KeePass Alternatives 2026: 5 Options, 4 Free
KeePass alternatives: KeePassXC, Bitwarden, Proton Pass, Keeper Password Manager and 1 more. Prices and licenses checked October 28, 2026.
•3 min read•Passwords, Privacy & Identity
Verdict:Leave KeePass when the local file stops being an advantage. KeePass is free and OSI-certified open source, and it keeps your database on your own disk with no account. That is the right setup if one computer holds everything and you accept manual file copies. If you already run KeePass and only want a better app, KeePassXC is the swap that keeps the same .kdbx file, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux under GPLv3. Once a second device needs the same passwords, a hosted vault is simpler. Bitwarden is the cheapest proven option: its Premium plan is listed at $19.80 a year, or $1.65 a month billed annually, and its free plan covers basic password management with one shared user. Proton Pass gives a free tier with two vaults and sharing with two people, but check its site for paid prices. Keeper's free family plan suits a household that wants one shared vault. 1Password has no free plan, so it is a paid choice. The trade-off is control versus convenience: KeePass and KeePassXC keep the file in your hands, while the hosted options hold it for you. Stay on KeePass if you never sync. Move to Bitwarden when sync becomes the reason you open it.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Price | Platforms | Best for | Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KeePassXC | Free (Free and open source; no paid plan) | Windows, macOS, Linux | Keeping your own .kdbx file on every OS | Docs only |
| Bitwarden | Free (Basic password management; free sharing with one other user (no numeric limits stated)); paid from $1.65 per month, Premium plan billed annually at $19.80 | Web | One vault across phone and laptop | Docs only |
| Proton Pass | Free (Proton Free: unlimited logins, notes and devices, 2 vaults, 10 hide-my-email aliases, sharing with 2 others); paid from $2.99 per month, billed yearly (Pass Plus, $35.88 per year) | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Browser extensions | Free sharing with a Proton account | Docs only |
| Keeper Password Manager | Free (Free Keeper Family Plan for up to 5 family members with unlimited devices; business tiers have no free plan) | Web | Households sharing one vault | Docs only |
| 1Password | Paid from $3.99 per month, billed yearly (Individual, regular price; $2.99 first-year promo for new customers; Families $5.99 regular) | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Browser, CLI | Teams wanting managed sharing | Docs only |
| Dashlane | See pricing page | Browser extension, iOS, Android | Password management | Docs only |
| LastPass | Free (Free plan limited to one device type (desktop or mobile), sharing of one password with one person, no emergency access, self-service support) | Browser extension, Mobile apps, Desktop apps | Password management | Docs only |
Independent comparison. Paid placements are labelled separately; editorial links earn no affiliate commissions. Learn more.
See the tools in action
Images from the linked documentation. Versions and features may differ from current plans.
Good fit if
- You want to keep the database file on your own disk (KeePassXC is the pick)
- You need the same vault on phone and laptop (Bitwarden is the pick)
- Your household wants one shared vault for free (Keeper Password Manager is the pick)
- You want a free hosted vault that shares with two people (Proton Pass is the pick)
Not ideal if
- You rely on KeePass features or integrations that these tools do not replicate
KeePass today: Free (Free) (KeePass pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Why people look for KeePass alternatives
KeePass 2.x runs natively on Windows, while Linux, macOS and BSD need Mono, and the download page points to community ports such as KeePassDX and KeePassium for phones. Its FAQ says opening a database from a mobile device or server can fail when the device does not allow direct file access, and suggests cloud storage as a workaround. Browser integration and sync to online storage providers rely on third-party plugins listed on the plugins page, so setup is more hands-on than a hosted password manager.
KeePassXC
Compared with KeePass: Same local .kdbx database file as KeePass, with a newer app that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. You keep your file format and lose nothing, but you gain no sync between devices.
Price: Free (Free and open source; no paid plan) (KeePassXC pricing, checked 2026-10-22).
Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. GPLv3 (open source).
Project activity: 29.5k GitHub stars · latest release 2.8.0 (Oct 21, 2026) · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Best for: Keeping your own .kdbx file on every OS.
