AliasVault: The Self-Hosted Password Manager

AliasVault delivers a lightning-fast, privacy-first, and fully open-source password management experience—empowering you to secure, organize, and protect your digital identity without the lock-in, fees, or data risks of closed platforms.

· 6 min read
AliasVault: The Self-Hosted Password Manager
AliasVault: The Self-Hosted Password Manager

Password management has become the cornerstone of our digital security. Yet most popular platforms—1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass—trade your privacy for convenience, lock your credentials behind proprietary walls, and charge recurring fees for features that should be standard. AliasVault is here to change that. This open-source, self-hosted password manager puts you back in control, offering a beautifully modern, lightning-fast, and privacy-first way to protect your digital identity—on your terms.

Website: https://www.aliasvault.net/
GitHub - lanedirt/AliasVault: A self-hostable, end-to-end encrypted password manager with a built-in alias generator and email server.
A self-hostable, end-to-end encrypted password manager with a built-in alias generator and email server. - lanedirt/AliasVault

Why Choose AliasVault?

In a landscape dominated by closed-source, cloud-based password managers, AliasVault stands out with a radically different approach:

  • Privacy First
    All your passwords and aliases are stored locally with end-to-end encryption, never sent to corporate servers unless you choose. Your credentials remain yours—no data mining, no third-party analytics, no risk of breaches.
  • Built-in Email Aliasing
    Unlike traditional password managers, AliasVault includes a complete email alias system with its own email server, protecting your real email address across all your accounts.
  • Lightning-Fast & Secure
    Built with .NET and Blazor WebAssembly, AliasVault delivers instant performance with military-grade encryption. Access your vault in seconds with zero-knowledge architecture.
  • Complete Self-Hosting
    Deploy on your own infrastructure with complete control over your data, including the email server for aliases. No dependencies on external services or cloud providers.
  • Cross-Platform Excellence
    Native browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Brave, plus iOS and Android apps with seamless autofill capabilities.
  • Open Source & Forever Free
    No subscriptions, no paywalls, no feature gating. All code is available under the AGPL-3.0 license, with a growing community of security-focused contributors.
  • Enterprise-Ready Deployment
    Spin up your own AliasVault instance in minutes with Docker, complete with automated SSL certificates and email server configuration.

Spotlight on Key Features

1. Complete Password & Alias Management

• Secure password generation with customizable policies
• Built-in email alias generator with dedicated email server
• TOTP authenticator for two-factor authentication
• Secure note storage for sensitive information

2. Zero-Knowledge Security Architecture

• End-to-end encryption with industry-standard algorithms
• Master password never leaves your device
• SRP (Secure Remote Password) protocol implementation
• Argon2id key derivation for maximum security

3. Universal Autofill & Sync

• Browser extensions with intelligent autofill across all major browsers
• Native iOS and Android apps with biometric unlock
• Real-time synchronization across all devices
• Offline access with local caching

4. Self-Hosted Email Infrastructure

• Complete email server for alias management
• Automatic alias creation and forwarding
• Spam filtering and email security features
• Full control over your email aliases and domains

5. Community & Enterprise Support

• 945+ GitHub stars and active development community
• Regular security audits and updates
• Comprehensive documentation and installation guides
• Professional support options for enterprise deployments

AliasVault vs. Closed-Source Alternatives

How does AliasVault compare to the big names in password management? Here's a side-by-side look:

Feature AliasVault 1Password Bitwarden LastPass
Pricing Free, open-source $3-$8/month $3-$6/month $3-$6/month
Data Control 100% local/self-hosted Cloud-only Cloud or self-hosted Cloud-only
Source Code ✅ AGPL-3.0 ❌ Closed ⚠️ Open Core ❌ Closed
Email Aliases ✅ Built-in server ❌ None ❌ None ❌ None
Zero-Knowledge ✅ Full ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ⚠️ Limited
Self-Hosting ✅ Complete solution ❌ None ✅ Limited ❌ None
Browser Extensions ✅ All major browsers ✅ All major browsers ✅ All major browsers ✅ All major browsers
Mobile Apps ✅ iOS & Android ✅ iOS & Android ✅ iOS & Android ✅ iOS & Android
TOTP Authenticator ✅ Built-in ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Premium only
Import/Export ✅ Multiple formats ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ⚠️ Limited
Offline Access ✅ Full functionality ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Limited
Community 945+ stars, open dev Closed Mixed Closed

Beyond the Feature Matrix

  • No Vendor Lock-In: With AliasVault, your passwords and aliases are always accessible, exportable, and portable—no proprietary formats or forced migrations.
  • No Data Harvesting: Unlike cloud-based managers, AliasVault never analyzes your credentials for business intelligence or advertising.
  • No Subscription Dependency: Use AliasVault for free, forever, with no artificial limitations or premium feature gates.
  • No Third-Party Email Services: Built-in email server means complete independence from external alias providers.
  • Complete Transparency: Open-source code allows security auditing and community verification of encryption implementations.

