I need a password manager that offers hardware key support and does not store my vault in the cloud.

For a password manager that stays entirely off the cloud and natively supports hardware keys (like a YubiKey), the gold standard ecosystem is the KeePass family.

Your vault file (.kdbx ) is stored completely locally on your device, and you can secure it using a combination of a master password and a physical hardware key via Challenge-Response or file keys.

Recommended Options

• KeePassXC (Desktop): A modern, open-source, community-driven port of KeePass for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It features native, seamless integration with YubiKey (HMAC-SHA1 Challenge-Response mode), allowing you to lock your local database so it only opens when your physical key is plugged in and touched.
• KeePassDX (Android) / Strongbox (iOS): Mobile clients that let you open your local .kdbx file on your phone or tablet. They support hardware keys via NFC or USB-C, ensuring your offline workflow carries over to mobile.
• Bitwarden (Self-Hosted Option - Alternative): If you want a client-server architecture rather than a flat file, you can self-host Bitwarden (using Vaultwarden on your own local server or NAS). Bitwarden supports FIDO2/WebAuthn hardware keys, though it operates slightly differently as a local web service rather than a purely offline file.

How Local Hardware Key Protection Works (KeePassXC + YubiKey)

If you'd like, let me know:

• What operating systems you primarily use (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android)
• Whether you prefer a local file-based vault (like KeePassXC) or a self-hosted server (like Vaultwarden)

I can give you a step-by-step setup guide for configuring your hardware key.

Yes. If by “does not store my vault in the cloud” you mean the password database itself stays under your control, I’d strongly recommend KeePassXC.

Best fit: KeePassXC

• Local vault: Your passwords live in an encrypted .kdbx file on your device. KeePassXC itself has no remote vault/server.
• Hardware-key support: It supports YubiKey and OnlyKey using challenge-response, which becomes part of the database's encryption key.
• Open source: Free and open source, with versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Browser integration: Its browser extension communicates with your local KeePassXC installation rather than a cloud vault.

One important nuance: KeePassXC's YubiKey support isn't conventional 2FA. The key contributes cryptographic material to decrypt the vault. That's actually quite appropriate for your requirement, but it's worth understanding the distinction.

If you also need iPhone/iPad

KeePassium is worth considering. It works with KeePass .kdbx databases and supports YubiKey challenge-response; it can open a database protected by a YubiKey and is compatible with KeePassXC's implementation.

A good setup would therefore be:

KeePassXC on your computer + KeePassium on iPhone/iPad + YubiKey + locally controlled .kdbx vault.

You can keep the .kdbx entirely offline, or synchronize it yourself using something like a NAS/Syncthing if you want multiple devices without putting the vault on the password manager's servers. KeePassXC explicitly supports this model.

My pick: If your priorities are no hosted vault + hardware key + open source, KeePassXC is probably the clearest match.

To meet your requirements—100% offline local storage (no cloud servers holding your vault) and hardware key integration (like a YubiKey)—the gold standard choice is KeePassXC (or the broader KeePass ecosystem).

The Recommended Solution: KeePassXC + YubiKey

• How storage works: KeePassXC stores your entire password database locally as an encrypted .kdbx file on your machine. It never touches the cloud unless you explicitly choose to sync that file yourself via your own private server or local network.
• Hardware Key Support: It supports hardware-backed authentication via the Challenge-Response mode (using HMAC-SHA1 on a YubiKey).
• The Workflow: To unlock your local database, you need both your master password and your physical YubiKey plugged in/tapped—meaning even if someone steals your .kdbx file, it is useless without your physical hardware key.

Alternative Options

• KeePass (Classic / .NET): The original Windows implementation. It supports hardware keys via plugins (like KeeChallenge), though KeePassXC has this functionality built natively and cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux).
• Self-hosted Vaultwarden (with caveats): Vaultwarden (an unofficial lightweight rewrite of the Bitwarden server) allows you to host your own server locally or on a private VPS, and it supports FIDO2/WebAuthn hardware keys. However, because it operates as a server/client architecture, it is technically a local cloud/server setup rather than a pure standalone local file like KeePassXC.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your preferred operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile)
• Whether you need to sync the database across multiple personal devices offline

I can help you walk through setting up the YubiKey challenge-response configuration for KeePassXC.

If your requirement is “hardware key + vault stays off third-party cloud servers,” my top pick is KeePassXC.

Best fit: KeePassXC

KeePassXC stores your vault as an encrypted .kdbx file that you control. It does not have built-in cloud synchronization, so you can keep the database entirely on your computer or removable storage.

It also supports YubiKey and OnlyKey challenge-response as additional protection for the database. You can configure the vault so that unlocking it requires both your master password and the hardware key.

