pass-tomb vs Passbolt
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?
pass-tomb
Encrypted storage extension for the pass manager
VS
Passbolt
Open-source password manager built for teams
| Feature | pass-tomb | Passbolt |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 435 | ★ 6,056 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, KeePass | 1Password, LastPass |
Why pick each one
Choose pass-tomb if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Written in Shell
- Tiny footprint — runs in 64 MB RAM
Choose Passbolt if…
- Built for team sharing
- Strong encryption model
- Good admin controls
Frequently asked questions
Is pass-tomb or Passbolt better?
Passbolt is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider pass-tomb if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are pass-tomb and Passbolt free and open-source?
Yes. pass-tomb is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Passbolt under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run pass-tomb and Passbolt with Docker?
pass-tomb: check the project docs for container support. Passbolt: yes.