Passbolt vs Passit
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Passbolt
Open-source password manager built for teams
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Passit
Self-hosted password manager with browser extensions
| Feature | Passbolt | Passit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,136 | ★ 200 |
| First released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, 1Password |
What are Passbolt and Passit?
Passbolt
Passbolt is an open-source password manager designed for teams, built around end-to-end encryption and OpenPGP. It targets organizations sharing credentials securely. It is deployed via Docker or packages.
- OpenPGP-based encryption
- Team-oriented sharing and roles
- Browser extension and apps
- Audit logs
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
Passbolt vs Passit: key differences
Passbolt is written in PHP, while Passit is built with Python. Passit is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Passbolt has the considerably larger community, at 6,136 GitHub stars versus 200.
Why pick each one
Choose Passbolt if…
- Built for team sharing
- Strong encryption model
- Good admin controls
Watch out for
- Setup is involved
- Some features in paid tiers
Choose Passit if…
- Simple sharing model
- Open and auditable
Watch out for
- Limited recent development
Frequently asked questions
Is Passbolt or Passit better?
Neither is universally better. Passbolt has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Passbolt and Passit free and open-source?
Yes. Passbolt is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passit under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Passbolt and Passit with Docker?
Passbolt: yes. Passit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Passbolt or Passit?
Passit has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.