CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs HashiCorp Vault comparison

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs. HashiCorp Vault

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

CyberArk Privileged Access ...

Ranking in Enterprise Password Managers

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

224

Ranking in other categories

User Activity Monitoring (1st), Privileged Access Management (PAM) (1st), Mainframe Security (2nd), Operational Technology (OT) Security (3rd)

HashiCorp Vault

Ranking in Enterprise Password Managers

4th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Enterprise Password Managers category, the mindshare of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is 8.0%, down from 8.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HashiCorp Vault is 11.6%, down from 13.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Password Managers

Featured Reviews

Abdul Durrani

Security Manager at Insight

Enables granular and secure access with just-in-time access and Zero Trust model

CyberArk provides a good amount of control over access types. However, as a future enhancement, having additional features for cross-platform integration would be beneficial. It would be good to have integrations with other tools and firewalls, such as Zscaler and CrowdStrike. Although I am not fully aware of recent updates, more cross-platform integration would be valuable. A SOC analyst would like to have centralized access in terms of information flowing in even for privileged access management. They would like to have control over everything instead of opening four to five tabs for different sorts of information. Cross-platform integration would help with that. Customers also want CyberArk's pricing to be better so that they can implement it further and have more licenses. Implementing a privileged access management solution can be challenging. It would be great if CyberArk could provide recommendations based on the compliance standards of an organization. It would help system admins ensure that all the required ports are closed and the systems are being managed properly. If any system is not being used anymore, any ports opened for that system need to be closed. Having such recommendations would be helpful.

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Anand-Awasthi

Cloud Solutions Architect at IBM

Offers dynamic secrets and certificate management for proactive security measures

The best features in HashiCorp Vault are its dynamic certificate management and dynamic secret management, which are the key features that use data effectively. These are very targeted use cases that cut across multiple solutions. I have utilized Vault's encryption capabilities for securing data in transit and at rest, especially for dynamically consuming database encryption, which covers the requirements of various scenarios where databases do not have encryption capability. HashiCorp Vault provides security by rotating the keys and taking all the burden of securing the data from the database. These are key core features that many users employ in this solution. Vault's audit logs provide insights into access patterns and help ensure compliance. These facilities are configurable, and the logs are encrypted, ensuring that anything recorded in the logs is secure. We could use systems that comply with specific standards for audit logging and scanning, especially when working with them. The benefits from HashiCorp Vault include significant advantages in security lifecycle management itself. The value becomes apparent when security incidents occur. It has substantial value in proactively protecting from adverse situations, providing resilience and appreciation by customers in complete security lifecycle management solutions for core infrastructure applications.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The technical support is good."

"It has a lot of good tools, including everything we need."

"CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is the best solution for safeguarding sensitive patient data in healthcare, providing visibility and traceability that enhance compliance."

"Previously, we used to share passwords for service and normal admin accounts among team members. However, since we started managing it through the product, we've transitioned to individual admin accounts or implemented dual control for shared accounts. With dual control, exclusive checking and checkout options are available, and passwords are not stored in clear text anywhere in the credentials."

"You can see the benefits of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager immediately."

"What I found most valuable in CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is the Session Manager as it allows you to split the connection between the administrator site and the target site. I also found the Password Manager valuable as it lets you rotate the passwords of privileged users."

"It has a centralized page where you can manage everything. This makes work easier. You don't have to remember different module URLs or browser applications. It is very easy to get all the secure identities of other environments into a single page, which is very important for us as it helps a lot in terms of operations, e.g., reduces management time. This is a single page where you can manage all accounts and onboard them to the CyberArk. You can then secure and see passwords from everywhere. So, there is a single pane of glass where you can manage all the identities across environments as well as across different types of identities."

"We found the initial setup to be easy."

More CyberArk Privileged Access Manager pros

"We were using it because we have compliance requirements around secret management. Having a secure vault and encrypting data was an additional requirement. When we looked at it first, we were just looking for a vault, like a lockbox. The greatest benefit of HashiCorp is its ability to manage encryption on the fly. It provides encryption of data at rest, in use, in transit, on the fly, and linked with applications, which was really attractive."

"For me, the most valuable features include that it's easy to manage and maintain the password API for retrieving passwords and other things."

"The benefits from HashiCorp Vault include significant advantages in security lifecycle management itself."

"The most valuable feature of HashiCorp Vault is the management of tickets in the pipeline."

"The tool's dynamic rotation of the password credentials is good."

"It is a good product to consider for companies who are looking to build on-premise or hybrid infrastructure."

"It is user-friendly and easy to implement from any application point."

