AWS Secrets Manager vs OpenBao: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for AWS Secrets Manager and OpenBao side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, OpenBao leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
AWS Secrets Manager
AWS service for storing and rotating secrets securely
Best for you if:
- • You want managed secrets storage
OpenBao
Securely manage, store, and distribute sensitive data, secrets, certificates, and keys.
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (AWS Secrets Manager requires payment)
| At a Glance | AWS Secrets Manager | OpenBao |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Not published | Free 100% free |
Category | Security Identity & Access | Identity & Access Security |
Rating | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 18 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Choose AWS Secrets Manager or OpenBao?
Choose AWS Secrets Manager if
- You want managed secrets storage
- You want automatic rotation
- You work in security, not identity & access
Choose OpenBao if
- You want a fully free tool (AWS Secrets Manager requires payment)
- You want encrypts secrets prior to writing to persistent storage
- You want generates secrets on-demand for systems like Kubernetes or SQL databases
- You work in identity & access, not security
In-Depth Analysis
AWS Secrets Manager
AWS service for storing and rotating secrets securely
AWS Secrets Manager offers fair pricing, with a clear per-secret cost of $0.40/month and API calls at $0.05 per 10,000.
Strengths
- Pro: Managed secrets storage
- Pro: Automatic rotation
- Pro: Audit logging
- Pro: Integration with AWS services
- Pro: Cross-account access
Weaknesses
- Con: Per-secret pricing adds up
- Con: AWS only
- Con: Less flexible than Vault
- Con: Rotation setup complex
- Con: Region-specific
Key features
OpenBao
Securely manage, store, and distribute sensitive data, secrets, certificates, and keys.
Strengths
- Pro: Encrypts secrets prior to writing to persistent storage.
- Pro: Generates secrets on-demand for systems like Kubernetes or SQL databases.
- Pro: Automatically revokes dynamic secrets after their lease expires.
- Pro: Offers centralized key management for data encryption.
- Pro: Unifies identity management across different clouds and services.
Key features
Plans and prices: AWS Secrets Manager vs OpenBao
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Secrets Manager |
| aws.amazon.com/secrets-manager/pricing read Oct 18, 2026 |
| OpenBao | No plan prices on file | openbao.org |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on AWS Secrets Manager pricing and OpenBao pricing.
Key Takeaways
AWS Secrets Manager
- Choose if you want AWS service for storing and rotating secrets securely
OpenBao
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, OpenBao leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only AWS Secrets Manager has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 18 reviews); OpenBao has none we can show.
- Only OpenBao has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do AWS Secrets Manager and OpenBao compare in 2026?
On the data below, OpenBao leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only AWS Secrets Manager has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 18 reviews); OpenBao has none we can show. Only OpenBao has a free plan.
What are AWS Secrets Manager and OpenBao used for?
AWS Secrets Manager: AWS service for storing and rotating secrets securely. OpenBao: Securely manage, store, and distribute sensitive data, secrets, certificates, and keys.
What does AWS Secrets Manager cost vs OpenBao?
AWS Secrets Manager has no public paid-plan price on file. OpenBao is free. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 18, 2026.
What's the main difference between AWS Secrets Manager and OpenBao?
AWS Secrets Manager's main strength: managed secrets storage. OpenBao's main strength: encrypts secrets prior to writing to persistent storage.