One important caveat: KeePassXC's YubiKey implementation is technically challenge-response protection of the encryption key, rather than conventional 2FA. That's actually a good fit for your “local vault” requirement, but it's worth understanding the distinction.

Another option: self-hosted Bitwarden

Bitwarden can be self-hosted, meaning you run the server and database yourself rather than using Bitwarden's cloud. It supports YubiKey/FIDO2 for account authentication.

The tradeoff is complexity: self-hosted Bitwarden is a server application, whereas KeePassXC is simply an encrypted file and an app. If your goal is maximum simplicity and no cloud dependency, I'd choose KeePassXC.

| KeePassXC | Self-hosted Bitwarden --- | --- | --- Vault outside your control | No | No, if properly self-hosted Hardware key | YubiKey/OnlyKey | YubiKey/FIDO2 Cloud required | No | No Server required | No | Yes Multi-device sync | Manual/file sync | Built-in Setup complexity | Low | Moderate/high Best for | Local/offline vault | Multi-device/server setup

My recommendation: KeePassXC + two YubiKeys (one primary, one securely stored backup), with the .kdbx vault kept locally and separately backed up. Be particularly careful with the YubiKey backup/secret: losing the necessary hardware protection without a recovery plan can lock you out of the database.

If you tell me Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, or a combination, I can recommend the best setup for keeping the vault local while still getting convenient access across your devices.

Yes. The best match for your requirements is KeePassXC.

KeePassXC is specifically designed to keep your vault out of the cloud: your passwords live in an encrypted .kdbx file on your device, with no remote server required. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.

My recommendations

🥇 KeePassXC — my pick

You can protect the database with a YubiKey Challenge-Response credential in addition to your master password. KeePassXC's documentation explicitly supports YubiKey and OnlyKey hardware protection.

The important distinction is that this isn't merely a hardware key for logging into a cloud service: the vault itself remains a local encrypted file. You decide where that file lives and whether it ever gets synchronized elsewhere.

A good setup would be:

Master password + YubiKey → local KeePassXC database

You can then optionally synchronize the encrypted .kdbx file yourself—for example, using a NAS or your own file-sync system. KeePassXC doesn't require cloud synchronization.

🥈 Bitwarden self-hosted

If you want something closer to a conventional password-manager experience across phones, computers, and browsers, Bitwarden self-hosted is worth considering. Bitwarden officially supports hosting the server yourself, including a lightweight deployment intended for personal users/home labs.

The tradeoff is that you're now responsible for maintaining a server, backups, updates, and availability. It's considerably more infrastructure than KeePassXC.

Bottom line

If "the vault must never be stored in someone else's cloud" is the primary requirement, I'd choose KeePassXC + a YubiKey.

If you tell me whether you need iPhone/Android access and automatic syncing between multiple devices, I can narrow this down further—because that requirement changes the best choice considerably.

If you want a password manager that runs completely offline (no cloud storage) and supports hardware security keys (like a YubiKey) to unlock your vault, your best options are part of the KeePass ecosystem.

Here are the top choices that fit your exact requirements:

• KeePassXC : A modern, open-source, community-driven fork of KeePass designed for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It stores your password database locally as an encrypted .kdbx file and natively supports hardware-based challenge-response (HMAC-SHA1) authentication using a YubiKey alongside or instead of a master password.
• KeePassium : If you need mobile access (iOS/iPadOS), KeePassium is an open-source client that reads your local .kdbx file and supports hardware key unlocking via NFC or physical connection.
• Strongbox Safe : Another polished client for iOS and macOS that works with local KeePass databases and integrates smoothly with YubiKey hardware tokens.
• OnlyKey : A completely different approach—it is an open-source physical hardware device (a smart token) that acts as its own standalone hardware password manager and stores your credentials securely on the device itself, requiring a physical PIN typed directly on the key.

Note: To use a hardware key like a YubiKey to lock/unlock a KeePass-style database via challenge-response, you generally need a YubiKey 5-series or FIPS key (which supports OTP/challenge-response modes), rather than the budget FIDO-only "Security Key by Yubico" models.

Would you like help with:

• Step-by-step instructions on setting up KeePassXC with a YubiKey?
• How to back up your offline vault safely so you don't get locked out?

If your requirement is “hardware key + vault never stored in someone else’s cloud,” I’d strongly recommend KeePassXC.

Best fit: KeePassXC + YubiKey

KeePassXC stores your vault as a local encrypted .kdbx file. It has built-in YubiKey and OnlyKey challenge-response support, so the hardware key can be required to unlock the database.

