pass-otp vs Vaultwarden
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Vaultwarden
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server
| Feature | pass-otp | Vaultwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 28 · At risk | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,498 | ★ 68,080 |
| First released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Authy, 1Password | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane |
What are pass-otp and Vaultwarden?
pass-otp
pass-otp is an open-source extension that adds TOTP one-time-password support to the standard Unix password manager. It generates two-factor codes directly from secrets stored in the pass tree.
- TOTP code generation
- Integrates with pass
- Offline two-factor
- Command-line based
Vaultwarden
Vaultwarden is a lightweight, unofficial Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust that works with all official Bitwarden clients. It targets self-hosters who want Bitwarden without heavy resource use. It is deployed via Docker.
- Compatible with all Bitwarden clients
- Tiny resource footprint
- Organizations and sharing
- Includes premium-equivalent features
pass-otp vs Vaultwarden: key differences
Pass-otp is written in Shell, while Vaultwarden is built with Rust. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for pass-otp versus AGPL-3.0 for Vaultwarden. Pass-otp is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Vaultwarden. Vaultwarden has the considerably larger community, at 68,080 GitHub stars versus 1,498. Vaultwarden lists first-class Docker deployment; pass-otp does not.
Why pick each one
Choose pass-otp if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 32 MB RAM
Choose Vaultwarden if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Works with official apps
- Easy to deploy
Watch out for
- Unofficial, community project
- Self-hosting security is on you
Frequently asked questions
Is pass-otp or Vaultwarden better?
Vaultwarden is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider pass-otp if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are pass-otp and Vaultwarden free and open-source?
Yes. pass-otp is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Vaultwarden under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run pass-otp and Vaultwarden with Docker?
pass-otp: check the project docs for container support. Vaultwarden: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, pass-otp or Vaultwarden?
pass-otp has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Vaultwarden. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.