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AWS Secrets Manager

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AWS service for storing and rotating secrets securely

SecurityCloud & InfrastructureIdentity & Access
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Reviews onG2Capterra
22 reviews tracked·2 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

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)
G218 reviews
4.5/5
Capterra4 reviews
4.8/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Secret storageRotationFine-grained accessAuditAWS integrationEncryption

Pricing Plans

30-day Free Trial

Pricing checked Jul 7, 2026

Most Popular

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 costView 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
HashiCorp Vault
$0.5
1Password
$2.99
Infisical
$18
Doppler
$21

Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Jul 7, 2026.

Reviews

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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.

View full list →
1Password logo
1PasswordPaid

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

4.7
HashiCorp Vault logo
HashiCorp VaultFreemium

Securely store, manage, and encrypt secrets and credentials

4.5
CyberArk logo
CyberArkPaid

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

3.2
Doppler logo
DopplerFreemium

Centralize secrets and env vars with auto-sync and rotation

4.5
Infisical logo
InfisicalFreemium

Open-source secret management platform for modern teams

QIZ Security logo
QIZ SecurityPaid

Automate crypto discovery, risk management, and governance

See all security tools →

Still deciding?

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

All AWS Secrets Manager alternatives6+ tools ranked, pricing + verdict per pickAWS Secrets Manager vs 1PasswordHead-to-head: features, pricing, who winsAWS Secrets Manager vs HashiCorp VaultHead-to-head: features, pricing, who winsAWS Secrets Manager vs CyberArkHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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AWS Secrets Manager FAQ

How does AWS Secrets Manager enhance application security?

AWS Secrets Manager improves security by storing sensitive information like API keys and database credentials, preventing them from being hardcoded into application configuration files. Applications retrieve these secrets at runtime, ensuring credentials are not exposed in code. It also provides automatic rotation of credentials on a schedule.

Which teams benefit most from using AWS Secrets Manager?

Teams developing production applications that prioritize security and operate within the AWS ecosystem will find AWS Secrets Manager most beneficial. It helps maintain secure credential management for applications that take security seriously. This service is particularly useful for development and operations teams.

How does AWS Secrets Manager compare to HashiCorp Vault?

AWS Secrets Manager is a managed service within the AWS ecosystem, offering seamless integration with other AWS services and automatic secret rotation. HashiCorp Vault, while also a secrets management solution, is generally considered more flexible in its deployment options and broader cloud compatibility, whereas Secrets Manager is AWS-only.

What kind of sensitive data can be stored in AWS Secrets Manager?

AWS Secrets Manager is designed to store various types of sensitive information, including API keys, database credentials, and certificates. It ensures these secrets are encrypted at rest and in transit, and can be retrieved by applications as needed.

What are the main trade-offs when choosing AWS Secrets Manager?

A primary trade-off for AWS Secrets Manager is its per-secret pricing model, which can accumulate costs as the number of secrets grows. Additionally, it is an AWS-only service, meaning it doesn't support multi-cloud or on-premises environments, and setting up secret rotation can be complex.

How is AWS Secrets Manager priced?

AWS Secrets Manager is a paid product with no permanently free tier. Its pricing model is based on the number of secrets stored and the number of API calls made to retrieve those secrets. This means costs can vary based on usage volume.

Can AWS Secrets Manager automatically rotate credentials?

Yes, AWS Secrets Manager can automatically rotate credentials on a schedule without requiring changes to the application code. This feature helps to regularly update sensitive information like database passwords, enhancing overall security posture. The rotation process is managed by the service.

Source: aws.amazon.com

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