Why it matches your requirements:

• 🔐 Hardware key: YubiKey Challenge-Response or OnlyKey.
• 💾 No cloud vault: the database is simply a local encrypted file; KeePassXC has no built-in cloud synchronization.
• 🖥️ Desktop: Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• 🌐 Browser integration: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, etc.
• 🔑 Strong encryption: the vault remains encrypted on disk.
• 📦 You control backups and where the database is stored.

One important distinction: YubiKey Challenge-Response isn't FIDO2/WebAuthn 2FA. It strengthens the cryptographic protection of the KeePassXC database itself.

Another option: self-hosted Bitwarden

Bitwarden can be entirely self-hosted, including its server and vault data. It supports hardware security keys, and you retain control over the infrastructure.

However, I'd choose KeePassXC for your specific requirement. Bitwarden is fundamentally a server/synchronization architecture; KeePassXC doesn't require a server at all. If you want the vault to remain strictly on your computer/USB drive and never reside on a server, KeePassXC is the cleaner solution.

My pick: KeePassXC + two YubiKeys (one primary, one securely stored backup), with the .kdbx file backed up offline.

To meet your requirements of keeping your password vault strictly off the cloud (local storage only) while supporting physical hardware keys (like a YubiKey), your best choice is KeePass or its modern ecosystem forks and clients.

Unlike cloud-based managers that bolt on hardware keys as a 2FA layer for a remote server, offline options can use a hardware key's Challenge-Response mechanism to physically derive and decrypt the local database file itself.

Recommended Local-Only Password Managers

• KeePassXC : A cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows), open-source, and actively developed password manager . It stores your data locally in a .kdbx file encrypted with AES-256 or ChaCha20. It features native YubiKey Challenge-Response (HMAC-SHA1) integration, meaning your database cannot be opened without both your master password and physically touching your plugged-in YubiKey.
• KeePassium / Strongbox : If you need mobile access (iOS/Android) alongside your desktop, these are trusted open-source clients that also read local .kdbx files and support YubiKey hardware integration. You can transfer the vault file manually or sync it via local file transfers.

How the Hardware Key Works Locally

1. You configure one of your YubiKey's slots using its management tools for Challenge-Response mode.
2. In KeePassXC , you add the YubiKey as an additional database protection method.
3. To open your local vault, you must type your master password and tap your physical YubiKey. If an attacker steals your .kdbx file from your hard drive, it is mathematically useless to them without the physical key.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What operating systems/devices you need to access your passwords on (e.g., Windows + iPhone, Linux only)
• How you plan to transfer or sync the local database file between your devices (if using more than one)

I can walk you through the exact setup steps for configuring your hardware key with the software.

The best solution for a password manager that works completely offline (local-only storage) and supports hardware security keys (like a YubiKey) is the KeePass ecosystem.

KeePass stores your vault as a local encrypted file (.kdbx ) on your machine or device, and compatible clients support hardware-backed challenge-response authentication.

Top local-only, hardware-supported options include:

• KeePassXC - A modern, open-source, feature-rich desktop client (Windows, macOS, Linux) that natively supports local databases and hardware keys using the YubiKey's HMAC-SHA1 challenge-response mode.
• KeePassium - A clean, open-source iOS client that lets you keep your database locally on your Apple device and supports YubiKey challenge-response authentication via NFC or direct connection.
• Strongbox - Another robust client for macOS and iOS that handles local file storage and integrates seamlessly with YubiKey hardware keys.

If you'd like, I can share a step-by-step guide on how to configure KeePassXC with a YubiKey using challenge-response mode, or help you figure out how to safely back up your hardware key so you don't get locked out.

Yes. The strongest fit for your requirements is KeePassXC.

KeePassXC is:

• Local-only by design: Your vault is an encrypted .kdbx file stored wherever you choose. KeePassXC itself doesn't store your data on remote servers.
• Hardware-key capable: It supports YubiKey and OnlyKey using Challenge-Response, so you can require the physical key in addition to your master password.
• Open source: The code is publicly available, and the project has undergone independent security evaluation.
• Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• No subscription or account required.

The setup I'd recommend

KeePassXC + YubiKey + strong master password + a second backup YubiKey.

Your vault would look roughly like:

Strong master password + physical YubiKey → unlock encrypted local vault

You can keep the .kdbx file entirely offline, or manually copy it between your own devices. KeePassXC also allows you to use cloud storage for synchronization if you ever change your mind, but it doesn't require it.

Important: hardware-key protection introduces a recovery issue. KeePassXC specifically warns that losing the hardware key can permanently prevent access, so you should configure a backup key and securely preserve the necessary recovery material.

If you want, I can also compare KeePassXC vs. Enpass vs. Strongbox specifically for local-only storage + YubiKey + Windows/iPhone/Android support.