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Developer Tools · head to head

PartyKit vs Passbolt

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PartyKit

Developer Tools

Platform for building and deploying realtime multiplayer servers on the edge

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: PartyKit documentation and FAQ material on the marketing site is sparse compared to larger realtime platforms.; Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: PartyKit covers Stateful edge servers, Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PartyKit and Passbolt actually diverge.

Attributes where PartyKit and Passbolt differ
AttributePartyKitPassbolt
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
Platformsweb, apiweb, 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 PartyKit

  • Stateful edge servers
  • WebSocket-first API
  • CRDT library compatibility
  • Framework integrations
  • Global edge deployment
  • Custom domains

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.

PartyKit

  • Multiplayer collaborative appsnot Passbolt
  • Realtime AI agent backendsnot Passbolt
  • Live cursors and presencenot Passbolt
  • Collaborative whiteboards and documentsnot Passbolt

Passbolt

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

Where each one falls short

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

PartyKit

  • Documentation and FAQ material on the marketing site is sparse compared to larger realtime platforms.
  • Commercial free tier requires deploying to the user's own Cloudflare account, adding setup complexity.
  • Storage on the free Individual plan clears every 24 hours, limiting it to prototyping rather than persistent production data.
  • Smaller ecosystem and community than more established realtime infrastructure providers.

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

PartyKit

Free
  • IndividualFree
    • Up to 10 live projects
    • Deploy to the global edge platform
    • Storage clears every 24 hours
  • CommercialFree
    • Unlimited projects
    • Custom domains
    • Runs on your own Cloudflare account; pay only Cloudflare usage

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 PartyKit if

  • You need stateful edge servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want websocket-first api.
PartyKit 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 PartyKit or Passbolt better?
Neither clearly leads. PartyKit 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, PartyKit or Passbolt?
PartyKit starts at Free and Passbolt at Free.
Does PartyKit or Passbolt run on more platforms?
PartyKit runs on web, api. Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
Can I use PartyKit for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PartyKit best used for?
PartyKit is most often used for multiplayer collaborative apps, realtime ai agent backends, live cursors and presence, collaborative whiteboards and documents. Of those, multiplayer collaborative apps and realtime ai agent backends are not what Passbolt is typically brought in for.
What can PartyKit do that Passbolt cannot?
PartyKit covers Stateful edge servers, WebSocket-first API, CRDT library compatibility, Framework integrations. Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PartyKit: How much does PartyKit cost?

PartyKit is completely free. Both the Individual and Commercial plans have no upfront costs.

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
PartyKit: What is PartyKit's Individual plan?

The Individual plan is free and includes deployment to a global edge platform, support for up to 10 live projects, and is suitable for small projects. Storage is cleared every 24 hours.

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
PartyKit: What is PartyKit's Commercial plan?

The Commercial plan is free but requires deploying to your own Cloudflare account. It includes custom domains, unlimited projects, and you pay only your Cloudflare usage costs.

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
PartyKit: Can I upgrade from Individual to Commercial plan?

Yes, both plans are free but offer different feature sets. The Commercial plan removes project restrictions but requires managing your own Cloudflare infrastructure.

Source
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