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 1.4% mindshare in PAM, compared to One Identity’s 4.3% 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

1,280 Views
1,267 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Safeguard by One Identity

Read 91 Safeguard by One Identity reviews

11,011 Views
6,496 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 September 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.4%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Safeguard by One Identity is 4.3%, 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	4.3%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.4%
Other	94.3%

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

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

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

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

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

"It is one of the most well-known names in this field."

"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."

"What I like best about IBM Security Secret Server is its single-access console. It's also easy to manage and fulfills the requirements with the least resistance."

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

More IBM Security Secret Server pros

"It is easy to manage. There is a very logical, clear user interface. Also, the integration of scripts is thoughtfully implemented. Overall, it's a nice product to manage."

"One Identity Safeguard brings access control, auditing, and credential management together in a single solution, making day-to-day administration more efficient."

"Being able to use a proxy server is an advantage."

"The initial setup of One Identity Safeguard was simple."

"I have successfully connected Identity Manager (IGA) to Safeguard to achieve Privilege Access Governance, making it possible by using an OOTB connector in Identity Manager to talk to the Safeguard system so I can govern the data from Safeguard and provision PAM accounts from Identity Manager to achieve a complete lifecycle."

"We are able to log and get reporting on all privileged activity that is being performed. We like the fact that we can leverage the session recording feature, which is especially valuable when we're dealing with third-party vendors that have to remote into our our boxes and servers to do any work on behalf of the bank. Now, we can record everything they are doing to ensure that they're only doing the changes that were needed. In addition, we use it to leverage knowledge transfer with our internal staff."

"One Identity Safeguard has improved our organization's security posture by providing centralized privileged access management, secure password vaulting, and session monitoring."

"One Identity Safeguard has positively impacted my organization by tracking admin activities in real time, recording privileged sessions, improving the accountability of engineers and administrators, and detecting suspicious or unauthorized actions."

More Safeguard by One Identity pros

Cons

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

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

"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."

"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."

"The nonclustered index is working in an area with a problem that needs improvement."

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

"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."

"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

"Transparent mode was too cumbersome, so I don't foresee us being able to use it. On paper when we were initially talking about it, it was definitely going to be the preferred method until we realized the burden it would be on our network guys. Then, we had to step back and reevaluate what we wanted to do. That's when we changed our approach to use the RD Gateway feature."

"Documentation can be much better and they should provide typical use cases to get started more easily."

"There is room for improvement in the launch module. They built in a launch button but they don't have effective instructions for configuring it to allow it to launch an RDP session. They're working on that, but the button is in the live product. If they were going to install something that wasn't useful, they should have just disabled it and not rolled it out with the product."

"The main point regarding the user experience is that Safeguard has two separate management consoles."

"One Identity Safeguard can improve by having more integration with multiple devices."

"Monitoring of the platform should be easier and more functional so that you can have a clear picture of the running service."

"One Identity Safeguard can be improved by fixing the documentation, which is very convoluted as of now, and addressing versioning, as some major bugs and issues are not documented well enough in the documentation, along with some patches and fixes."

"We should be able to create customized connectors in a better way. For ad hoc or special use cases, I sometimes find we have limitations. Improving the way we develop new connectors for non-typical systems would be beneficial."

More Safeguard by One Identity cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

"The license is around $3,000 per month."

"Setup cost, pricing and licensing are all very expensive."

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

"Safeguard is cheaper than CyberArk."

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

"Our licensing costs are on a yearly basis."

"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."

"The pricing is about $80,000 per 100 servers. There are few elective costs."

More Safeguard by One Identity pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Insurance Company

19%

Outsourcing Company

13%

Construction Company

12%

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	89
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?

Our experience with the pricing and licensing was generally positive. The initial setup costs were reasonable considering the security and access control benefits we are getting. The licensing mode...

See all answers

What needs improvement with One Identity Safeguard?

I think Safeguard by One Identity could be improved by making the user interface a little simpler and more intuitive, especially for new administrators. Some configurations and advanced features ta...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for One Identity Safeguard?

My main use case for Safeguard by One Identity is to manage a secure privileged account and access a critical system. It helps us to control who can access sensitive resources and monitor privilege...

See all answers

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

Compared 12% of the time

Fudo PAM vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 4% of the time

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BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access vs Safeguard by One Identity

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Haystax Analytics Platform vs Safeguard by One Identity

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

September 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Safeguard by One Identity

August 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

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