IBM Security Secret Server vs Safeguard by One Identity comparison

Why PeerSpot?

IBM and One Identity are both solutions in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category. IBM is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.0, while One Identity is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.6. IBM holds a 1.5% mindshare in PAM, compared to One Identity’s 4.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of One Identity users who would recommend it.

IBM Security Secret Server

Read 8 IBM Security Secret Server reviews

1,371 Views
1,357 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Safeguard by One Identity

Read 91 Safeguard by One Identity reviews

11,618 Views
6,622 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

IBM Security Secret Server

Safeguard by One Identity

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 20, 2026

IBM Security Secret Server and One Identity Safeguard are competing in the privileged access management category. IBM Security Secret Server has the upper hand in pricing and support, while One Identity Safeguard excels in features, appealing to users prioritizing advanced capabilities.

Features: IBM Security Secret Server provides password management, session monitoring, and IT environment integration. These features ensure effective security and operational efficiency. One Identity Safeguard offers multi-factor authentication, advanced threat detection, and comprehensive access controls, delivering an enhanced security scope for users seeking robust protections.

Room for Improvement: IBM Security Secret Server could enhance its setup process to reduce complexity and time consumption. Additionally, expanding integration options and improving user interface intuitiveness could contribute to a better user experience. One Identity Safeguard might benefit from optimizing its UI for user-friendliness and expanding documentation. Enhancing default reporting tools can further streamline operations for administrators.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: One Identity Safeguard features a straightforward deployment model with extensive customer support, offering responsive assistance and comprehensive documentation. In contrast, IBM Security Secret Server provides effective customer service but may involve a more intensive setup process. Safeguard's streamlined deployment sets it apart in user convenience.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Security Secret Server offers a cost-effective solution with strong ROI due to competitive pricing and efficient performance. Meanwhile, One Identity Safeguard's higher initial cost is justified by its extensive features, providing value for those seeking deep security capabilities. The comparison lies in initial costs versus comprehensive feature justifications.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity

September 2026

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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

IBM Security Secret Server

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

20th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Safeguard by One Identity

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (1st), Non-Human Identity Management (NHIM) (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.5%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Safeguard by One Identity is 4.4%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Safeguard by One Identity	4.4%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.5%
Other	94.1%

Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Featured Reviews

AsifIqbal

Chief Information Security Officer at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees

Privileged access monitoring has strengthened identity control and improved security posture

I find the monitoring and recording parts of IBM Security Secret Server to be the most valuable features. Password vaulting is somewhat typical, but I rate monitoring and recording as very good features, along with ease of deployment. The reporting tools in IBM Security Secret Server have helped me identify vulnerabilities. From the monitoring part, you can somewhat cover the identity vulnerability aspect. However, for identity vulnerability, I think the best approach is to use IAM rather than PAM. It is easy to integrate IBM Security Secret Server with cybersecurity frameworks, which is a very important aspect. When we are improving our attack surface, identity is the most important thing that we need to cover, and PAM will play a very crucial role in improving our cybersecurity framework and architecture. The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system. If we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security.

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Mahesh Malve

Senior Business Development Associate at DigitalTrack Solutions ind pvt ltd

Centralized control has strengthened privileged security and simplified audit investigations

While One Identity Safeguard is a strong and reliable PAM solution, there are a few areas where it can be further improved to enhance user experience and scalability. Regarding the user interface and experience, the UI, while functional, can be a bit complex for new users. A more intuitive and modern dashboard with simplified navigation would improve adoption, especially for non-technical stakeholders. Regarding integration flexibility, although it supports major integrations, expanding out-of-the-box connectors for more cloud-native apps, DevOps tools, and SaaS platforms would be beneficial. Faster and simpler API-based integrations could reduce deployment efforts. Regarding scalability and performance in large enterprise environments, performance tuning and scaling can require additional efforts. Enhancing seamless scalability and high availability configuration would improve enterprise readiness.

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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

"Centralized Password Management: Our client has more than 400 geographical locations and approximately ten employees work at each location."

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

"This product has been able to cover most of the requests from our customers."

"Stability-wise, I think it is a very good solution."

"Access to privileged, shared credentials is simplified by optimizing the whole workflow and approval processes."

