OnlyKey vs Passbolt (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Passbolt grades higher than OnlyKey: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
OnlyKey grades higher on value for money and ease of use. Passbolt grades higher on the free plan and 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.
OnlyKey
USB hardware password manager and two-factor security key
Passbolt
Open-source password manager for teams, self-hosted or cloud
Which one is for you
Pick OnlyKey if
- Fits if you want a hardware key and password storage in one device
- Works for people who want no software and a one-time purchase
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you lose things: without a backup key your passwords are gone, hence the two-pack
- Not for you if you want sync or a phone app, as none is listed
- Watch out: shipping is extra, and prices show in local currency
- Tight if you want browser autofill, as no extension is listed
Pick Passbolt if
- Fits if your team has someone who runs servers and wants open-source code
- Works for data that must stay in the EU, or secrets pulled into pipelines through an API
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're one person, because no paid plan is aimed at individuals
- Pricey if you're a team of three or four, as every paid plan bills for at least 10 users
- Not for you if nobody wants to maintain a server and you won't pay, since free means self-hosted
- Tight if you stay free, as single sign-on, LDAP, account recovery and the activity log are paid
- Watch out: the browser extension is required, the desktop app is Windows only, and offline mode is beta
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAOnlyKeyFair | 2.2GPAPassboltFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$65.99 one-time equals the category's middle one-time price, under two years of a $2.99 subscription. | CPro and Cloud Business are both $4.90 a user a month billed annually, above the $3.99 where this category's dear quarter begins, and every paid plan bills for at least 10 users, so a team of three pays $588 a year. The free Community Edition costs nothing, if you host it. |
| Free plan and trial | FA physical device with no free plan and no trial. | BThe Community Edition is free for unlimited users, with sharing, folders, groups, mobile apps and the API, so a team could really live on it. You have to install and maintain it yourself, and single sign-on, account recovery and the activity log are paid. |
| Features | CPassword storage, 2FA, SSH and encryption. No sync, no phone app and no browser extension. | CSharing covers passwords, one-time codes and notes shared with users and groups under fine-grained permissions, plus an API and CLI that feed secrets into pipelines. But its own pages name the rough edges. The browser extension is required, the desktop app is Windows only, and offline mode is still beta. |
| Ease of use | BIt works without installing software, which keeps setup short. No store rating on record. | DNo rating on record, and the free route is a Linux server, a Docker container or a virtual machine that someone has to keep running. Paying to have it hosted means at least 10 seats, and either way everyone has to install the browser extension before anything works. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook, computers only. No phone app or extension on the pages read. | BWeb, iPhone, Android, browser extensions, an open API and a CLI, with hooks into Active Directory, OpenLDAP and OpenID. The desktop app is Windows only, though, so Mac and Linux people live in the browser. |
| Best for | a USB key that holds passwords and works as 2FA | open-source team passwords you can host yourself |
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: OnlyKey and Passbolt. How we grade
Where they differ
- OnlyKey can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Passbolt is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
At a glance
| OnlyKey | Passbolt | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | $65.99 one-time (single device) | $4.90 per user / month, billed annually (Pro, 10-user minimum) |
| Free plan | None | Community Edition: free and open source under AGPLv3 for unlimited users, self-hosted on your own server, with password sharing, folders, users and groups, mobile apps and community support. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial of the self-hosted Pro Edition; 7-day free trial of Cloud Business |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | OnlyKey | Passbolt SA |
| Price read from | onlykey.io | passbolt.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
OnlyKey
- It is a physical device: losing it without a backup means relying on a second key, which is why a two-pack is sold.
- Store prices are shown in the visitor's local currency; the dollar figures were read from the US version of the pages.
- No sync service, mobile app or browser extension is listed on the product pages.
- Shipping is extra and calculated at checkout; the vendor also points US buyers to Amazon.
Passbolt
- Every paid plan has a 10-user minimum, and there is no paid plan aimed at individuals.
- The free Community Edition has to be installed and maintained on your own server and comes with community support only.
- The browser extension is required to use Passbolt, the desktop app is listed for Windows only and offline mode is labeled beta.
- Single sign-on, LDAP provisioning, account recovery and the activity log are not part of the Community Edition.
