AWS Secrets Manager Pricing 2026
Plans, hidden costs, and cheaper alternatives compared
Is AWS Secrets Manager worth the price?
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.
This model is transparent and scales well. It's best for organizations that need robust, integrated secret management within the AWS ecosystem.
Pricing Plans
30-day Free TrialPer 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
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Data transfer out of AWS regions
CloudTrail logging for audit trails
KMS encryption key usage fees
Potential for high API call volume
Which Plan Do You Need?
AWS-centric organizations
Automated secret rotation needs
Compliance-focused environments
How AWS Secrets Manager Compares to Competitors
Compared to HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager is generally more cost-effective for smaller to medium AWS-native deployments, as Vault often involves self-hosting infrastructure costs or higher enterprise licensing. Azure Key Vault has a similar per-secret and per-transaction model, making it a direct competitor with comparable pricing, often favored by organizations already in the Azure ecosystem.
AWS Secrets Manager Pricing FAQ
How much does AWS Secrets Manager cost?
AWS Secrets Manager uses custom pricing. Contact AWS Secrets Manager directly for a quote based on your team size and requirements.
Does AWS Secrets Manager have a free plan?
Yes. AWS Secrets Manager offers a free plan called "Per Secret". It includes: Automatic rotation, Fine-grained policies, Audit with CloudTrail.
Does AWS Secrets Manager offer a free trial?
Yes, AWS Secrets Manager offers a free trial lasting 30 days. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.
Is there a cheaper alternative to AWS Secrets Manager?
Yes. Popular alternatives to AWS Secrets Manager include HashiCorp Vault, 1Password, CyberArk, Doppler. Free alternatives include HashiCorp Vault, Doppler, Infisical. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to AWS Secrets Manager
3 of 5 direct competitors below offer a free plan. Per-seat pricing varies up to 60% across this set.