Bitwarden
Compared with KeePass: A hosted vault that syncs to your phone and browser, which KeePass never did. Premium is listed at $19.80 a year, while KeePass costs nothing and keeps the file on your own disk.
Price: Free (Basic password management; free sharing with one other user (no numeric limits stated)); paid from $1.65 per month, Premium plan billed annually at $19.80 (Bitwarden pricing, checked 2026-10-28).
Platforms and license: Web. Not named on the pricing page checked.
Best for: One vault across phone and laptop.
Proton Pass
Compared with KeePass: Free plan with two vaults and sharing with up to two people, where KeePass has no sharing. You gain a hosted service and give up holding the database file yourself.
Price: Free (Proton Free: unlimited logins, notes and devices, 2 vaults, 10 hide-my-email aliases, sharing with 2 others); paid from $2.99 per month, billed yearly (Pass Plus, $35.88 per year) (Proton Pass pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Browser extensions. Proprietary.
Best for: Free sharing with a Proton account.
Keeper Password Manager
Compared with KeePass: Free family plan for up to five members with unlimited devices, which a single KeePass file cannot share across people. Check the pricing page for business prices.
Price: Free (Free Keeper Family Plan for up to 5 family members with unlimited devices; business tiers have no free plan) (Keeper Password Manager pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: Web. Proprietary.
Best for: Households sharing one vault.
1Password
Compared with KeePass: A hosted vault with apps and sharing, which KeePass lacks. Check its site for individual prices; you also give up local file control.
Price: Paid from $3.99 per month, billed yearly (Individual, regular price; $2.99 first-year promo for new customers; Families $5.99 regular) (1Password pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Platforms and license: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, Browser, CLI. Proprietary.
Best for: Teams wanting managed sharing.
Other popular options (paid)
Dashlane
Compared with KeePass: Subscription password manager with a 14-day trial of Password Management and no free plan, where KeePass costs nothing. Check current plan prices on Dashlane's site before comparing.
Price: See pricing page (Dashlane pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
LastPass
Compared with KeePass: Free plan is limited to one device type (desktop or mobile), sharing one password with one person, and no emergency access. Paid plans are subscriptions, unlike KeePass, which is free.
Price: Free (Free plan limited to one device type (desktop or mobile), sharing of one password with one person, no emergency access, self-service support) (LastPass pricing, checked 2026-10-23).
Which one to pick
- You want to keep the database file on your own disk: KeePassXC
- You need the same vault on phone and laptop: Bitwarden
- Your household wants one shared vault for free: Keeper Password Manager
- You want a free hosted vault that shares with two people: Proton Pass
Limits of this review
Docs-only for KeePassXC, Bitwarden, Proton Pass, Keeper Password Manager, 1Password: we did not install or run them, so feature claims come from vendor pages and we did not test import from KeePass. Vendor prices and free limits change; confirm on the linked pricing page before you buy or migrate.
Related guides
More in Passwords, Privacy & Identity
- LastPass alternatives
- Dashlane alternatives
- Keeper Password Manager alternatives
- Bitwarden alternatives
Sources
- KeePass pricing
- KeePass (more detail)
- KeePass (more detail)
- KeePass (more detail)
- KeePassXC pricing
- KeePassXC GitHub repository
- Bitwarden pricing
- Bitwarden (more detail)
- Proton Pass pricing
- Keeper Password Manager pricing
- Keeper Password Manager (more detail)
- 1Password pricing
- Dashlane pricing
- Dashlane (more detail)
- LastPass pricing
Kevin Fan
Kevin Fan is a SaaS founder. He runs Free Instead Of, which tracks free and open-source alternatives to paid software and checks each price and free-plan limit against the vendor's own pages.
Methodology
Based on official pricing and product pages checked between 2026-10-22 and 2026-10-28: KeePass, KeePassXC, Bitwarden, Proton Pass, Keeper Password Manager, 1Password, Dashlane, LastPass. Prices, free limits and licenses are the figures shown on those pages on those dates. No tool on this page was installed or run. No accounts were created.