Codebook vs KeePass (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Codebook grades higher than KeePass: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Codebook grades higher on ease of use and platforms. KeePass grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Codebook
Password manager from Zetetic, free for personal use
Which one is for you
Pick Codebook if
- Fits if you want a free password app for personal use
- Works for households that want shared entries through a family plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want automatic sync, as that needs Codebook Cloud from $5 a month
- Not for you if you use it at work, since the free app is non-commercial only
- Watch out: the Cloud price is only 'starting at $5' with no billing basis stated
- Too light for browsers, as there is no extension
- Skip it if you run Linux, where Windows version runs under Wine
Pick KeePass if
- Fits if you're on Windows and want a free password manager with no account
- Works for carrying passwords on a USB stick, since it runs from one and creates no registry keys
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want passwords on your phone without fuss, as the mobile apps are unofficial ports
- Not for you if you expect sync to just happen, because there's no hosted service
- Too light for people who want Windows Hello or two-factor codes built in, since those need plugins
- Tight if you're on a Mac or Linux, where it runs through Mono rather than as a native app
- Watch out: KeePass 1.x is in maintenance only, and no passkeys or browser extension are on record
How we grade them
| 3.0GPACodebookVery good | 2.8GPAKeePassGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for personal use, and a program anyone can download and run counts as free. Codebook Cloud starts at $5 a month, but you can skip it. | AFree and open source under the GPL, for personal and company use alike, where paid password managers here start at $2.49 a month and sit at $2.99 in the middle. The author takes donations and that's it. |
| Free plan and trial | BA person could live on the free app with manual sync. Business use needs a paid licence. | AEverything is free: both editions, the installer, the portable ZIP and the full source code. No paid tier, no account and no cap to walk into. |
| Features | CEntries, an authenticator and password review. Automatic sync and sharing need Cloud, and there is no browser extension. | CThe database side covers AES-256 or ChaCha20, a master password, key file or both, Auto-Type to fill logins, and import from 35-odd formats. But its own FAQ shows the holes. No hosted sync, no passkeys on record, and Windows Hello unlock and two-factor codes come from other people's plugins. |
| Ease of use | BAn installed app that you start using, with no store rating on record. | CNo rating on record, and this one asks something of you. On Windows it runs without being installed, but Auto-Type sequences are yours to set up, half the conveniences are plugins, and a second device means keeping copies of the file in step by hand. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows, iPhone and Android, with Dropbox and Google Drive sync. No native Linux app, and no browser extension. | CComputers only. Windows officially, with Linux and macOS running version 2.x through Mono, and the Android and iOS apps are unofficial ports by other people. No hosted sync, no browser extension and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | a free personal vault with manual sync | a free password file you keep yourself on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Codebook and KeePass. How we grade
Price against what you get
Codebook starts at $5 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. KeePass has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Codebook scores higher, and starts $5 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other password managers on the chart, 13 score higher than Codebook for less, and none scores higher than KeePass for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- KeePass is open source, according to its own site.
- Codebook also covers file sharing.
At a glance
| Codebook | KeePass | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $5 per month (Codebook Cloud sync subscription) | Free |
| Free plan | The Codebook app is free for personal, non-commercial use, with manual sync through Dropbox, Google Drive or desktop Wi-Fi. | Free and open source under the GPL, for personal and company use, with no fees. The author accepts donations. |
| Free trial | Codebook Cloud is described as free to try; the page does not state the length | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Zetetic, LLC | Dominik Reichl |
| Price read from | zetetic.net | keepass.info |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Codebook
- Automatic sync and secure sharing need a paid Codebook Cloud subscription; free sync is manual.
- Business use requires a business license; the free app is for non-commercial use only.
- The Codebook Cloud price is shown only as starting at $5 per month, with no billing basis stated.
- There is no native Linux app; the Windows version runs under Wine, and there is no browser extension.
KeePass
- The official program is built for Windows. On Linux and macOS it runs through Mono, and the Android and iOS apps are unofficial contributed ports.
- There is no hosted sync service: you keep copies of the database in step yourself, for example through a cloud-storage folder.
- Extras such as Windows Hello unlock, one-time-password keys and additional ciphers rely on third-party plugins.
- KeePass 1.x is in maintenance only; the site says to use 2.x if in doubt.
Key features
Codebook
- Flexible entries and fields
- Data is organized into categories, entries and fields with labels you define; field labels control behavior, such as opening a URL or dialing a number.
- Encrypted database
- Data is stored with SQLCipher, using AES-256-CBC with HMAC-SHA512 and 256,000 rounds of PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA512 for key derivation, per the vendor.
- Autofill and built-in authenticator
- Fills logins through Password AutoFill on Android, iOS and macOS, and generates TOTP verification codes for sites that use 2-step verification.
- Password review
- Checks passwords against online breaches through HaveIBeenPwned and flags weak ones; a random password generator includes a DiceWare option.
- Codebook Cloud sync and sharing
- The subscription service syncs automatically in the background and shares entries with trusted contacts and Family Plan members.
- Images and PDFs
- Stores image and PDF files, such as scans of passports or insurance policies, alongside password entries.
KeePass
- Encrypted database file
- All entries live in one database file encrypted with AES-256 or ChaCha20. The complete database is encrypted, including user names and notes, not only the passwords.
- Master password, key file or both
- A database opens with a master password, a key file or the two combined. KeePass 2.x can also lock a database to the current Windows user account.
- Auto-Type
- Types an entry's details into dialogs and web forms with a customizable sequence, and a global hot key finds the matching entry while KeePass runs in the background.
- Portable
- Runs from a USB stick without being installed, creates no registry keys and keeps its settings inside its own directory.
- Plugins
- A plugin architecture lets other developers add functions such as extra import and export formats, more encryption algorithms and additional key sources.
- Synchronization and import
- KeePass 2.x merges changes made in several copies of a database, including files reached over FTP, HTTP or WebDAV, and imports more than 35 formats out of the box.
Plans
Codebook
Codebook$0
The app on Android, iOS, macOS and Windows for personal use, with manual sync through Dropbox, Google Drive or Wi-Fi.
Codebook Cloud$5
per month, billing basis not shown, starting price
Automatic sync and secure sharing. Zetetic also lists a family plan; its price is not shown on the pages read.
Codebook for Business$5
per user / month, billed annually
Business license covering Codebook Cloud for every user; sold through sales, with volume discounts.
KeePass
Free$0
Both editions, KeePass 1.x and 2.x, as an installer or a portable ZIP package, with the full source code.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Codebook or KeePass?
As of Nov 13, 2026, KeePass is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $5 a month for Codebook. Codebook starts at $5 per month (Codebook Cloud sync subscription), and KeePass is free.
Which has a free plan, Codebook or KeePass?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Codebook and KeePass have a free plan.
Which platforms do Codebook and KeePass run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Codebook lists iOS and Android apps and only KeePass lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.