KeePass
KeePass is a free, open-source password manager developed since 2003 by a single developer in Germany, serving security-conscious individual users, IT professionals, and cybersecurity practitioners with a locally encrypted credential database and no commercial pricing model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersMetzingen, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What KeePass does
KeePass is a free, open-source password manager developed and maintained since 2003 by a single individual developer, Dominik Reichl, based in Metzingen, Germany. The product stores all credentials in a locally encrypted database locked by a master key, using AES-256, ChaCha20, and Twofish encryption, SHA-256 hashing, and Argon2 or AES-KDF key derivation functions to resist brute-force and dictionary attacks. Two editions are shipped in parallel: the lightweight KeePass 1.x (no .NET dependency) and the modern .NET-based KeePass 2.x, which adds plugin architecture, multi-language support, and features such as Two-Channel Auto-Type Obfuscation and secure-desktop master-key entry. The commercial entity is non-existent — there is no company, no employees beyond the founder, no parent company, and no venture backing; the project is sustained by voluntary donations and has been validated by independent government security audits from the German BSI (2024) and French ANSSI (CSPN certification).
The product's surface is extended by a large community ecosystem rather than an internal team: 100+ community-contributed plugins cover browser integration, cloud sync (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, S3-compatible, ProtonDrive), two-factor and hardware-key authentication (YubiKey, Trezor, Windows Hello), SSH/RDP/SAP/Salesforce credentials, and Have-I-Been-Pwned breach checks. Unofficial mobile and desktop ports — KeePassDroid, KeePass2Android, KeePassDX, KeePassium, Strongbox, KeeForge, OneKeePass, and others — extend the codebase to Android, iOS, and macOS, while 45+ community translations drive global reach. Distribution is exclusively digital and self-serve via the official website (keepass.info), SourceForge, MSI packages for network administrators, and third-party package managers (WinGet, Chocolatey, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch). The customer base is a long tail of security-conscious individual users, IT professionals and sysadmins, cybersecurity researchers, and accessibility users — none of whom pay for the product. GTM is product-led growth with no sales organization, no paid marketing, and no enterprise tier.
KeePass firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KeePass
- Legal name
- Dominik Reichl
- Website
- https://keepass.info
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- KeePass is a free, open-source password manager developed since 2003 by a single developer in Germany, serving security-conscious individual users, IT professionals, and cybersecurity practitioners with a locally encrypted credential database and no commercial pricing model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KeePass industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Password Management
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Access Management (SSO, MFA, Passwordless) (HDADAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Authentication (MFA/Passwordless/Biometrics) Platforms (BPAMAEAE), Confidential Computing & Hardware-backed Protection (TEE/HSM) (HDADAFAJ)
Keywords
Where KeePass is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Metzingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
KeePass business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Free open source software: KeePass is entirely free and open source (OSI certified). There is no revenue generated from software sales or subscriptions. The project relies on voluntary donations from users. The developer, Dominik Reichl, maintains the project as a non-commercial endeavor.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier - Complete KeePass password manager |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
KeePass product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KeePass is a free, open-source (OSI certified) password manager that stores all user passwords and credentials in a single encrypted database locked by a master key. The software uses AES-256, ChaCha20, and Twofish encryption algorithms with Argon2 key derivation to secure the database, supports plugin extensions, portable operation from USB drives, and is distributed without charge to end users.
Product overview
KeePass is a free, open-source (OSI certified) password manager available in two editions: the original KeePass 1.x (lighter-weight, no .NET dependency) and the modern KeePass 2.x (.NET-based with plugin architecture). The core product stores all passwords in an encrypted database (AES-256, ChaCha20, Twofish) locked with a master key. A rich ecosystem of unofficial mobile ports extends the software to Android (KeePassDroid, KeePass2Android, KeePassDX, KeepShare), iOS/macOS (KeePassium, Strongbox, KeeForge, PassDrop 2, KyPass), and cross-platform web access (KeeWeb). Numerous plugins extend functionality including cloud synchronization (KeePassSync, KeeAnywhere, KPGoogleSync, KeePassOneDriveSync), browser integration (KeeForm, Kee, ChromeIPass, Passafari), two-factor authentication (KeePassOTP, KeeTrayTOTP, KeeChallenge, KeePassWinHello), hardware security key support (KeePass2Trezor, KeePassRFID), and SSH/remote access (KeeAgent, KeePassRDP, QuickConnectPlugin).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KeePass 1.x: Classic version of KeePass password manager for Windows.
