# aws-secrets-manager-vs-hashicorp-vault

Source: https://startwithidentity.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-hashicorp-vault/
Last updated: 2026-06-19
License: content by Start with Identity. Cite the source URL.

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## The honest comparison

This is the classic build-on-the-cloud versus run-a-platform decision. AWS Secrets Manager is a fully managed service that stores and rotates secrets with deep, native AWS integration. HashiCorp Vault is a portable secrets platform you run (or consume via HCP) that works the same across clouds and on-premises, with a much wider set of secret engines.

## When AWS Secrets Manager wins

- Your workloads live almost entirely in AWS and you want IAM-native access control
- You want managed rotation for RDS and other AWS services with minimal setup
- Operational simplicity matters more than portability: no servers to run or upgrade
- Per-secret pricing is predictable for your scale

## When HashiCorp Vault wins

- You operate across multiple clouds or hybrid environments and need one consistent secrets API
- Dynamic, short-lived credentials across databases, cloud providers, and PKI are central
- You want fine-grained policy, namespaces, and a pluggable engine model
- Avoiding cloud lock-in for secrets is a deliberate architectural goal

## Pricing

AWS Secrets Manager charges per secret per month plus API calls, which is simple but can add up with many secrets. Vault's open-source core is free to run; Enterprise and HCP add cost but amortize across clouds and large secret counts.

## Verdict

If you are committed to AWS, [AWS Secrets Manager](https://startwithidentity.com/vendors/secrets/aws-secrets-manager/) is the path of least resistance and integrates natively with the rest of the stack. If you are multi-cloud or hybrid, or you need rich dynamic secrets, [HashiCorp Vault](https://startwithidentity.com/vendors/machine-identity/hashicorp-vault/) gives you one control plane everywhere. Many teams use both: Vault as the cross-cloud standard, Secrets Manager for AWS-native edges. Explore the full [secrets category](https://startwithidentity.com/vendors/secrets/).