Passbolt 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.
Passbolt
Open-source password manager built for teams
VS
Nextcloud Passwords
Encrypted password manager app for Nextcloud servers
| Feature | Passbolt | Nextcloud Passwords |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,136 | ★ 249 |
| First released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are Passbolt and Nextcloud Passwords?
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
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
Passbolt vs Nextcloud Passwords: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Nextcloud Passwords is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Passbolt has the considerably larger community, at 6,136 GitHub stars versus 249.
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 Nextcloud Passwords if…
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Strong feature set
Watch out for
- Requires Nextcloud
- Tied to PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is Passbolt or Nextcloud Passwords better?
Neither is universally better. Passbolt 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 Passbolt and Nextcloud Passwords free and open-source?
Yes. Passbolt is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Nextcloud Passwords under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Passbolt and Nextcloud Passwords with Docker?
Passbolt: yes. Nextcloud Passwords: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Passbolt or Nextcloud Passwords?
Nextcloud Passwords has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Passbolt. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.