KeePassXC vs Pleasant Password Server (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 2.2.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
KeePassXC grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. Pleasant Password Server grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Pleasant Password Server
Self-hosted multi-user password server for KeePass clients
Which one is for you
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
Pick Pleasant Password Server if
- Fits if you want KeePass users sharing one vault on your own hardware
- Works for regulated or air-gapped setups that cannot use a hosted vault
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have no one to run a server, because there is no hosted version
- Not for you if you are one person: the price table starts at 5 users, so the floor is $55
- Pricey if you need more than Community, as Enterprise is $85 per user and Enterprise+SSO about $120
- Watch out: you get one year of upgrades, then pay for more, which the page puts under half the licence cost
- Tight if you want more than 15 users on the cheapest tier, which is not offered above that
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAKeePassXCGood | 2.2GPAPleasant Password ServerFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | B$11 per user one-time on Community, $55 for the 5-user minimum, which is under two years of the category's $2.99 middle subscription. Enterprise is $85 per user, so the cheap tier is the one to read. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe full desktop app and the KeePassXC-Browser extension both cost nothing. No paid tier, no account and nothing held back. | CThere is a free demo to download or try live, and the page gives no length or card requirement. No free plan, so a demo is all you get before paying. |
| Features | 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. | CRoles, KeePass and Password Safe clients, web client, mobile apps, MFA and a choice of database. The listing notes no hosted version and the administrator counts as a user. |
| Ease of use | 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. | DYou install and maintain the server yourself, which is configuration work before anyone saves a password. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, with Azure, RADIUS and YubiKey hooks. Those are sign-in hooks more than app integrations, so no A. |
| Best for | offline passwords on Windows, Mac and Linux | self-hosted shared KeePass vaults for a team |
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: KeePassXC and Pleasant Password Server. How we grade
Where they differ
- KeePassXC is open source, according to its own site.
- Pleasant Password Server is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- KeePassXC also covers passkeys.
At a glance
| KeePassXC | Pleasant Password Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $11 per user, one-time, from 5 users ($55) |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free demo: download the server or use the live demo |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | KeePassXC Team | Pleasant Solutions |
| Price read from | keepassxc.org | pleasantpasswords.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Pleasant Password Server
- Licenses include one year of upgrades; later upgrades and support are a separate plan costing under 50% of the license.
- The administrator counts as a user, and the price table starts at 5 users.
- The Community tier is not offered beyond 15 users in the price table.
- You host and maintain the server; there is no hosted version on the pricing page.
Key features
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.
Pleasant Password Server
- Self-hosted deployment
- Runs on infrastructure you control, including on-premises, private cloud, hybrid and air-gapped setups, with a perpetual-use license.
- KeePass and Password Safe clients
- A KeePass client for Windows is included, giving a familiar KeePass interface with multi-user support.
- Role-based access
- Administrators set access on single passwords or folders, group users into roles and enforce client policies.
- Many ways in
- A web client, a browser autofill extension, macOS and Linux clients, and Android and iOS apps.
- Multi-factor sign-in
- Supports authenticator apps (TOTP), biometrics, YubiKey, RADIUS and email codes, and can generate TOTP codes for stored entries.
- Choice of database
- The server can store data in SQLite, PostgreSQL, MSSQL or Azure SQL.
Plans
KeePassXC
Free$0
The full desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus the KeePassXC-Browser extension.
Pleasant Password Server
Community Edition$11
per user, one-time; $55 for 5 users
Lowest tier; offered for 5 to 15 users. Price per user falls with more users ($10.50 at 10).
Enterprise Edition$85
per user, one-time; $425 for 5 users
Falls to $77 per user at 20 users. Includes one year of upgrades.
Enterprise+$110.30
per user, one-time, at 10 users ($1,103)
Priced at $110.20 per user for 5 users as an introductory price; $102.30 at 20 users.
Enterprise+SSO$119.90
per user, one-time, at 10 users ($1,199)
Enterprise+ with Universal SSO; $119.80 per user at 5 users, $111.90 at 20.
Ways to pay less
KeePassXC
No public discounts listed.
Pleasant Password Server
- Other savings
90-day money-back guarantee
The purchase page says a full refund can be requested within 90 days if the server does not meet your needs.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, KeePassXC or Pleasant Password Server?
As of Nov 13, 2026, KeePassXC is free, and Pleasant Password Server starts at $11 per user, one-time, from 5 users ($55).
Which has a free plan, KeePassXC or Pleasant Password Server?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only KeePassXC has a free plan. Pleasant Password Server does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do KeePassXC and Pleasant Password Server run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Pleasant Password Server lists a web app and iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps and a browser extension. 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.