AWS Secrets Manager vs HashiCorp Vault: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between AWS Secrets Manager and HashiCorp Vault? Both are popular secrets management tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
HashiCorp Vault is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while AWS Secrets Manager does not. Choose AWS Secrets Manager when its specific features justify the cost. In our catalog, HashiCorp Vault rates slightly higher (4.5 vs 4.3 out of 5).
AWS Secrets Manager vs HashiCorp Vault — Side by Side
| AWS Secrets Manager | HashiCorp Vault | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Secrets Management | Secrets Management |
| Pricing | Usage-based | Free · then usage-based |
| Starting price | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier available |
| Free tier | — | |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Best for | Secrets Management — secrets, aws | Secrets Management — secrets, dynamic-secrets |
Pros & Cons
- Native IAM, KMS and CloudTrail integration
- Built-in rotation for AWS databases
- Cheap at small scale with no seats
- AWS-only in practice
- Clumsy for local development and env syncing
- Cost grows per secret and per call
- Dynamic, short-lived credentials and encryption as a service
- Huge ecosystem and plugin support
- Free to self-host
- Heavy to operate yourself
- BSL licence, not open source
- Managed and Enterprise pricing climbs fast with clients
Key Features Compared
AWS Secrets Manager
- $0.05 per 10,000 API calls
- Managed rotation for AWS databases
- IAM access control and CloudTrail logs
- Cross-region replication
HashiCorp Vault
- Managed cluster on HCP
- Development, Essentials and Standard tiers
- About $73 per client per month on Essentials and Standard
Choose AWS Secrets Manager if…
- Native IAM, KMS and CloudTrail integration
- Built-in rotation for AWS databases
- Cheap at small scale with no seats
Choose HashiCorp Vault if…
- You want to start free — HashiCorp Vault has a free tier and AWS Secrets Manager does not.
- Dynamic, short-lived credentials and encryption as a service
- Huge ecosystem and plugin support
- Free to self-host
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AWS Secrets Manager better than HashiCorp Vault?⌄
HashiCorp Vault is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while AWS Secrets Manager does not. Choose AWS Secrets Manager when its specific features justify the cost. In our catalog, HashiCorp Vault rates slightly higher (4.5 vs 4.3 out of 5).
What is the difference between AWS Secrets Manager and HashiCorp Vault?⌄
AWS Secrets Manager — AWS's managed secrets store: $0.40 per secret per month plus $0.05 per 10,000 API calls, with built-in rotation for RDS and other AWS databases and IAM-based access. HashiCorp Vault — The long-standing standard for secrets, dynamic credentials and encryption as a service. Free Community Edition (BSL 1.1) to self-host, managed HCP Vault Dedicated from $0.62 an hour, Enterprise by quote. Both are secrets management tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
AWS Secrets Manager vs HashiCorp Vault: which is cheaper?⌄
AWS Secrets Manager pricing: Usage-based. HashiCorp Vault pricing: Free · then usage-based. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault?⌄
In our catalog, AWS Secrets Manager rates 4.3 out of 5 and HashiCorp Vault rates 4.5 out of 5, so HashiCorp Vault has a slight edge on reviews.
See more options in our guide to the best secrets management tools for startups.
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