Spectre vs Vaultwarden
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Spectre
Stateless password manager that derives passwords on demand
VS
Vaultwarden
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password server
| Feature | Spectre | Vaultwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 200 | ★ 65,100 |
| First released | 2012 | 2018 |
| Replaces | 1Password, LastPass | 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane |
Why pick each one
Choose Vaultwarden if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Works with official apps
- Easy to deploy
Frequently asked questions
Is Spectre or Vaultwarden better?
Vaultwarden is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Spectre if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Spectre and Vaultwarden free and open-source?
Yes. Spectre is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Vaultwarden under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Spectre and Vaultwarden with Docker?
Spectre: check the project docs for container support. Vaultwarden: yes.