"This solution is easy to use and to integrate."

More HashiCorp Vault pros

Cons

"Having a cloud version would be very helpful. You have to invest a lot of money for the infrastructure hardware so the cloud version would help."

"They need to provide better training for the System Integrator."

"Transitioning from a traditional on-premises deployment to the privileged cloud has resulted in losing access to many logs and administrative tools typically available on the back end."

"We would like to expand the usage of the auto discovery accounts feed, then on our end, tie in the REST API for automation."

"The initial setup was a bit complex."

"As they grow, the technical support is having growing pains. One of the things is just being able to get somebody on the phone sometimes."

"There is a lot of room for improvement in the report section. I also work on other tools, such as Thycotic, which allows you to create customized reports for your organization's needs. In CyberArk, there are limited reports, whereas in Thycotic or some of the other PAM tools, because the database is different, you can customize the report based on your needs through SQL queries."

"CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is more expensive than its competitors, such as BeyondTrust, Delinea, and ManageEngine PAM360."

More CyberArk Privileged Access Manager cons

"In my opinion, HashiCorp Vault could improve its user interface. Right now, they don't offer much in terms of a graphical interface, which means you usually have to manage things manually through API calls. I think CyberArk has a better approach because it provides a UI that integrates features across all its components, making it easier, especially for new users or those from organizations with strict licensing policies."

"It would be helpful to have more advanced features."

"The product needs to improve its customization. It should be also more like easy to plug and play."

"An improvement needed is the ability for auto-initialization."

"The solution could be much easier to implement."

"The product is complicated to install."

"The onboarding is a challenge. It should be more self-service, but it involves reviews and approvals."

"The solution's initial setup process is complicated."

More HashiCorp Vault cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This solution is expensive."

"The price of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager could be less expensive."

"I believe that this solution is priced well. It's the market leader and I think that it's the best solution."

"The product’s pricing is feasible for enterprise customers. The pricing is expensive for smaller businesses. You need to pay additional costs for service implementation and local support."

"The solution is available at a high price"

"The SaaS version of CyberArk Enterprise Password Vault is very expensive, but the on-premises version is relative, e.g. depending on the size of the environment, it can be a bit pricey, but it's relatively okay compared to the others."

"It is not a cheap solution. It is expensive as compared with other solutions. However, it is one of the best solutions in their domain."

"It costs us around $200 per user."

More CyberArk Privileged Access Manager pricing and cost advice

"It could do everything we wanted it to do and it is brilliant, but it is super pricey. To be fair to HashiCorp, we drove the price up with our requirements around resiliency. Because of the nature of our company, we don't really operate in the cloud."

"I am using the open-source version of Vault and I would have to buy a license if I want to get support."

"The AWS version is much cheaper than HashiCorp Vault."

"The solution's cost is reasonable."

"The product is expensive."

"In my case, the open-source version works well. It's advisable for small to medium-scale organizations, but for large-scale organizations, you should go with the enterprise version."

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860,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

18%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

20%

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

How does Sailpoint IdentityIQ compare with CyberArk PAM?

We evaluated Sailpoint IdentityIQ before ultimately choosing CyberArk. Sailpoint Identity Platform is a solution to manage risks in cloud enterprise environments. It automates and streamlines the m...

What do you like most about CyberArk Privileged Access Manager?

The most valuable features of the solution are control and analytics.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Privileged Access Manager?

It's not a cheap application. It's very expensive.

Which is better - HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager?

HashiCorp Vault was designed with your needs in mind. One of the features that makes this evident is its ability to work as both a cloud-agnostic and a multi-cloud solution. As a cloud-agnostic sol...

What do you like most about HashiCorp Vault?

The feature I find most beneficial in HashiCorp Vault is the secret engine. It integrates smoothly with many applications, making it easy to set up and implement quickly. This allows you to test it...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HashiCorp Vault?

If I were to set it up in AWS Secret Management, I would have to manage it, pay, and create secrets without being cloud agnostic. The advantage with Vault is that it is cloud agnostic. I can deploy...

