Vault vs AWS Secrets Manager
HashiCorp Vault
Pros
- Cloud-agnostic — works on AWS, GCP, Azure, on-prem
- Dynamic secrets and leasing
- Rich policy engine and identity integration
- Plugin ecosystem for databases and PKI
Cons
- Self-managed unless using HCP (paid)
- Operational overhead for HA clusters
- Steeper learning curve
- You own patching, backups, and upgrades
AWS Secrets Manager
Pros
- Fully managed — no infrastructure to operate
- Native IAM integration
- Automatic rotation with Lambda
- Tight integration with ECS, EKS, and Lambda
Cons
- AWS-only — vendor lock-in
- Per-secret monthly cost adds up
- Less flexible than Vault for non-AWS secrets
- Limited dynamic secret generation
Verdict
Choose AWS Secrets Manager if your entire stack runs on AWS and you want managed rotation with minimal operational burden. It integrates natively with IAM, ECS task roles, and Lambda. Choose HashiCorp Vault for multi-cloud deployments, on-premises requirements, or when you need dynamic secrets, PKI, or advanced policy controls beyond AWS IAM. Many enterprises use Vault as the central secrets layer even on AWS. For JWT signing keys, both provide encryption, audit, and rotation — pick based on your cloud strategy.
Related Tools
Deeper Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both Vault and AWS Secrets Manager?
Yes. Some teams use Vault as the source of truth and sync to AWS Secrets Manager for service consumption.
Which is cheaper?
Vault self-hosted has infra costs but no per-secret fees. AWS Secrets Manager charges per secret per month plus API calls.