"As a PAM solution, Secret Server performs all the use cases in our environment."

"The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system, and if we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security."

"One of the most valuable features is scalability, and how it allows you to scale it without affecting the underlying core components."

More IBM Security Secret Server pros

"Using this solution has been a great decision in helping with our tasks."

"It was super easy to deploy, not complicated, and did not have the hidden Capex that competitors do!"

"One of the real benefits of safeguarding here is that the client will have an absolute audit of who is using an administrative interface, whether it's server or network."

"One Identity Safeguard has impacted our organization positively because it has helped us standardize how privileged access is managed and has also reduced dependency on manual efforts in password handling, improving operational control overall."

"It has greatly helped improve our security posture. Safeguard has an option where it will reset passwords on service accounts, then go out to those servers where that service account is running as a service and update the password on it. That makes password changes very easy. We can regularly change passwords now and are planning on making it an annual activity, where all the people who own service accounts will go in and make sure all their passwords get changed, updated, and reset."

"Since using One Identity Safeguard, we have more control over who accesses what, especially regarding vendors, and we have seen billing actually go down because we now know how long vendors have been on the server and how long they have worked on it."

"We deployed it into our company for controlling a client's behavior in our data center, and it is very useful to control their connections, such as RDP."

"One of the most important aspects is that it is very easy to use and install. It is also agentless, so all of the operations happen more smoothly than any other product."

More Safeguard by One Identity pros

Cons

"I mention that password vaulting and password rotation in IBM Security Secret Server are basically the same thing, and it becomes somewhat complex when integrating a different system with them because it requires API development."

"What needs improvement in IBM Security Secret Server is support. The local partner provides good support, but IBM itself doesn't. Most of the time, the IBM support team does not aggressively resolve issues reported through chat or the IBM website."

"It would be preferable if the full proxy was included in the IBM Security Secret Server."

"Although much has improved in last two years, the GUI for IBM products can be improved."

"The newer interface is maybe confusing old customer that using previous one from their point of views, I think they will need little pass of time to be familiar with."

"Unfortunately, the technical support is not very responsive because we purchased it from IBM; however, the actual support comes from Thycotic."

"The newer interface is more difficult to use than the previous one, and consequently, new users might need more training."

"If you have a hosted PIM in your local environment and you plan to migrate it to some cloud-based environment, then migration will become a painful task."

More IBM Security Secret Server cons

"One Identity Safeguard could be improved by providing a unified management experience, as historically it has been split into logical units, and it would be beneficial if they could provide out-of-the-box reports and visualization, addressing the high resource overhead for privileged analytics."

"One feature that I feel One Identity Safeguard lacks is a robust reporting interface, as the data we get from it is not very well displayed."

"Safeguard by One Identity's user interface could be more modern and intuitive, especially for new administrators, and the initial deployment and configuration can be complex."

"For the A2A use, it is not as easy as using something like HashiCorp's password management tools."

"Even though we have two nodes, there's no way to do an upgrade without taking everything completely offline. It would be nice if they could improve that."

"While One Identity Safeguard is a strong privilege access management solution, there are some areas where improvements can be made."

"One Identity Safeguard is a strong PAM solution, but there are some areas for improvement."

"From a management point of view, it would be beneficial if One Identity Safeguard Privilege Password and One Identity Safeguard Privilege Session had a more similar interface."

More Safeguard by One Identity cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"My rating for the IBM Security Secret Server pricing is seven out of ten. It could be cheaper."

"I believe that we paid 35,000 or 40,000 US dollars for it."

"The price could be better. I think it's a good price for the on-premises environment and the high availability for enterprises the solution provides."

"One Identity Safeguard is expensive and the cost goes up as we scale."

"As compared to other products, it is reasonable, but the training sessions are too expensive."

"It is cheaper than CyberArk. Its price is fair."

"They offer a fair price for a robust solution."

"The pricing depends on our perspective, our budget, and, of course, the competitors we are taking into account."

"It is a bit on the pricey side, but you get what you pay for. You don't want to get anything too cheap because then you get cheap stuff and cheap support. That really never helps anybody."

