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Cybersecurity · head to head

Passbolt vs PhpStorm

Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Passbolt has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Passbolt pro Edition requires a minimum of 10 users, making it costlier for very small teams.; PhpStorm requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • They diverge on capability: Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Passbolt and PhpStorm actually diverge.

Attributes where Passbolt and PhpStorm differ
AttributePassboltPhpStorm
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, windows, mac, linux, apiwindows, mac, linux
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2000

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 Passbolt

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

Only in PhpStorm

  • PHP-aware coding assistance
  • Integrated debugger
  • Front-end tooling
  • Database tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and remote deployment

What people use each for

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

Passbolt

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

PhpStorm

  • Building PHP web applications with Laravel or Symfonynot Passbolt
  • Debugging PHP code with Xdebugnot Passbolt
  • Working across PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one projectnot Passbolt
  • Managing databases alongside application codenot Passbolt

Where each one falls short

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

PhpStorm

  • Requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • Heavier and slower to start than lightweight code editors.
  • Some advanced framework-specific tooling requires additional configuration or plugins.
  • Renewal pricing rises for lapsed subscriptions after the grace period.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

PhpStorm

$24/month
  • Individual$24/month
    • Personal use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/month
    • Business use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Volume and renewal discounts

Which should you pick?

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

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
PhpStorm review

Questions people ask

Is Passbolt or PhpStorm better?
Neither clearly leads. Passbolt starts at Free and PhpStorm at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Passbolt or PhpStorm?
Passbolt has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Passbolt and $24/month for PhpStorm.
Does Passbolt or PhpStorm run on more platforms?
Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api. PhpStorm runs on windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Passbolt for free?
Yes. Passbolt has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is Passbolt best used for?
Passbolt is most often used for self-hosting a team password manager for data sovereignty, provisioning vault access from an existing ldap/ad directory, sharing credentials across engineering or it teams via folders and groups, automating credential retrieval through the cli or open api. Of those, self-hosting a team password manager for data sovereignty and provisioning vault access from an existing ldap/ad directory are not what PhpStorm is typically brought in for.
What can Passbolt do that PhpStorm cannot?
Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API. PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools.

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
PhpStorm: How much does PhpStorm cost?

PhpStorm is sold via JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

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
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial of PhpStorm so developers can test it before subscribing.

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
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

PhpStorm is a desktop IDE available on Windows, macOS, and Linux via JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
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