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Cybersecurity · head to head

Passbolt vs Tanium

Passbolt logo

Passbolt

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tanium logo

Tanium

Cybersecurity

Unified platform for real-time endpoint management, security and compliance

From
On request
Rated
-
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.; Tanium no public pricing is published, requiring a sales engagement to get a quote.
  • They diverge on capability: Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Tanium covers Real-time endpoint queries.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Passbolt and Tanium actually diverge.

Attributes where Passbolt and Tanium differ
AttributePassboltTanium
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: platforms (web, windows, mac, linux, api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Tanium

  • Real-time endpoint queries
  • Single lightweight agent
  • Linear Chain Architecture
  • Vulnerability management
  • AI-driven remediation
  • Threat hunting

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

Tanium

  • Getting real-time visibility into all endpoints across a large enterprisenot Passbolt
  • Patching operating systems and software at scale quicklynot Passbolt
  • Continuous vulnerability scanning and risk scoringnot Passbolt
  • Hunting for and remediating active threats across a fleetnot 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.

Tanium

  • No public pricing is published, requiring a sales engagement to get a quote.
  • Aimed at large enterprises, making it impractical for small teams or budgets.
  • Deployment and configuration of the agent-based architecture requires significant IT expertise.
  • Full value depends on adopting multiple Tanium modules, which can increase cost and complexity versus point solutions.

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

Tanium

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom endpoint volume pricing
    • Full platform modules
    • Dedicated support

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 Tanium if

  • You need real-time endpoint queries.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux, api.
  • You also want single lightweight agent.
Tanium review

Questions people ask

Is Passbolt or Tanium better?
Neither clearly leads. Passbolt starts at Free and Tanium at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Passbolt or Tanium?
Passbolt has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Passbolt and On request for Tanium.
Does Passbolt or Tanium run on more platforms?
Both run on web, windows, mac, linux, api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Passbolt for free?
Yes. Passbolt has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tanium 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 Tanium is typically brought in for.
What can Passbolt do that Tanium cannot?
Passbolt covers Password sharing and folders, Groups and role-based access, Browser extensions and CLI, Open API. Tanium covers Real-time endpoint queries, Single lightweight agent, Linear Chain Architecture, Vulnerability management.

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
Tanium: What is Tanium's pricing model?

Tanium does not publish pricing on its website. Interested customers must contact the company or request a demo to discuss pricing and capabilities.

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
Tanium: Is there a Tanium free trial?

Tanium does not clearly advertise a free trial on its main website, directing customers to schedule a demo or contact sales for more information.

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
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