pass 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 | pass | Passit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,200 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2012 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, 1Password |
What are pass and Passit?
pass
pass is a minimalist password manager that stores each secret in a GPG-encrypted file, optionally versioned with git. It follows the Unix philosophy and works entirely from the command line.
- GPG-encrypted password files
- Optional git versioning and sync
- Scriptable command-line workflow
- Many compatible GUI and mobile clients
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
pass vs Passit: key differences
Pass is written in Shell, while Passit is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for pass versus AGPL-3.0 for Passit. Pass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Passit. Pass is the more established project (first released 2012), while Passit arrived in 2016. Pass has the considerably larger community, at 4,200 GitHub stars versus 200. Passit lists first-class Docker deployment; pass does not.
Why pick each one
Choose pass if…
- Simple and transparent storage
- Composes well with other tools
Watch out for
- Command-line oriented
- Requires GPG knowledge
Choose Passit if…
- Simple sharing model
- Open and auditable
Watch out for
- Limited recent development
Frequently asked questions
Is pass or Passit better?
Neither is universally better. pass has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are pass and Passit free and open-source?
Yes. pass is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Passit under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run pass and Passit with Docker?
pass: check the project docs for container support. Passit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, pass or Passit?
pass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Passit. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.