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Developer Tools · head to head

CLion vs Passbolt

CLion logo

CLion

Developer Tools

A cross-platform IDE for C and C++

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CLion specific subscription pricing not listed on product page; Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CLion and Passbolt actually diverge.

Attributes where CLion and Passbolt differ
AttributeCLionPassbolt
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsWebweb, windows, mac, linux, api
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 CLion

Nothing recorded that Passbolt does not also cover.

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.

CLion

  • C and C++ development with real-time analysisnot Passbolt
  • Embedded systems and ARM toolchain developmentnot Passbolt
  • Remote development via Docker and WSLnot Passbolt
  • Educational programming instructionnot Passbolt
  • Cross-platform development for Linux and Windowsnot Passbolt

Passbolt

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

Where each one falls short

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

CLion

  • Specific subscription pricing not listed on product page
  • Requires reference to separate store page for tier details
  • AI credits needed for integrated AI features
  • No mention of free trial for commercial use

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

CLion

Free
  • Free (Non-commercial)Free
    • Non-commercial use license
    • Full IDE features for hobby and open-source projects
  • Free (Educational)Free
    • Student licenses
    • Teacher licenses
    • Full IDE access for educational purposes
  • Subscription$null/month
    • Different subscription options for individuals and organizations
    • 25% discount for switching from competing products

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 CLion if

  • You want to start without paying.
CLion 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 CLion or Passbolt better?
Neither clearly leads. CLion 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, CLion or Passbolt?
CLion starts at Free and Passbolt at Free.
Does CLion or Passbolt run on more platforms?
CLion runs on Web. Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
Can I use CLion for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CLion best used for?
CLion is most often used for c and c++ development with real-time analysis, embedded systems and arm toolchain development, remote development via docker and wsl, educational programming instruction. Of those, c and c++ development with real-time analysis and embedded systems and arm toolchain development are not what Passbolt is typically brought in for.
What can CLion do that Passbolt cannot?
Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CLion: Is CLion free?

CLion offers free licenses for students, teachers, and non-commercial use. Commercial users can purchase subscriptions with organization pricing available.

Source
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
CLion: What free options does CLion provide?

CLion provides non-commercial use licenses for open-source and hobby projects, plus full licenses for students and teachers without cost.

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
CLion: Does CLion include AI assistance?

Yes, CLion natively integrates AI with support for Claude, GPT, Gemini, and Grok models. Users can apply JetBrains AI credits or bring their own API keys to avoid vendor lock-in.

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
CLion: Are there discounts for switching to CLion?

CLion offers a competitive discount of 25% for users switching from other IDEs and similar products.

Source
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