Softwr

Government · head to head

OnBase vs Passbolt

OnBase logo

OnBase

Government

Enterprise Information Platform

From
$400/month
Free plan
No
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

  • Only Passbolt has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: OnBase pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies; Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: OnBase covers Content Management, Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OnBase and Passbolt actually diverge.

Attributes where OnBase and Passbolt differ
AttributeOnBasePassbolt
Starting price$400/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobileweb, windows, mac, linux, api
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded1991Unknown

Identical on both: 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 OnBase

  • Content Management
  • Workflow Automation
  • Case Management
  • Records Management
  • Intelligent Capture
  • Microsoft 365
  • Salesforce
  • Epic

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.

OnBase

  • Citizen Servicesnot Passbolt
  • Records Managementnot Passbolt
  • Public Safetynot Passbolt
  • Civic Engagementnot Passbolt

Passbolt

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

Where each one falls short

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

OnBase

  • Pricing starts at 2,000 USD per month, making it expensive for small agencies
  • Complex implementation and configuration required for government-specific workflows
  • Requires significant IT resources for deployment and ongoing management

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

OnBase

$400/month
  • Government$400/month
    • Content Management
    • Process Automation
    • Case Management

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 OnBase if

  • You need content management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want workflow automation.
OnBase 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 OnBase or Passbolt better?
Neither clearly leads. OnBase starts at $400/month and Passbolt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OnBase or Passbolt?
Passbolt has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $400/month for OnBase and Free for Passbolt.
Does OnBase or Passbolt run on more platforms?
OnBase runs on Web, Mobile. Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
Can I use Passbolt for free?
Yes. Passbolt has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OnBase starts at $400/month.
What is OnBase best used for?
OnBase is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Passbolt is typically brought in for.
What can OnBase do that Passbolt cannot?
OnBase covers Content Management, Workflow Automation, Case Management, Records Management. Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OnBase: What is OnBase used for in government?

OnBase is used for digital permitting, inspections, and plan review processes. Government agencies use it to streamline workflows, enable online forms, automate approvals, and provide citizen access to application status.

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
OnBase: Does OnBase support mobile access?

Yes. Mobile access is a key feature of OnBase, allowing users to manage documents and cases on the go.

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
OnBase: What document management capabilities does OnBase provide?

OnBase provides centralized document storage with version control, search and retrieval tools, records management across physical and electronic lifecycles, and compliance with policies and regulations.

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
OnBase: Can OnBase workflows be customized?

Yes. OnBase is flexible and configurable with user-defined workflows for case management, streamlining processes like accounts payable, employee onboarding, and contract management.

Source
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