- KeePass 2.x
Products and services
- KeePass Password Safe
- KeePass 2.x
- KeePass 1.x
Quantifiable outcome
- Entirely free with no revenue model, sustained by donations
Companies that use KeePass
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
KeePass technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration40 records
Feature10 records
KeePass partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SourceForgecoreSourceForge hosts the official KeePass project page, download files, and hosts the community discussion forums. This is the primary third-party distribution platform for the project.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KeePass competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bitwarden: Open-source password manager with self-hosting and a freemium model, directly competing with KeePass on auditability, free tier availability, and cross-platform credential management. Bitwarden adds a commercial entity, native mobile apps, and an enterprise tier that KeePass lacks.
- 1Password: Commercial cross-platform password manager serving consumers and teams, comparable to KeePass in core credential storage functionality. 1Password is the leading paid alternative and also offers import paths FROM KeePass, positioning it as a primary migration target.
- LastPass: Long-standing commercial password manager with freemium model and cross-platform support. Directly comparable to KeePass in offering password vault, auto-fill, and password generation — though with cloud-sync architecture and a 2022 breach that has driven some users toward open-source alternatives like KeePass.
- Dashlane: Commercial password manager and digital identity platform offering credential storage, VPN, and identity protection. Directly competes with KeePass for consumer and team password management use cases with a polished, paid UX.
- NordPass: Commercial password manager from the Nord Security family (NordVPN), offering encrypted credential vault and cross-platform sync. Competes with KeePass in the consumer and SMB password management category.
Broad incumbents
- Apple Passwords / iCloud Keychain: Apple's built-in password manager embedded across iOS, macOS, and Safari, offering free credential sync via iCloud Keychain. Functions as a platform-incumbent credential store that competes with KeePass for default adoption on Apple devices.
- Google Password Manager: Google's built-in password manager integrated across Chrome and Android, offering free credential sync to signed-in Google accounts. Platform-incumbent alternative that competes with KeePass for default browser-based credential storage.
- Microsoft Authenticator: Microsoft's credential and MFA app integrated with Microsoft accounts, Edge browser, and Entra ID. Platform-incumbent offering password management, MFA, and passkey support that competes with KeePass — especially relevant given KeePass's Windows-first heritage.
Emerging players
- Passbolt: Open-source password manager purpose-built for teams and enterprises with self-hosting and a commercial SaaS tier. Overlaps with KeePass on open-source auditability but addresses the team/shared-credential use case that KeePass lacks.
- Buttercup: Open-source desktop and mobile password manager with a freemium model and cross-platform apps. Comparable to KeePass in the open-source credential storage niche but with native mobile support and a more modern UX.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KeePass social profiles
Digital presenceKeePass compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
KeePass financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KeePass leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
KeePass funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KeePass M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KeePass
What does KeePass do?
KeePass is a free, open-source (OSI certified) password manager that stores all user passwords and credentials in a single encrypted database locked by a master key. The software uses AES-256, ChaCha20, and Twofish encryption algorithms with Argon2 key derivation to secure the database, supports plugin extensions, portable operation from USB drives, and is distributed without charge to end users.
Is KeePass a public or private company?
KeePass is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KeePass founded?
KeePass was founded in 2003.
Where is KeePass based?
KeePass is headquartered in Metzingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does KeePass make money?
One revenue line is on record: free open source software.
Who are KeePass's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bitwarden, 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane and NordPass. Broad incumbents are Apple Passwords / iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager and Microsoft Authenticator. Emerging players are Passbolt and Buttercup.
Does KeePass have an API?
No public API is recorded for KeePass.
What industry is KeePass in?
KeePass's product category is Password Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDADAAAA, Access Management (SSO, MFA, Passwordless), with a secondary code of BPAMAEAE, Authentication (MFA/Passwordless/Biometrics) Platforms. Its NAICS code is 54151.