The pass Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about pass in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
pass
The Insider’s Guide
Unix command-line password manager built on GPG and Git
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among password managers, read from pass’s own pages.
Made by Jason A. Donenfeld · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from pass’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on pass’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 21 of the 49 other password managers we grade
pass stores each password in its own GPG-encrypted file under a folder in your home directory. It is a short shell script that works with ordinary Unix tools: files can be organized in folders, copied between machines and tracked with Git. It is free software under GPLv2 or later.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about pass, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You work in a terminal and set up GPG keys and Git yourself.
- 1
Best for command-line people who already use GPG and Git
pass keeps one encrypted file per password and uses Git for history, all from a terminal.
- 2
It is free
pass has no paid plan at all. Free software under GPLv2 or later with no paid plans.
- 3
It runs on 2 platforms
Linux and macOS.
- 4
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.
- 5
Git history
The store can be tracked with Git, which records changes to passwords and helps copy the store between machines.
- 6
Generate and copy
Commands add, edit, generate and retrieve passwords, and can put one on the clipboard and clear it after 45 seconds.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 21 of 49
That is against the other password managers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
pass is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
pass at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Linux
- Made by
- Jason A. Donenfeld
- Category
- Password Managers
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for command-line people who already use GPG and Git
pass keeps one encrypted file per password and uses Git for history, all from a terminal. It costs nothing, but there is no official app, you manage your own GPG keys and syncing, and phones and browsers rely on other people's projects.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free 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 | A | No plan, no cap and no account. You download it and use it. |
| Features | C | It 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 | D | You work in a terminal and set up GPG keys and Git yourself. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Linux and Mac, as the site describes, plus community clients such as qtpass, browserpass and passff. No official phone or Windows app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who pass is for
- Fits if you live in a terminal and already use GPG and Git
- Works for people who want plain encrypted files they control
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Command-line users who already work with GPG and Git
- People who want plain encrypted files they fully control
- Developers who script password retrieval
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
pass is free to use.
Free
$0
The full command-line tool; third-party clients and extensions listed on the site are separate projects.
The free plan
Free software under GPLv2 or later with no paid plans.
Read from passwordstore.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and Linux
Unix command-line password manager built on GPG and Git. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, password manager.
It does the job of storing, generating and copying passwords, in a smaller scope than a full manager.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Linux
What it works with
- GnuPG
- Git
- qtpass
- browserpass
- passff
pass is made by Jason A. Donenfeld.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
21/49
Other password managers it is graded above
pass's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 21 of the 49 other password managers we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 38 of 49) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
pass has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 50 password managers we grade, cut by the letter each got. pass’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 49
- AFree plan and trialAbove 37 of 49
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 49
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 49
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 49
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 38 password managers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. pass is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
pass is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
- A real app for macOS and Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, GnuPG, Git and qtpass among them.
What this rests on. pass’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
gopass, KeePassXC, KeePass, Passbolt and Bitwarden
The 5 tools pass is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
gopass
Free
Command-line password manager built on Git and GPG.
- Only gopass lists a Windows app.
- Only gopass lists a browser extension.
- gopass is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
KeePassXC
Free
Free, open-source offline password manager for desktop.
- Only KeePassXC lists a Windows app.
- Only KeePassXC lists a browser extension.
- KeePassXC also covers passkeys.
- 2.8GPA
KeePass
Free
Free, open-source password manager for Windows with plugins.
- Only KeePass lists a Windows app.
- 2.2GPA
Passbolt
Free plan · from $4.90/mo
Open-source password manager for teams, self-hosted or cloud.
- Only pass lists Linux and macOS apps.
- Only Passbolt lists a web app.
- Only Passbolt lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- 3.8GPA
Bitwarden
Free plan · from $1.65/mo
Open-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting.
- Only Bitwarden lists a web app.
- Only Bitwarden lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Bitwarden lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is pass free?
Yes. pass is free to use. Free software under GPLv2 or later with no paid plans.
How much does pass cost?
pass lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does pass work on?
pass is available on Linux and macOS.
Does pass have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. pass is listed for Linux and macOS.
Does pass have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. pass is listed for Linux and macOS.
Is pass open source?
Yes. pass is open source, according to its own site.
What does pass integrate with?
pass's listing names GnuPG, Git, qtpass, browserpass and passff. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes pass?
pass is made by Jason A. Donenfeld.
What are the alternatives to pass?
The closest alternatives to pass in our directory are gopass, KeePassXC, KeePass, Passbolt and Bitwarden.
How does pass compare with other password managers?
pass's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 21 of the 49 other password managers we grade, and level with 6.
Is pass good value for money?
ToolGPA grades pass A for value for money. pass has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of pass?
pass is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from pass’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from the project own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Jason A. Donenfeld. Prices change, so check passwordstore.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- pass, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pass
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "pass: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pass
Know someone choosing between password managers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pass/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded password managers after pass, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Password Managers Insider's GuideEvery one of the 51 password managers we grade, compared
- Bitwarden Insider's GuideOpen-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting3.8 GPA
- Apple Passwords Insider's GuideApple's free password and passkey app for iPhone, iPad and Mac3.4 GPA
- RoboForm Insider's GuidePassword manager and form filler with a single-device free plan3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what pass’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. pass is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jason A. Donenfeld. Prices and plans change: check passwordstore.org before you buy.