KeePass vs pass (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, KeePass grades higher than pass: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
KeePass 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 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
Pick pass if
- Fits if you live in a terminal and already use GPG and Git
- Works for people who want plain encrypted files they control
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a graphical app, as there is no official one
- Skip it if you are on Windows, which relies on a third-party client
- Watch out: syncing is your job, through Git or file copying
- Too light for sharing with a team, as the site describes no team features
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAKeePassGood | 2.6GPApassGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | AFree software under GPLv2 or later with no paid plans, which sits under 60% of the cheaper quarter in a category where most tools charge $2.99. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | ANo plan, no cap and no account. You download it and use it. |
| Features | 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. | CIt does the job of storing, generating and copying passwords, in a smaller scope than a full manager. Sharing and team features are not described on the site. |
| Ease of use | 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. | DYou work in a terminal and set up GPG keys and Git yourself. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | CLinux and Mac, as the site describes, plus community clients such as qtpass, browserpass and passff. No official phone or Windows app. |
| Best for | a free password file you keep yourself on Windows | command-line people who already use GPG and Git |
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: KeePass and pass. How we grade
Price against what you get
KeePass has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. pass has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
KeePass scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other password managers on the chart, none scores higher than KeePass for less, and none scores higher than pass 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
In commonFree planLinuxmacOSOpen sourcePassword manager
At a glance
| KeePass | pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the GPL, for personal and company use, with no fees. The author accepts donations. | Free software under GPLv2 or later with no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Dominik Reichl | Jason A. Donenfeld |
| Price read from | keepass.info | passwordstore.org |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
pass
- It has no official graphical app; phone apps and browser plugins come from other projects.
- The site describes it for Linux, BSD and Mac OS X; Windows use relies on a third-party client.
- You manage your own GPG keys and any syncing through Git or file copying.
- Sharing and team features are not described on the site.
Key features
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.
pass
- One GPG file per password
- Each entry is an encrypted file named for the site or resource, kept in folders under a single password-store directory.
- Git history
- The store can be tracked with Git, which records changes to passwords and helps copy the store between machines.
- Generate and copy
- Commands add, edit, generate and retrieve passwords, and can put one on the clipboard and clear it after 45 seconds.
- Plain Unix workflow
- Works alongside normal shell commands, with completion for bash, zsh and fish and a man page for documentation.
- Community clients
- The site lists third-party tools, including a cross-platform GUI, Android and iOS apps, and Firefox and Chrome plugins.
Plans
KeePass
Free$0
Both editions, KeePass 1.x and 2.x, as an installer or a portable ZIP package, with the full source code.
pass
Free$0
The full command-line tool; third-party clients and extensions listed on the site are separate projects.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, KeePass or pass?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both KeePass and pass are free to use.
Which has a free plan, KeePass or pass?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both KeePass and pass have a free plan.
Which platforms do KeePass and pass run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only KeePass lists a Windows app. Both list macOS and Linux 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.