Key features
OnlyKey
- Hardware password manager
- Plugged into a computer, it types the username and password at the press of a button, so credentials need no browser extension or app.
- PIN entered on the device
- The unlock PIN is typed on the key itself, and the vendor says all data is securely erased after 10 failed attempts.
- Two-factor authentication
- Supports FIDO2 and U2F, Yubico OTP, TOTP and challenge-response methods.
- Encryption and SSH
- Acts as a file and message encryption token; the DUO model is listed for SSH and OpenPGP use as well.
- Rugged build
- The vendor lists a waterproof, tamper-resistant case rated IP68 and MIL-STD-810G.
- Works on several operating systems
- The vendor lists Windows, macOS, Linux and Chromebook support.
Passbolt
- Granular credential sharing
- Shares passwords, TOTP codes and encrypted notes with individual users and groups, organized in private and shared folders under role-based access control.
- End-to-end encryption
- Passbolt says secrets are end-to-end encrypted through a public-private key architecture, and it requires its browser extension in order to guarantee that.
- Self-hosted or cloud
- Install it on your own Linux server with packages, a Docker container or a virtual machine, or use Passbolt Cloud, which the company hosts in the EU.
- Open source, paid editions included
- The Community, Pro and Enterprise editions are all distributed under AGPLv3, so the entire source code is available to inspect and modify.
- API and command line interface
- An open API and a CLI let DevOps teams create, retrieve and rotate secrets and inject them into CI/CD pipelines as environment variables.
- SSO, directory sync and audit log
- Paid editions add single sign-on with Microsoft, Google and OpenID, LDAP and Active Directory provisioning, account recovery and an activity log.
Plans
OnlyKey
OnlyKey$65.99
one-time
One device. Shown on the product page at $65.99 against a crossed-out $69.99, with no end date given.
OnlyKey DUO$65.99
one-time
One device with both USB-A and USB-C connectors; also supports SSH and OpenPGP.
Two OnlyKey bundle$99.99
one-time
Two devices, sold so that you have a backup.
Passbolt
Community Edition$0
Self-hosted and open source with unlimited users: sharing, private and shared folders, groups, browser extensions, CLI, open API and community support.
Pro Edition$4.90
per user / month, billed annually
Self-hosted, minimum 10 users. Adds LDAP provisioning, single sign-on, account recovery, an activity log, tags and next-business-day support.
Cloud Business$4.90
per user / month, billed annually ($5.40 billed monthly)
Hosted by Passbolt in Belgium and Germany, minimum 10 users, with a yearly database backup and next-business-day email support.
Cloud Sovereign$8
per user / month, billed annually
Hosted in a sovereign private data center in Luxembourg with ISO 27001 certified hosting. Minimum 10 users.
Enterprise EditionCustom
Self-hosted, with high-availability and disaster-recovery consulting, custom feature development and a 4-hour support SLA.
Cloud EnterpriseCustom
Isolated hosting in Luxembourg with a custom domain, custom backup policies, 24/7 SOC monitoring and a 4-hour support SLA.
Ways to pay less
OnlyKey
No public discounts listed.
Passbolt
- Annual discount
10% off Cloud Business with yearly billing
Cloud Business costs $5.40 per user a month billed monthly or $4.90 billed annually; the pricing page labels yearly billing as 10% off.
- Nonprofit
Discounts for non-profits and education
Non-profits, charities, foundations, associations and educational institutions can request a discount on Passbolt Pro or Cloud. The amount is at Passbolt's discretion.
- Other savings
Discounts for open source projects
Maintainers and contributors of public open source projects and communities can request a discount through the same form.
- Other savings
Volume discounts above 100 users
The Pro Edition pricing notes that volume discounts apply after 100 users, arranged through a quote.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OnlyKey or Passbolt?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OnlyKey starts at $65.99 one-time (single device), and Passbolt starts at $4.90 per user / month, billed annually (Pro, 10-user minimum).
Which has a free plan, OnlyKey or Passbolt?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Passbolt has a free plan. OnlyKey does not.
Which platforms do OnlyKey and Passbolt run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OnlyKey lists macOS and Linux apps and only Passbolt lists a web app, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. Both list a Windows app. 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.