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Cybersecurity · head to head

Passbolt vs Springbrook Software

Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Springbrook Software logo

Springbrook Software

Government

Cloud ERP built only for small and mid-sized local governments and utility districts

From
On request
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.; Springbrook Software nothing is publicly priced, and public sector quotes bundle licence, implementation and conversion so tightly that comparing two vendors requires a formal procurement.
  • They diverge on capability: Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Springbrook Software covers Cirrus cloud platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Passbolt and Springbrook Software actually diverge.

Attributes where Passbolt and Springbrook Software differ
AttributePassboltSpringbrook Software
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, windows, mac, linux, apiWeb
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

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 Springbrook Software

  • Cirrus cloud platform
  • Fund accounting
  • Utility billing
  • Payroll and human resources
  • Cashless payments
  • Permitting and land management

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 Springbrook Software
  • Provisioning vault access from an existing LDAP/AD directorynot Springbrook Software
  • Sharing credentials across engineering or IT teams via folders and groupsnot Springbrook Software
  • Automating credential retrieval through the CLI or open APInot Springbrook Software

Springbrook Software

  • A city of a few thousand residents retiring an on-premises finance server nobody on staff can maintainnot Passbolt
  • A water and sewer district needing meter-based utility billing tied directly to the general ledgernot Passbolt
  • A town that must produce GASB-compliant annual financial reports without a full-time systems accountantnot Passbolt
  • Adding online resident payment for utility bills and licences without integrating a third-party gateway by handnot 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.

Springbrook Software

  • Nothing is publicly priced, and public sector quotes bundle licence, implementation and conversion so tightly that comparing two vendors requires a formal procurement.
  • It is scoped for small and mid-sized agencies, so grant accounting, capital project tracking and human resources depth fall short for larger cities.
  • Data conversion from a legacy municipal system is the largest risk and cost in the project, and historical utility billing data in particular frequently converts badly.
  • The integration list is short compared with entrenched public sector vendors, so agencies already committed to a large incumbent ecosystem will have gaps to bridge.
  • Being cloud-native means the agency cannot defer upgrades, which is an advantage for security but removes control over timing from finance teams working to a fiscal calendar.

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

Springbrook Software

On request
  • Springbrook Cirrus$undefined/year
    • Cloud ERP for local government
    • Priced by population, module selection and user count
    • Implementation, data conversion and training quoted separately

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 Springbrook Software if

  • You need cirrus cloud platform.
  • You also want fund accounting.
Springbrook Software review

Questions people ask

Is Passbolt or Springbrook Software better?
Neither clearly leads. Passbolt starts at Free and Springbrook Software at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Passbolt or Springbrook Software?
Passbolt has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Passbolt and On request for Springbrook Software.
Does Passbolt or Springbrook Software run on more platforms?
Passbolt runs on web, windows, mac, linux, api. Springbrook Software runs on Web.
Can I use Passbolt for free?
Yes. Passbolt has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Springbrook Software starts at On request.
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 Springbrook Software is typically brought in for.
What can Passbolt do that Springbrook Software cannot?
Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API. Springbrook Software covers Cirrus cloud platform, Fund accounting, Utility billing, Payroll and human resources.

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
Springbrook Software: Who is Springbrook for?

Small and mid-sized cities, towns, water and sewer agencies and special districts, not counties or states.

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
Springbrook Software: Is Cirrus really cloud-native?

Yes, it is a multi-tenant rebuild rather than a hosted version of the older client-server product, which is the main reason agencies switch to it.

Passbolt: What license is Passbolt distributed under?

All Passbolt editions, including Pro and Enterprise, are distributed under the AGPL v3 open-source license.

Source
Springbrook Software: Is pricing published?

No. Local government ERP is quoted through procurement, bundling licence, implementation and data conversion.

Springbrook Software: What is the hardest part of implementation?

Converting historical data, particularly utility billing history, from the outgoing system.

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