🔐 security

Proton Pass costs $6/mo.
These cost $0.

8 free alternatives to Proton Pass, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

⚡ Quick Verdict · 2027 Guide

The top-rated free, open-source replacement for Proton Pass is Vaultwarden (AGPL-3.0 Open Source). Across this category, 6 self-hostable tools are available (including Vaultwarden and KeePassXC). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $360/year compared to Proton Pass's $6/mo subscription.

The catch: It is unofficial and may lag Bitwarden's proprietary or enterprise features, while support, backups and uptime move to you.

See the 8 picks ↓

Proton Pass vs Free Alternatives

Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $6/mo

Alternative	Type	License	Where It Runs	Stars	Head-to-Head
Vaultwarden	open source	AGPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 70.4k	Proton Pass vs Vaultwarden →
KeePassXC	open source	GPL-2.0+	Self-host	★ 29.8k	Proton Pass vs KeePassXC →
Bitwarden	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 20.6k	Proton Pass vs Bitwarden →
Passbolt	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 6.2k	Proton Pass vs Passbolt →
Padloc	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 2.9k	Proton Pass vs Padloc →
TeamPass	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 1.9k	Proton Pass vs TeamPass →
PearPass	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 543	Proton Pass vs PearPass →
Psono	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 104	Proton Pass vs Psono →

The picks

8 open source · ranked by fit

01
Vaultwarden
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host
70.4knov 2026
Unofficial Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust, built for self-hosting on low-resource hardware without sacrificing client compatibility.
The catch vs Proton Pass
It is unofficial and may lag Bitwarden's proprietary or enterprise features, while support, backups and uptime move to you.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopmobilewebself-hostedextensiondocker to self-host
install
Docker or Podman container with a persistent /data volume and a reverse proxy for HTTPS
setup
Docker, a domain and HTTPS reverse proxy are the easy part; backups, upgrades and outages become the user's responsibility
your data
Client-encrypted Bitwarden-compatible vault data stored in SQLite by default, or MySQL/PostgreSQL, with attachments and configuration in the persistent volume
checked
2026-11-07
Visit github.com ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 6 other apps →
02
KeePassXC
open sourceGPL-2.0+Self-host
29.8knov 2026
KeePassXC is an open-source password manager that securely stores and manages sensitive information across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The catch vs Proton Pass
It trades Bitwarden's built-in sync, sharing and account recovery for a single vault file that you must synchronize and back up safely yourself.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopextensionone-click install
install
Native Windows, macOS and Linux package
setup
There is no built-in sync, sharing or recovery, so the user must choose a sync method and manage conflicts and backups
your data
One encrypted KDBX database file on disk; syncing means placing that file in a separate cloud or shared-folder service
checked
2026-11-07
Visit keepassxc.org ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 8 other apps →
03
Bitwarden
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
20.6knov 2026
Bitwarden is an open source password manager that securely stores, shares, and autofills passwords across unlimited devices.
The catch vs Proton Pass
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed 1Password.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/bitwarden/server or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit bitwarden.com ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 5 other apps →
04
Passbolt
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
6.2knov 2026
Open source password manager focused on security, collaboration and privacy for organizations
The catch vs Proton Pass
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Proton Pass.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/passbolt/passbolt_api or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit passbolt.com ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 2 other apps →
05
Padloc
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
2.9knov 2026
Open-source password manager with end-to-end encryption for passwords, credit cards, notes, and documents. Cross-platform sync with secure sharing capabilities.
The catch vs Proton Pass
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/padloc/padloc or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit padloc.app ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 2 other apps →
06
TeamPass
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
1.9knov 2026
Collaborative password manager with folder-level access control, AES-256-GCM encryption, governance tools, and Linux password rotation, runs on your own servers.
The catch vs Proton Pass
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Proton Pass.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/nilsteampassnet/TeamPass or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit teampass.net ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 2 other apps →
07
PearPass
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
543nov 2026
Open-source password manager with peer-to-peer syncing, local storage, and end-to-end encryption. No cloud servers, complete privacy control across devices.
The catch vs Proton Pass
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/tetherto/pearpass-app-desktop or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit pass.pears.com ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 2 other apps →
08
Psono
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
104nov 2026
Team-focused password manager with client-side encryption, SAML, LDAP, audit logs, and compliance policies. Self-host on your own servers or use as SaaS.
The catch vs Proton Pass
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Proton Pass.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://gitlab.com/esaqa/psono/psono-server or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit psono.com ↗Source Compare vs Proton Pass →also replaces 2 other apps →

Proton Pass Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)

Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns · 8 free alternatives

Proton Pass vs VaultwardenAGPL-3.0 · Self-host →

Proton Pass vs KeePassXCGPL-2.0+ · Self-host →

Proton Pass vs BitwardenOpen Source · Self-host →

Proton Pass vs PassboltOpen Source · Self-host →

Proton Pass vs PadlocOpen Source · Local →

Proton Pass vs TeamPassOpen Source · Self-host →

Proton Pass vs PearPassOpen Source · Local →

Proton Pass vs PsonoOpen Source · Self-host →

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers · Proton Pass open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to Proton Pass?+

The top free alternative to Proton Pass is Vaultwarden (open source, AGPL-3.0). Unofficial Bitwarden-compatible server written in Rust, built for self-hosting on low-resource hardware without sacrificing client compatibility. Other popular Proton Pass replacements include KeePassXC, Bitwarden, Passbolt.

Can I self-host a free replacement for Proton Pass?+

Yes. Of the 8 free alternatives to Proton Pass, 6 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Vaultwarden (AGPL-3.0), KeePassXC (GPL-2.0+), Bitwarden (Open Source), Passbolt (Open Source), TeamPass (Open Source), Psono (Open Source).

How much does switching from Proton Pass to a free alternative save?+

Proton Pass starts at $6/month per seat ($72/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Vaultwarden saves $360 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own Proton Pass clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for Proton Pass is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for Proton Pass or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 8 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Vaultwarden.

What is the catch when switching from Proton Pass to Vaultwarden?+

It is unofficial and may lag Bitwarden's proprietary or enterprise features, while support, backups and uptime move to you.