Passky Server 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 | Passky Server | Nextcloud Passwords |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 32 · At risk | 57 · Fair |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 244 | ★ 249 |
| First released | 2021 | 2018 |
| Replaces | LastPass, Bitwarden | LastPass, Bitwarden |
What are Passky Server and Nextcloud Passwords?
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
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
Passky Server vs Nextcloud Passwords: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Passky Server versus AGPL-3.0 for Nextcloud Passwords. Passky Server is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Nextcloud Passwords. Nextcloud Passwords is the more established project (first released 2018), while Passky Server arrived in 2021.
Why pick each one
Choose Passky Server if…
- Very easy to set up
- Minimal footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller community and ecosystem
Choose Nextcloud Passwords if…
- Integrates with Nextcloud
- Strong feature set
Watch out for
- Requires Nextcloud
- Tied to PHP stack
Frequently asked questions
Is Passky Server or Nextcloud Passwords better?
Neither is universally better. Nextcloud Passwords has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Passky Server and Nextcloud Passwords free and open-source?
Yes. Passky Server is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Nextcloud Passwords under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Passky Server and Nextcloud Passwords with Docker?
Passky Server: yes. Nextcloud Passwords: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Passky Server or Nextcloud Passwords?
Passky Server has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Nextcloud Passwords. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.