Passbolt vs Psono
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
Psono
Self-hosted password manager for teams
| Feature | Passbolt | Psono |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,136 | ★ 700 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass |
What are Passbolt and Psono?
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
Psono
Psono is a self-hosted, open-source password manager focused on secure secret sharing for teams and enterprises. It targets organizations needing granular credential management. It is deployed via Docker.
- Granular secret sharing
- Client-side encryption
- LDAP and SAML support
- Browser extensions and apps
Passbolt vs Psono: key differences
Passbolt is written in PHP, while Psono is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Passbolt versus Apache-2.0 for Psono. Psono 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 700.
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 Psono if…
- Strong sharing controls
- Enterprise auth support
- Open source
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Setup takes effort
Frequently asked questions
Is Passbolt or Psono 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 Psono free and open-source?
Yes. Passbolt is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Psono under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Passbolt and Psono with Docker?
Passbolt: yes. Psono: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Passbolt or Psono?
Psono 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.