Getting Started in Minutes

AliasVault is designed for effortless deployment with enterprise-grade security:

# Download and run the installer
wget https://github.com/lanedirt/AliasVault/releases/latest/download/install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh install

💻 Manual Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/lanedirt/AliasVault.git
cd AliasVault

# Run with Docker Compose
docker-compose up -d

🌐 Access Your Vault

📱 Mobile & Browser Setup

Download browser extensions and mobile apps from the official documentation at docs.aliasvault.net


Real-World Success Stories

"We migrated from 1Password to AliasVault and gained complete control over our credential security. The built-in email aliases are a game-changer for privacy—no more exposing our real emails to every service."
— Maria Santos, Security Engineer
"AliasVault's self-hosted email server means we can generate unlimited aliases without depending on third-party services. It's like having our own private email ecosystem."
— Dr. James Wilson, Research Director
"The zero-knowledge architecture gives me peace of mind that even if our server were compromised, our actual passwords would remain secure. That's the level of security our healthcare organization requires."
— Jennifer Chen, IT Director

Practical Applications

Personal Privacy Protection

Generate unique email aliases for every service while maintaining complete control over your email infrastructure and password security.

Enterprise Security

Deploy for your organization to ensure complete data sovereignty over credentials, with built-in email aliases for enhanced operational security.

Development Teams

Manage shared credentials and service accounts with team features while maintaining zero-knowledge encryption for individual developer accounts.

Compliance & Regulatory

Meet strict data residency requirements with self-hosted infrastructure that never exposes credentials to external cloud providers.

Privacy-Conscious Individuals

Take complete control of your digital identity with unlimited email aliases and military-grade password security without recurring costs.

Small Business Security

Protect your business with enterprise-grade security features without the enterprise-grade price tag or vendor dependencies.


Advanced Security Architecture

AliasVault implements cutting-edge security measures that rival enterprise-grade solutions:

Encryption & Key Management

  • AES-256 encryption for all stored data
  • Argon2id key derivation with configurable parameters
  • SRP protocol for secure authentication without password transmission
  • PBKDF2 stretching for additional key strengthening

Zero-Knowledge Implementation

  • Client-side encryption ensures server never sees plaintext
  • Master password never transmitted or stored on server
  • Cryptographic proofs verify identity without revealing secrets
  • Perfect forward secrecy protects past sessions

Email Security Features

  • DKIM signing for email authenticity
  • SPF records for sender verification
  • DMARC policies for email security
  • Integrated spam filtering and threat detection

Enterprise Deployment Benefits

AliasVault provides enterprise-ready features without enterprise complexity:

  • Single-Sign-On Integration: Compatible with existing authentication systems
  • Audit Logging: Comprehensive logs for security compliance
  • Backup & Recovery: Automated backup solutions with point-in-time recovery
  • High Availability: Clustering support for mission-critical deployments
  • Custom Branding: White-label options for organization-specific deployments
  • API Access: Full REST API for integrations and automation

Join the AliasVault Community

With 945+ GitHub stars and growing adoption, AliasVault represents the future of privacy-respecting credential management:

  • Contribute Code: Help enhance security features and fix vulnerabilities via GitHub
  • Security Research: Participate in security audits and penetration testing
  • Documentation: Improve installation guides and security best practices
  • Feature Requests: Influence the roadmap with your organization's requirements
  • Community Support: Help other users with deployment and configuration questions

Privacy & Compliance Benefits

In an era of increasing cyber threats and regulatory requirements, AliasVault offers compelling advantages:

  • Complete Data Sovereignty: Your credentials never leave your infrastructure
  • GDPR Compliance: Built-in privacy controls and data protection measures
  • Security Auditing: Open-source code enables independent security verification
  • No Data Analytics: Zero telemetry or usage tracking on your credential access patterns
  • Breach Immunity: Decentralized architecture eliminates single points of failure

The Future of Password Management

AliasVault is actively developing next-generation features that will further enhance security and usability:

  • FIDO2/WebAuthn Support: Hardware security key integration for passwordless authentication
  • Passkey Implementation: Support for the latest passwordless standards
  • Family & Team Sharing: Secure credential sharing with granular permissions
  • Advanced Threat Detection: AI-powered anomaly detection for suspicious access patterns
  • Biometric Vault Unlock: Enhanced mobile security with advanced biometric options

Final Thoughts

Your digital identity is your most valuable asset—don't let it be held hostage by closed platforms, recurring fees, or privacy risks. AliasVault represents a new era of password management: open, secure, private, and truly yours. Whether you're a security professional, privacy advocate, enterprise organization, or individual who values complete control over their credentials, AliasVault offers a compelling alternative that puts you back in the driver's seat.

Ready to reclaim your digital security? Explore aliasvault.net or dive into the code on GitHub.