Microsoft Entra ID vs CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Comparisons

Compared 9% of the time

WALLIX Bastion vs CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Compared 6% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Compared 5% of the time

ManageEngine PAM360 vs CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Compared 3% of the time

More CyberArk Privileged Access Manager Competitors

Bitwarden vs HashiCorp Vault

Compared 26% of the time

AWS Secrets Manager vs HashiCorp Vault

Compared 15% of the time

Keeper vs HashiCorp Vault

Compared 12% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs HashiCorp Vault

Compared 11% of the time

BeyondTrust Password Safe vs HashiCorp Vault

Compared 3% of the time

More HashiCorp Vault Competitors

Product Reports

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Download CyberArk Privileged Access Manager product report

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager report

HashiCorp Vault

Download HashiCorp Vault product report

Also Known As

CyberArk Privileged Access Security, CyberArk Enterprise Password Vault

No data available

Overview

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is a next-generation solution that allows users to secure both their applications and their confidential corporate information. It is extremely flexible and can be implemented across a variety of environments. This program runs with equal efficiency in a fully cloud-based, hybrid, or on-premises environment. Users can now protect their critical infrastructure and access it in any way that best meets their needs.

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager possesses a simplified and unified user interface. Users are able to manage the solution from one place. The UI allows users to view and manage all of the information and controls that administrators need to be able to easily access. Very often, management UIs do not have all of the controls and information streamlined in a single location. This platform provides a level of visibility that ensures users will be able to view all of their system’s most critical information at any time that they wish.

Benefits of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager

Some of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager’s benefits include:

The ability to manage IDs and permissions across a cloud environment. In a world where being able to work remotely is becoming increasingly important, CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is a very valuable tool. Administrators do not need to worry about infrastructure security when they are away from the office. They can assign and manage security credentials from anywhere in the world.
The ability to manage the program from a single centralized UI. CyberArk Privileged Access Manager’s UI contains all of the system controls and information. Users now have the ability to view and use all of their system’s most critical information and controls from one place.
The ability to automate user management tasks. Administrators can save valuable time by assigning certain management tasks to be fulfilled by the system itself. Users can now reserve their time for tasks that are most pressing. It can also allow for the system to simplify the management process by having the platform perform the most complex functions.

Reviews from Real Users

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager’s software stands out among its competitors for one very fundamental reason. CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is an all-in-one solution. Users are given the ability to accomplish with a single platform what might usually only be accomplished with multiple solutions.

PeerSpot users note the truly all-in-one nature of this solution. Mateusz K., IT Manager at a financial services firm, wrote, "It improves security in our company. We have more than 10,000 accounts that we manage in CyberArk. We use these accounts for SQLs, Windows Server, and Unix. Therefore, keeping these passwords up-to-date in another solution or software would be impossible. Now, we have some sort of a platform to manage passwords, distribute the inflow, and manage IT teams as well as making regular changes to it according to the internal security policies in our bank."

Hichem T.-B., CDO & Co-Founder at ELYTIK, noted that “This is a complete solution that can detect cyber attacks well. I have found the proxy features most valuable for fast password web access.”

CyberArk

HashiCorp Vault is a cloud-agnostic solution used for security and secret management. Its valuable features include integration with other HashiCorp tools, token sharing, open source nature, cloud agnosticism, and on-the-fly encryption management.

The solution provides encryption of data at rest, in use, in transit, on the fly, and linked with applications. It is free to use, and the interface is simple to navigate. HashiCorp Vault has helped organizations with its multiple authentication methods and RESTful API.

HashiCorp Vault Features

Data encryption: The solution is capable of encrypting and decrypting data, and will not store it. Organizations’ security personnel define their own encryption protocols; developers can store the encrypted data where they choose and are not obligated to design specific encryption processes.
Robust secrets: For systems such as AWS or SQL databases, Vault is able to generate secrets automatically. HashiCorp Vault is able to generate AWS keypairs with all the appropriate permissions when necessary, and when the approved time expires, will nullify them.
Secure secret storage: Any type of value or key secrets can be stored in the Vault. The Vault automatically encrypts the desired secrets before recording them into persistent storage, keeping them safe and secure. Users can record data using HCP Vault’s Consul service or disk, or choose from other options.
Nullification: Vault is able to nullify single secrets or all secrets from a particular group or specific user. This process is integral in securing systems in the event of an attack or inappropriate access.

Reviews from Real Users

“The greatest benefit of HashiCorp is its ability to manage encryption on the fly. It provides encryption of data at rest, in use, in transit, on the fly, and linked with applications, which was really attractive. The lifecycle of a key is so easy to manage in terms of rotating, revoking, and issuing. They have different auth methods, and I tried all different auth methods. It is seamless.”- Project Manager at a comms service provider.

“The most valuable feature of HashiCorp Vault is that it's an open source solution. Second, it's cloud-agnostic, so it's very easy to maintain and control, which is why we prefer HashiCorp. “ - Mohamed A., Lead DevOps Engineer at Etisalat.

HashiCorp

Sample Customers

Rockwell Automation

Adobe, SAP Ariba, Citadel, Spaceflight, Cruise

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs. HashiCorp Vault