AWS Secrets Manager

Unclaimed Editor reviewed

AWS service for storing and rotating secrets securely

Security Cloud & Infrastructure Identity & Access

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4.6(22 across the web)

PaidVisit Website

Reviews onG2Capterra

22 reviews tracked·1 press mentions

The Bottom Line

Entry price

From $0.4/mo

Biggest pro

Managed secrets storage

Biggest con

Per-secret pricing adds up

TL;DR - AWS Secrets Manager

AWS Secrets Manager helps you securely store and rotate database credentials, API keys, and other secrets
It integrates natively with AWS services and supports automatic rotation for RDS and other databases
Pricing is $0.40/secret/month plus $0.05 per 10,000 API calls

Pricing: Paid only

Best for: Enterprises & pros

4.6/5 across review platforms

What is AWS Secrets Manager?

Editorial review

Secrets Manager stores sensitive information-API keys, database credentials, certificates-and rotates them automatically. Applications retrieve secrets at runtime instead of baking them into config files. Automatic rotation changes credentials on a schedule without application changes. Audit logs show who accessed what. Encryption at rest and in transit is handled automatically. Production applications that take security seriously use Secrets Manager to keep credentials out of code and configuration files.

Available on: Web

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated May 26, 2026 · how we evaluateSourceaws.amazon.com ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

Managed secrets storage
Automatic rotation
Audit logging
Integration with AWS services
Cross-account access

Cons

Per-secret pricing adds up
AWS only
Less flexible than Vault
Rotation setup complex
Region-specific

Ratings Across the Web

4.6(22 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Secret storageRotationFine-grained accessAuditAWS integrationEncryption

Pricing Plans

30-day Free Trial

Pricing checked May 29, 2026

Per Secret

$0.4/month per secret

Secret storage

Automatic rotation
Fine-grained policies
Audit with CloudTrail
Cross-region replication

API Calls

$0.05/per 10,000 calls

Access pricing

GetSecretValue
All API operations
SDK integration

Calculate your cost View full pricing

How AWS Secrets Manager's pricing compares

At $0.05/mo, AWS Secrets Manager is the most affordable of its 4 direct competitors.

AWS Secrets Manager

$0.05

$0.5

$2.99

$18

$21

Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked May 29, 2026.

Reviews

4.6/5

Across 22 verified user reviews on G2, Capterra

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Best AWS Secrets Manager Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

1PasswordPaid

Securely store passwords, cards, and docs with end-to-end encryption

4.7

CyberArkPaid

Secure every identity across human, machine, and AI with intelligent privilege controls.

3.2

HashiCorp VaultFreemium

Securely store, manage, and encrypt secrets and credentials

4.5

DopplerFreemium

Centralize secrets and env vars with auto-sync and rotation

4.5

InfisicalFreemium

Open-source secret management platform for modern teams

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Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

AWS Secrets Manager vs 1PasswordHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins AWS Secrets Manager vs CyberArkHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins AWS Secrets Manager vs HashiCorp VaultHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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AWS Secrets Manager FAQ

Is Secrets Manager free?

No free tier. $0.40 per secret per month plus $0.05 per 10,000 API calls. Can add up with many secrets but generally affordable.

What is AWS Secrets Manager?

Secrets Manager stores and retrieves secrets like database credentials and API keys. Automatic rotation, encryption, and fine-grained access control.

Secrets Manager vs Parameter Store?

Parameter Store is cheaper (free tier) for simple config. Secrets Manager has automatic rotation and is designed for secrets. Use Secrets Manager for credentials.

How does secret rotation work?

Secrets Manager can automatically rotate secrets on a schedule. Built-in rotation for RDS and some services. Custom Lambda functions for other systems.

How do applications access secrets?

SDK call to retrieve secret at runtime. IAM policies control access. Can cache secrets in memory. Better than env vars or config files.

Source: aws.amazon.com

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