pass 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 | pass | Nextcloud Passwords |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Shell | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,200 | ★ 249 |
| First released | 2012 | 2018 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are pass and Nextcloud Passwords?
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
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
pass vs Nextcloud Passwords: key differences
Pass is written in Shell, while Nextcloud Passwords is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for pass versus AGPL-3.0 for Nextcloud Passwords. Pass is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Nextcloud Passwords. Pass is the more established project (first released 2012), while Nextcloud Passwords arrived in 2018. Pass has the considerably larger community, at 4,200 GitHub stars versus 249. Nextcloud Passwords 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 Nextcloud Passwords if…
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Strong feature set
Watch out for
- Requires Nextcloud
- Tied to PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is pass or Nextcloud Passwords better?
Neither is universally better. pass 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 pass and Nextcloud Passwords free and open-source?
Yes. pass is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Nextcloud Passwords under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run pass and Nextcloud Passwords with Docker?
pass: check the project docs for container support. Nextcloud Passwords: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, pass or Nextcloud Passwords?
pass has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Nextcloud Passwords. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.