloc vs Nextcloud Passwords
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Padloc | Nextcloud Passwords |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 18 · At risk | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,923 | ★ 249 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are Padloc and Nextcloud Passwords?
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
Nextcloud Passwords
Nextcloud Passwords is a feature-rich password manager that runs as an app inside a Nextcloud instance, with client-side encryption and browser extensions. It integrates with existing Nextcloud users and sharing.
- Client-side encryption
- Browser extensions
- Password sharing
- Security audits
Padloc vs Nextcloud Passwords: key differences
Padloc is written in JavaScript, while Nextcloud Passwords is built with PHP. Padloc is the more established project (first released 2016), while Nextcloud Passwords arrived in 2018. Padloc has the considerably larger community, at 2,923 GitHub stars versus 249.
Why pick each one
Choose Padloc if…
- Polished UI
- Open source
- Cross-platform
Watch out for
- Smaller ecosystem
- Slower development pace
Choose Nextcloud Passwords if…
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Strong feature set
Watch out for
- Requires Nextcloud
- Tied to PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is Padloc or Nextcloud Passwords better?
Neither is universally better. Padloc has the larger community, while Nextcloud Passwords is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Padloc and Nextcloud Passwords free and open-source?
Yes. Padloc is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Nextcloud Passwords under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Padloc and Nextcloud Passwords with Docker?
Padloc: yes. Nextcloud Passwords: yes.