"They have comparable pricing. All identity products are essentially priced in a similar way. It's a per-user base."

"Its subscription cost is too much, and sometimes, it is very difficult to pitch the solution to the management for cost approval. If the cost is reduced a little bit, it would be easier. If its cost was less, many other organizations that currently cannot afford it would be able to use this technology. I'm sure many organizations around the globe are having issues with identity management, and it is a very difficult task for IT to manage privileged accounts."

More Safeguard by One Identity pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Insurance Company

18%

Outsourcing Company

13%

Construction Company

11%

Performing Arts

Outsourcing Company

14%

Retailer

10%

Financial Services Firm

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	93
Midsize Enterprise	27
Large Enterprise	40

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with IBM Security Secret Server?

I believe there is not much that can be improved for IBM Security Secret Server. Providing local support and local vendor availability would be beneficial so we are not dependent on international s...

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What is your primary use case for IBM Security Secret Server?

IBM Security Secret Server serves multiple use cases for us, including the monitoring of privileged users, as well as the recording and password vaulting of their accounts, passwords, and need-base...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering IBM Security Secret Server?

I mention that password vaulting and password rotation in IBM Security Secret Server are basically the same thing, and it becomes somewhat complex when integrating a different system with them beca...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for One Identity Safeguard?

My experience with the pricing, setup cost, and licensing of Safeguard by One Identity is moderate.

See all answers

What needs improvement with One Identity Safeguard?

Safeguard by One Identity could be improved by making the interface even easier to use, expanding reporting and analytics, and providing more customization options for access policies. It would be ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for One Identity Safeguard?

My main use case for Safeguard by One Identity is securing and managing user identities and access across the application with a focus on improving authentication, enforcing access control, and red...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time

Fortra's Powertech Identity & Access Manager vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 10% of the time

Fudo PAM vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access vs Safeguard by One Identity

Compared 4% of the time

Delinea Privileged Access Service vs Safeguard by One Identity

Compared 4% of the time

SailPoint Identity Security Cloud vs Safeguard by One Identity

Compared 3% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

October 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Safeguard by One Identity

October 2026

Download Safeguard by One Identity product report

Also Known As

IBM Secret Server, Secret Server, IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager

No data available

Overview

IBM Security Secret Server provides centralized management of privileged credentials, secure access, session recording, and replay. Its pricing model is unique, being based on user count rather than system connections, making it a flexible choice for organizations.

IBM Security Secret Server enhances cybersecurity by integrating with frameworks and offering features like monitoring, high availability, and adaptable reporting. It simplifies password management, automates changes, and ensures compliance with security protocols. The platform is valued for its ease of deployment and user-friendly interface, although it can improve in areas such as the GUI and integration process. Complex high availability and disaster recovery setups are noted challenges, along with nonclustered indexing issues affecting performance. Users desire improvements in local support and migration processes.

What are the key features of IBM Security Secret Server?

Centralized Management: Streamlines credential management across systems.
Session Recording: Allows recording and replay of sessions for forensic purposes.
Integration Capabilities: Enhances security with diverse cybersecurity frameworks.
Adaptable Reporting: Provides tools for customizable reporting.
Single-Access Console: Offers a unified user experience with granular roles.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies deployment and daily operations.
Scalability: User-based pricing model ensures flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Security Compliance: Ensures adherence to security protocols with automated processes.
Audit and Reporting: Robust capabilities for auditing and compliance documentation.
Enhanced Security Posture: Integrates well with existing frameworks to bolster security.

Organizations across various industries implement IBM Security Secret Server for managing privileged access and securing critical systems. It serves financial institutions by providing a secure jump server for accessing core banking platforms and databases. IT managers benefit from workflow approvals and automated password management, ensuring compliance and boosting security posture. The platform's session recording and auditing features are crucial for sectors needing detailed activity documentation.

IBM

One Identity Safeguard manages and monitors privileged access, enhancing security with features like automatic session recording, real-time monitoring, and credential rotation. It integrates seamlessly, supports compliance with audit trails, and improves operational efficiency across organizations. This robust platform significantly bolsters security protocols while controlling sensitive operations.

One Identity

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Cavium

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity

September 2026

Free Report: IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity

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