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Government · head to head

CKAN vs NordPass

CKAN logo

CKAN

Government

Open Source Data Portal Platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
NordPass logo

NordPass

Cybersecurity

Securely store, manage and autofill passwords

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CKAN the package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install; NordPass business plan pricing is rendered client-side per user per month rather than published as a static figure on the page
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CKAN and NordPass actually diverge.

Attributes where CKAN and NordPass differ
AttributeCKANNordPass
Pricing modelfreefreemium
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2006Unknown

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

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 CKAN

  • Dataset Management
  • Data Harvesting
  • API Access
  • Visualization
  • Extensions
  • DataPusher
  • Harvester
  • Third-party Tools

Only in NordPass

Nothing recorded that CKAN does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

CKAN

  • Publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portalnot NordPass
  • Self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an APInot NordPass

NordPass

  • Securely storing and managing employee passwords and passkeysnot CKAN
  • Streamlining employee onboarding with instant account accessnot CKAN
  • Monitoring credential breaches on the dark webnot CKAN
  • Enforcing company-wide password security standardsnot CKAN
  • Tracking user access and supporting audit compliancenot CKAN

Where each one falls short

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

CKAN

  • The package install path requires Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 64-bit specifically; other operating systems must use the source install
  • Only Solr 9 and Solr 8 are supported, and from CKAN 2.10 they are the only Solr versions supported at all
  • A working deployment requires PostgreSQL, Solr, Redis, nginx, supervisor and uWSGI to be installed and maintained separately
  • Python 3.10 or later is required

NordPass

  • Business plan pricing is rendered client-side per user per month rather than published as a static figure on the page
  • Breach monitoring and full credential oversight features are marketed specifically toward business plans rather than confirmed as included in the free individual tier

Pricing, plan by plan

CKAN

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Data Management
    • API Access
    • Visualization

NordPass

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the NordPass review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CKAN if

  • You need dataset management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data harvesting.
CKAN review

Choose NordPass if

  • You want to start without paying.
NordPass review

Questions people ask

Is CKAN or NordPass better?
Neither clearly leads. CKAN starts at Free and NordPass at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CKAN or NordPass?
CKAN starts at Free and NordPass at Free.
Does CKAN or NordPass run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CKAN for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CKAN best used for?
CKAN is most often used for publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portal, self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an api. Of those, publishing open government datasets in a searchable public data portal and self-hosting a data catalogue with harvesting and an api are not what NordPass is typically brought in for.
What can CKAN do that NordPass cannot?
CKAN covers Dataset Management, Data Harvesting, API Access, Visualization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CKAN: Is CKAN open-source and what license is it available under?

Yes, CKAN is an open-source data management system built on Python and available on GitHub. The license terms are available on their GitHub repository.

Source
NordPass: Will I be charged when signing up for the free trial?

No credit card is required to start the trial. Payment details are only needed when you purchase a plan, and NordPass will only charge you once your payment process is completed.

Source
CKAN: Does CKAN offer commercial support for organizations?

Yes, CKAN offers commercial support through certified providers including Link Digital and Datopian. Support includes advisory services, application development, integration, managed hosting, and web development.

Source
NordPass: What is the refund policy for NordPass?

NordPass offers refunds within 14 calendar days of your initial purchase if you are unsatisfied with the service.

Source
CKAN: Who is responsible for hosting costs when running CKAN?

Organizations deploying CKAN are responsible for their own hosting infrastructure. Commercial providers like Datopian and Link Digital offer managed hosting services if organizations prefer not to self-host.

Source
NordPass: Can I upgrade or downgrade between NordPass plans?

Yes, you can switch between Teams and Business plans at any time. The system charges the difference between the plans based on the number of users and the remaining duration.

Source
NordPass: Why do different NordPass plans cost different amounts?

NordPass provides tiered pricing so customers only pay for the features they need, and can upgrade at any time as their needs change.

Source
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