Softwr

Software · head to head

Basecamp vs Passbolt

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Software

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Software

Open-source password manager for teams with self-hosted or cloud deployment

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Passbolt actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Passbolt differ
AttributeBasecampPassbolt
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWebweb, windows, mac, linux, api
Founded2004Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Passbolt

  • Password sharing and folders
  • Groups and role-based access
  • Browser extensions and CLI
  • Open API
  • LDAP provisioning and SSO
  • Activity audit log

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Passbolt
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Passbolt
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Passbolt
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Passbolt

Passbolt

  • Self-hosting a team password manager for data sovereigntynot Basecamp
  • Provisioning vault access from an existing LDAP/AD directorynot Basecamp
  • Sharing credentials across engineering or IT teams via folders and groupsnot Basecamp
  • Automating credential retrieval through the CLI or open APInot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

Passbolt

  • Pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • Community Edition lacks SSO and LDAP provisioning, which many organizations need for onboarding at scale.
  • Self-hosting the Community Edition requires infrastructure and maintenance effort compared to fully managed competitors.
  • Enterprise-tier support and HA consulting require custom, quote-based pricing rather than transparent rates.

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Passbolt

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Password sharing and folders
    • Role-based access control
  • Pro Edition$4.9/month
    • Minimum 10 users, billed annually
    • LDAP/AD provisioning
    • Single sign-on
  • Enterprise Edition$undefined/month
    • High availability and disaster recovery consulting
    • White-glove migration
    • Custom feature development

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose Passbolt if

  • You need password sharing and folders.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want groups and role-based access.
Passbolt review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Passbolt better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Passbolt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Passbolt?
Basecamp starts at Free and Passbolt at Free.
Does Basecamp or Passbolt run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Passbolt is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Passbolt cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Passbolt: Is Passbolt free to use?

Yes. The Community Edition is free forever with unlimited users, including password sharing, folders, groups, role-based access, browser extensions, a CLI, and an open API.

Source
Passbolt: What does the Pro Edition cost and add?

Pro Edition costs $4.90 per user per month billed annually, with a 10-user minimum, and adds LDAP/AD provisioning, single sign-on, account recovery escrow, activity audit logs, and next-business-day support.

Source
Passbolt: What license is Passbolt distributed under?

All Passbolt editions, including Pro and Enterprise, are distributed under the AGPL v3 open-source license.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Basecamp

More on Passbolt

Keep looking

Other head to heads