The Passbolt Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Passbolt 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.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Passbolt

The Insider’s Guide

Open-source password manager for teams, self-hosted or cloud

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among password managers, read from Passbolt’s own pages.

Made by Passbolt SA · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.2GPA

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 Passbolt’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Passbolt’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.2

GPA, above 0 of the 17 other password managers we grade

Passbolt is an open-source password and credential manager built for teams. It can be self-hosted on your own server or used as a cloud service hosted in the EU, and it shares passwords, notes and one-time codes with users and groups under fine-grained permissions. Paid editions add single sign-on, directory provisioning, account recovery and an activity log, and an API and command line tool support automation.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Passbolt, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No rating on record, and the free route is a Linux server, a Docker container or a virtual machine that someone has to keep running.

From our grade for ease of use

1
Best for open-source team passwords you can host yourself
Passbolt is an open-source password manager for teams that you can run on your own server for free, or have hosted in the EU at $4.90 a user a month billed yearly.
2
Paid plans start at $4.90 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $4.90 per user / month, billed annually (Pro, 10-user minimum).
3
There is a free plan
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.
4
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, Windows, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
5
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.
6
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.
7
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.
8
A 2.2 GPA, above 0 of 17
That is against the other password managers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
9
Keep it
To replace Passbolt you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Passbolt at a glance

Pricing: Free plan, from $4.90 per user / month, billed annually (Pro, 10-user minimum)
Free plan: Yes
Free trial: 14-day free trial of the self-hosted Pro Edition; 7-day free trial of Cloud Business
Runs on: Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Made by: Passbolt SA, since 2016
Category: Password Managers
Our grade: 2.2 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for open-source team passwords you can host yourself

Passbolt is an open-source password manager for teams that you can run on your own server for free, or have hosted in the EU at $4.90 a user a month billed yearly. Every paid plan bills for at least 10 users, so a team of three pays $588 a year. The free edition needs someone to keep a Linux server going, single sign-on and account recovery are paid, and the desktop app is Windows only.

ToolGPA report cardPassboltGraded Oct 10, 2026

Subject	Grade	Comment
Value for money	C	Pro 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	B	The 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	C	Sharing 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	D	No 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	B	Web, 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.

Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.2

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 Passbolt is for

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

Who it is not for

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

Good to know

Good for

Technical teams that want to self-host an open-source password manager
Organizations with EU data residency or sovereignty requirements
DevOps teams that need an API and CLI for secrets in their pipelines

Worth knowing

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.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$4.90

A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too

Passbolt has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.90 per user / month, billed annually (Pro, 10-user minimum).

The free Community Edition costs nothing, if you host it.

From our grade for value for money

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 Edition
Custom
Self-hosted, with high-availability and disaster-recovery consulting, custom feature development and a 4-hour support SLA.
Cloud Enterprise
Custom
Isolated hosting in Luxembourg with a custom domain, custom backup policies, 24/7 SOC monitoring and a 4-hour support SLA.

The free plan

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.

Trying it first

14-day free trial of the self-hosted Pro Edition; 7-day free trial of Cloud Business

Read from passbolt.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

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.
Stated on passbolt.com
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.
Stated on passbolt.com
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.
Stated on passbolt.com
Other savings
Volume discounts above 100 users
The Pro Edition pricing notes that volume discounts apply after 100 users, arranged through a quote.
Stated on passbolt.com

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

Places it runs: Web, Windows, iOS, Android and Browser extension

Open-source password manager for teams, self-hosted or cloud. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, end-to-end encrypted, public API, password manager.

The browser extension is required, the desktop app is Windows only, and offline mode is still beta.

From our grade for features

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.

Where it runs

Web
Windows
iOS
Android
Browser extension

What it works with

Active Directory
OpenLDAP
AD FS
OpenID
Docker

Passbolt is made by Passbolt SA, and has been around since 2016.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

0/17

Other password managers it is graded above

Passbolt's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 0 of the 17 other password managers we grade.

It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 8 of 17) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $4.90 a month for each person, against a middle price of $2.59 for the category: 12 of the 13 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 14 tools score higher and cost less.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 18 password managers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Passbolt’s own letter is outlined.

