Passbolt vs Passky Server
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
VS
Passky Server
Simple, lightweight and open-source password manager backend
| Feature | Passbolt | Passky Server |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 32 · At risk |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,136 | ★ 244 |
| First released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are Passbolt and Passky Server?
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
Passky Server
Passky is a simple and lightweight self-hostable password manager. The server component provides an encrypted backend that syncs with Passky web, desktop and mobile clients.
- Encrypted password sync server
- Lightweight PHP backend
- Web, desktop and mobile clients
- Two-factor authentication support
Passbolt vs Passky Server: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Passbolt versus GPL-3.0 for Passky Server. Passky Server is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Passbolt is the more established project (first released 2017), while Passky Server arrived in 2021. Passbolt has the considerably larger community, at 6,136 GitHub stars versus 244.
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 Passky Server if…
- Very easy to set up
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller community and ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Passbolt or Passky Server better?
Neither is universally better. Passbolt has the larger community, while Passky Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Passbolt and Passky Server free and open-source?
Yes. Passbolt is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Passky Server under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Passbolt and Passky Server with Docker?
Passbolt: yes. Passky Server: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Passbolt or Passky Server?
Passky Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.