Passbolt vs Psono
Both are browser clients for a password server, so you need a Passbolt or Psono server, hosted or self-hosted, before either extension does anything. Pick Passbolt for team sharing built on OpenPGP, with a managed Cloud option. Pick Psono if you want SSO or LDAP, which its docs list under the Enterprise Edition. Neither is proven more secure.
Passbolt vs Psono at a glance
| Feature | Passbolt | Psono |
|---|---|---|
| Needs a server | Yes. Self-hosted or managed (Cloud) | Yes. Hosted or your own |
| Stand-alone local vault | No | No |
| Positioning | Open-source password manager for teams | Open-source, self-hostable password manager |
| Encryption (vendor's description) | Passbolt says it is end-to-end encrypted with OpenPGP key pairs, and that each member gets their own encrypted copy of a shared secret | Vault data is encrypted in the browser with NaCl before it reaches the server |
| Editions | Community, Pro and Cloud | Community and Enterprise |
| SSO and LDAP | Not checked | OIDC, SAML and LDAP, listed as Enterprise features in Psono's docs |
| Extension licence | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Manifest V3 | Yes. Needs Chrome 116 or newer | Yes |
| Latest repo release | Version 5.16.1, 17 September 2026 | Client tag v4.8.2, 9 September 2026 |
| Site access | All sites | All http and https sites |
| Best for | Teams that share logins in the browser | Self-hosters who want SSO options |
Release dates are from each project's public repository, not the store listing.
Which is better, Passbolt or Psono?
Neither is better in general. They answer different needs. Passbolt is built around sharing credentials inside a team, with each shared item encrypted separately to each member. Psono leans toward self-hosting and enterprise sign-in options. Both ask you to run or buy a server. We did not test either one, so we make no security ranking.
Do Passbolt and Psono need a server?
Yes, both. Each extension is only the browser client. Passbolt works with a Passbolt server that you host yourself or get as a managed Cloud service. Psono needs a Psono server, hosted or your own, and a login. If you want a vault with no server at all, look at KeePassXC-Browser.
How does each one encrypt my passwords?
Both describe encryption on your device before data reaches the server. Passbolt says it uses OpenPGP key pairs and keeps only encrypted data on the server. Psono says it encrypts vault data in the browser with NaCl. These are the vendors' own descriptions. We have not tested them, and we do not rank one above the other.
Which one supports SSO and LDAP?
Psono, according to its own docs. They list LDAP, SAML and OIDC as Enterprise Edition features, along with audit logging and 2FA enforcement. We did not check whether Passbolt offers the same, so we make no claim either way. If SSO is a must, read both vendors' edition pages first.
What do the editions mean?
Passbolt lists Community, Pro and Cloud editions. The Community Edition is the self-hosted one. Psono lists Community and Enterprise editions. We don't show prices because we could not verify them. Compare the edition lists on each vendor's own site before you plan a rollout.
What permissions do the extensions ask for?
Both ask for access to all sites, which is how a password extension fills logins on any page. Both also ask for tabs, storage and clipboard-write access. Psono also lists the webRequest and identity permissions. Passbolt also lists cookies and downloads. We did not read either privacy policy, so read the install prompt and each vendor's policy first.
Good to know
Tip: start with a trial server and a few low-risk logins before you move your team over. Ask whoever runs the server for its address first, because the extension cannot do anything without it. Limit of this page: we compare what each project publishes. We did not test either product, and we did not read either privacy policy.
FAQ
Is Passbolt open source?
Yes. The extension is under AGPL-3.0, and the code is public on GitHub.
Is Psono open source?
Yes. The client is under Apache-2.0, and its code is public on GitLab. We did not check the server licence.
Can I use either one without a server?
No. Both extensions need a server, hosted or self-hosted. For a local vault, see KeePassXC-Browser.
Read more
Both are third-party extensions, not built by Xplorekit. We link to the official Chrome Web Store listings. We don't show ratings or user counts because we can't verify them.