CValue for money
Above 1 of 17
BFree plan and trial
Above 8 of 17
CFeatures
Above 0 of 17
DEase of use
Above 0 of 17
BPlatforms and integrations
Above 3 of 17

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 18 password managers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Passbolt 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

To replace Passbolt you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 17 of the 17 other password managers grade higher. It costs $58.80 a year. Passbolt is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.

What you could not

A password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.
Apps for Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
It plugs into other products, Active Directory, OpenLDAP and AD FS among them, and has an API.
End-to-end encryption done properly.
What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on, audit logs and roles and permissions.

What this rests on. Passbolt’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

Bitwarden, Keeper, KeePass, 1Password and Zoho Vault

The 5 tools Passbolt is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

3.8GPA
Bitwarden
Free plan · from $1.65/mo
Open-source password manager with a free plan and self-hosting.
- Only Bitwarden lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Bitwarden also covers passkeys.
Passbolt and Bitwarden compared in full
2.8GPA
Keeper
Free plan · from $3.58/mo
Password manager with personal, family and business plans.
- Only Keeper lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Passbolt is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Keeper also covers passkeys.
Passbolt and Keeper compared in full
2.8GPA
KeePass
Free
Free, open-source password manager for Windows with plugins.
- Only Passbolt lists a web app.
- Only Passbolt lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Passbolt lists a browser extension.
Passbolt and KeePass compared in full
2.8GPA
1Password
Free trial · from $3.99/mo
Password manager for individuals, families and businesses.
- Passbolt has a free plan. 1Password does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Passbolt lists a web app.
- Only 1Password lists macOS and Linux apps.
Passbolt and 1Password compared in full
3.2GPA
Zoho Vault
Free plan · from $0.90/mo
Password manager for teams with a free plan for individuals.
- Only Zoho Vault lists a macOS app.
- Passbolt is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Zoho Vault also covers passkeys.
Passbolt and Zoho Vault compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

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 Passbolt free?

Passbolt has a free plan. 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.

How much does Passbolt cost?

Passbolt lists 6 plans. Community Edition: $0.

What platforms does Passbolt work on?

Passbolt is available on Web, Windows, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.

Does Passbolt offer any discounts?

Passbolt publicly lists the following: 10% off Cloud Business with yearly billing; Discounts for non-profits and education; Discounts for open source projects; Volume discounts above 100 users.

Does Passbolt have a macOS app?

No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Passbolt is listed for Web, Windows, iOS and Android.

Does Passbolt have a Linux app?

No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Passbolt is listed for Web, Windows, iOS and Android.

Is Passbolt open source?

Yes. Passbolt is open source, according to its own site.

Is Passbolt end-to-end encrypted?

Passbolt describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.

Does Passbolt have an API?

Yes. Passbolt offers a public API, according to its own site.

What does Passbolt integrate with?

Passbolt's listing names Active Directory, OpenLDAP, AD FS, OpenID and Docker.

Does Passbolt have a free trial?

Yes. 14-day free trial of the self-hosted Pro Edition; 7-day free trial of Cloud Business.

Who makes Passbolt?

Passbolt is made by Passbolt SA. It dates from 2016.

What are the alternatives to Passbolt?

The closest alternatives to Passbolt in our directory are Bitwarden, Keeper, KeePass, 1Password and Zoho Vault.

How does Passbolt compare with other password managers?

Passbolt's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 0 of the 17 other password managers we grade.

Is Passbolt good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Passbolt C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $4.90 a month for each person, against a middle price of $2.59 for the category: 12 of the 13 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of Passbolt?

To replace Passbolt you would be making a password vault, the last thing anyone should make for themselves.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Passbolt’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Passbolt's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-28.

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 Passbolt SA. Prices change, so check passbolt.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 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.

3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

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, "Passbolt: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/passbolt

Know someone choosing between password managers?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/passbolt/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded password managers after Passbolt, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Passbolt’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. Passbolt is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Passbolt SA. Prices and plans change: check passbolt.com before you buy.