HashiCorp Vault vs AWS Secrets Manager Comparison
HashiCorp Vault
Starting at $0.03 Per Hour
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
HashiCorp Vault helps to encrypt, decrypt, audit, and manage secrets in data center. Vault provides a centralised key management solution for protecting sensitive information such as passwords, tokens or SSH keys. It als…
AWS Secrets Manager
Starting at $0.40 /Month
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
AWS Secrets Manager is a comprehensive privileged access management (PAM) solution for organizations that use Amazon Web Services infrastructure. AWS Secrets Manager helps to monitor and enforce unique access policies ac…
AWS Secrets Manager leads on user satisfaction with a 4.4-star rating across 36 reviews.
HashiCorp Vault vs AWS Secrets Manager — at a glance
| Feature | HashiCorp Vault | AWS Secrets Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Reviews | 104 | 36 |
| Starting price | $0.03 Per Hour | $0.40 /Month |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Free version | No | No |
| Best for | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Data Center Security Software | Privileged Access Management (PAM) Software |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac | SaaS/Web/Cloud |
| API | Available | Available |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep) | Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 |
| Data residency | Global | US |
Key differences between HashiCorp Vault and AWS Secrets Manager
- Pricing: HashiCorp Vault starts at $0.03 Per Hour, while AWS Secrets Manager starts at $0.40 /Month.
- Free trial: AWS Secrets Manager offers a free trial; HashiCorp Vault does not.
- User satisfaction: AWS Secrets Manager scores higher with a 4.4-star average.
- Deployment: HashiCorp Vault supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; AWS Secrets Manager supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
HashiCorp Vault vs AWS Secrets Manager — find the better fit before you commit.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Data Center Security Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for centralized, flexible secret management in medium to large enterprises.
- You need dynamic secrets generation for databases and versioned key-value storage.
- Your team requires robust access control with broad platform integration.
- You want a lightweight, highly available solution with plugin-based authentication.
- Your team lacks dedicated security resources or expertise to manage complexity.
- You prefer an out-of-the-box solution with extensive UI features and simple onboarding.
Best for managing and automating AWS privileged access and secrets securely.
- You need seamless, native integration with AWS services for PAM.
- Your DevOps or security teams require automated secret rotation and policy enforcement.
- You must comply with security and audit mandates within AWS environments.
- Your organization operates primarily outside AWS or in multi-cloud environments.
- You have a small team lacking AWS security expertise or dedicated resources.
HashiCorp Vault: Best for centralized, flexible secret management in medium to large enterprises. AWS Secrets Manager: Best for managing and automating AWS privileged access and secrets securely.
Description | HashiCorp Vault helps to encrypt, decrypt, audit, and manage secrets in data center. Vault provides a centralised key management solution for protecting sensitive information such as ... Read More about HashiCorp Vault | AWS Secrets Manager is a comprehensive privileged access management (PAM) solution for organizations that use Amazon Web Services infrastructure. AWS Secrets Manager helps to monitor and ... Read More about AWS Secrets Manager |
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User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||
Best Company Size | 51-500 employees500+ employees | 51-500 employees500+ employees |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Software Demo
Demo |
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Compare HashiCorp Vault and AWS Secrets Manager on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Other Details
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
ISO 27001 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Residency | 🌐 Global | 🇺🇸 US |
HashiCorp Vault User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | 4.4 (based on 36 reviews) | |
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Rating Distribution | ||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Users generally praise Vault for its powerful secret management capabilities and integration flexibility but note a steep learning curve and documentation gaps. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate AWS Secrets Manager for its deep AWS integration and automation capabilities, though some find pricing and setup challenging. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
List of Customers
Customers |  Adobe  Barclays  SAP Ariba |  Autodesk  Clevy  Stackery |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | No screenshots available. |  6 Screenshots |
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Videos |  2 Videos |  3 Videos |
Top Alternatives to HashiCorp Vault and AWS Secrets Manager in 2026
Alternatives |
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Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager?
- AWS Secrets Manager edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs 4.3). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do HashiCorp Vault and AWS Secrets Manager offer a free trial?
- AWS Secrets Manager offers a free trial. HashiCorp Vault does not.
- What is the starting price of HashiCorp Vault vs AWS Secrets Manager?
- HashiCorp Vault starts at $0.03 Per Hour. AWS Secrets Manager starts at $0.40 /Month.
- What are the top alternatives to HashiCorp Vault?
- Top alternatives to HashiCorp Vault include Keycloak, AWS Secrets Manager, VoltShare, Hypervault, Azure Key Vault.
- What are the top alternatives to AWS Secrets Manager?
- Top alternatives to AWS Secrets Manager include PrivX, ManageEngine PAM360, CyberArk PAS, Thycotic Secret Server, RevBits Privileged Access Management.