gopass vs KeePassXC (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick KeePassXC: it is third in our ranking of password managers, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
KeePassXC grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick gopass if
- Fits if you work in a terminal and keep secrets in Git
- Makes sense if a small team shares credentials through an encrypted store
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a graphical app or a click-through setup
- Watch out: browser fill depends on the gopass-bridge add-on
- Skip it if you need phone apps, as the site lists none
- Tight if you do not want to run GPG keys and a Git remote
Pick KeePassXC if
- Fits if you want your passwords in a local file, with nothing kept on anyone's servers
- Works for moving between Windows, macOS and Linux with SSH keys and one-time codes next to your logins
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one app on your phone too, as there's no mobile version
- Not for you if you expect sync out of the box, because you place the file in a cloud folder yourself
- Tight if you rely on KeePass 2 plugins, which aren't supported and probably never will be
- Watch out: current downloads need macOS 12 or 64-bit Windows 10 or 11; older systems need legacy builds
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAgopassGood | 2.8GPAKeePassXCGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source with no paid plans, well under 60% of the cheaper quarter. | AFree and open source under the GPLv3, with no ads, no subscriptions and no paid tier, where the middle paid password manager here wants $2.99 a month. The team takes donations to cover its costs. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no plan, no cap and no account to open. | AThe full desktop app and the KeePassXC-Browser extension both cost nothing. No paid tier, no account and nothing held back. |
| Features | CIt covers storing and sharing secrets from a terminal. Browser fill relies on a separate add-on and the site lists no graphical app. | CThe vault covers encryption with a key file or YubiKey on top of the master password, passkeys, one-time codes, SSH keys, Auto-Type, a health report, an independent audit and an ANSSI certification. But the project names two holes in the basics: no mobile app, and no sync of any kind. |
| Ease of use | DSetup needs GPG and a Git remote you set up yourself. No store rating on record. | CNo rating on record, and there are a few steps before it does anything: install it, create the database, pair the browser extension, then put the file in Dropbox, Google Drive or Nextcloud yourself if you want it on a second machine. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac, Linux and Windows plus a browser add-on. No phone apps listed, so it is a computer-only tool. | CComputers only: Windows, macOS and Linux, with an extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Vivaldi, Brave and Tor Browser. No mobile app at all, with the team pointing you at KeePassDX on Android and Strongbox on iOS. |
| Best for | terminal users sharing passwords through Git | offline passwords on Windows, Mac and Linux |
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: gopass and KeePassXC. How we grade
Price against what you get
gopass has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. KeePassXC has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
KeePassXC scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other password managers on the chart, none scores higher than gopass for less, and none scores higher than KeePassXC 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
- gopass is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- KeePassXC also covers passkeys.
In commonFree planmacOSLinuxWindowsBrowser extensionOpen sourcePassword manager
At a glance
| gopass | KeePassXC | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source, with no paid plans. | Free and open source under the GPLv3 license, with no ads, no subscriptions and no paid tier. The team accepts donations to cover its expenses. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | gopass project | KeePassXC Team |
| Price read from | gopass.pw | keepassxc.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
gopass
- There is no graphical app on the site; browser fill depends on the gopass-bridge add-on.
- Setup needs GPG and a Git remote that you configure yourself.
- The site lists no mobile apps.
KeePassXC
- There is no mobile app. The team points to third-party KeePass-compatible apps such as KeePassDX on Android and Strongbox on iOS.
- Cloud sync is not built in: you place the database file in a service such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Nextcloud yourself.
- KeePass 2 plugins are not supported, and the team says they probably never will be.
- The current downloads target macOS 12 or later and 64-bit Windows 10 or 11; older systems need legacy builds.
Key features
gopass
- Command-line first
- Commands such as list, show and generate cover everyday use, so a password can be fetched without leaving the terminal.
- GPG encryption
- Secrets are encrypted with GnuPG, and the site says data is stored locally and private keys stay on your machine.
- Git versioning
- The store is versioned with Git, giving a history of changes and a way to sync secrets across devices.
- Team and family sharing
- Secrets can be shared with other people while keeping them encrypted.
- Add-ons
- gopass-bridge fills passwords in Firefox and Chrome, git-credential-gopass serves Git tokens, and gopass-hibp checks for exposed passwords.
KeePassXC
- Offline encrypted database
- Passwords live in a local KDBX file encrypted with AES-256 or Twofish. A key file or a YubiKey can be added to the master password to strengthen the key.
- Browser extension
- KeePassXC-Browser links the desktop app to Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Chromium, Vivaldi, Brave and Tor Browser and fills usernames, passwords and TOTP codes.
- Passkeys
- Supports passkeys through the browser integration; the user guide covers creating a new passkey and logging in with one.
- Auto-Type
- Types passwords into other applications. The user guide covers global and entry-level Auto-Type and configurable typing sequences.
- One-time codes and password generator
- Stores TOTP secrets and generates the codes, creates random passwords and word-based passphrases, and reports on password health.
- Audit and certification
- An independent security audit was completed in January 2023, and version 2.7.9 received a first-level security certification (CSPN) from France's ANSSI.
Plans
gopass
Free$0
The full command-line tool, installed with a package manager such as Homebrew or pacman.
KeePassXC
Free$0
The full desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus the KeePassXC-Browser extension.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, gopass or KeePassXC?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both gopass and KeePassXC are free to use.
Which has a free plan, gopass or KeePassXC?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both gopass and KeePassXC have a free plan.
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.