keepassxc
KeePassXC is a cross-platform community-driven port of the Windows application “KeePass Password Safe”.
The Lens
By Erik Loyd, SaaS CEO and former COO/CFO of an AWS Premier Partner.
Updated Oct 2026
KeePassXC is the password manager with no server, no account and no subscription. Your vault is one encrypted KDBX file on your own disk, and the app runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux. Browser autofill, passkeys, TOTP codes, an SSH agent, YubiKey support and a password generator are all free. France's cybersecurity agency ANSSI certified version 2.7.9.
There is nothing to host. Sync is your job: put the file in Syncthing, iCloud or Dropbox, and version 2.8.0 (October) can also merge with remote copies through external tools. KeePassXC is desktop only, so phones need a KDBX app like KeePassDX on Android or Strongbox and KeePassium on iOS.
Solo users who want full control should start here. Small groups can share folders of entries through KeeShare, which syncs via shared files, but there are no roles, no admin console and no clean offboarding. A team canceling LastPass or 1Password wants Bitwarden or Passbolt.
The catch is that you are the sync infrastructure and the recovery plan. Lose the file or the master password and nobody can help. Also update: 2.8.0 fixed five published advisories, including a browser-extension bug that allowed limited data exfiltration.
Free vs Self-Hosted vs Paid
fully freeFree: Everything. GPL-2.0 or GPL-3.0, no premium features, no cloud plan, no upsell. Browser integration, passkeys, TOTP, SSH agent, YubiKey/OnlyKey challenge-response, KeeShare group sharing, database reports with HIBP checks, CLI, and import from CSV, 1Password, Bitwarden and Proton Pass.
Self-hosted: Not applicable. It's a desktop app and the vault is a local file. Cross-device sync rides on whatever file sync you already use, and 2.8.0 added syncing with remote databases through external tools. Mobile access comes from third-party KDBX apps (KeePassDX on Android; Strongbox and KeePassium on iOS, both of which also sell Pro versions).
Paid: Nothing. The project takes donations. The trade is responsibility instead of money: backups, sync and recovery are entirely on you.
Completely free with no paid tier. You pay in responsibility: sync, backups and recovery are on you.
What to do by team size
- Solo
- free
- Small team
- free for a few people sharing groups via KeeShare; clumsy past that
- Medium team
- Use a server-based manager like Bitwarden or Passbolt; KeePassXC has no roles or admin console
- Large team
- Use a server-based manager like Bitwarden or Passbolt
Get tools like this every Wednesday
One featured tool, three on the radar. No fluff.
Similar Tools
A low score is not a verdict on quality. Young and niche tools start low by design. How we calculate scores
License: GNU General Public License v3.0
Dual GPL-2.0 or GPL-3.0 at your option, with bundled third-party licenses; GitHub reports Other.
Commercial use: ✓ Yes
About
- Owner
- keepassxreboot (Organization)
- Stars
- 29,944
- Forks
- 2,029
Explore Further
More tools in the directory
rea
Reverse engineer anything with agents, from app behavior down to native binaries.
453.7k ★openclaw
Your own personal AI assistant. Any OS. Any Platform. The lobster way. 🦞
394.4k ★everything-claude-code
The agent harness performance optimization system. Skills, instincts, memory, security, and research-first development for Claude Code, Codex, Opencode, Cursor and beyond.
301.6k ★