# AWS Secrets Manager vs CredStash: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[AWS Secrets Manager](https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-secrets-manager) is a commercial [secrets management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/secrets-management) solution by [Amazon Web Services, Inc](https://cybersectools.com/companies/amazon-web-services-inc). [CredStash](https://cybersectools.com/tools/credstash) is a free [secrets management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/secrets-management) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | AWS Secrets Manager | CredStash |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Secrets Management | Secrets Management |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Cloud | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 2,064 |
| Last commit | – | May 2021 |
| Company | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | AWS Secrets Manager | CredStash |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Yes | Yes |
| Secrets Management | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | – | Yes |
| Key Management | – | Yes |

## Which one fits you

Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.

- [AWS Secrets Manager](https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-secrets-manager) fits if you want a cloud product and you are a startup.
- [CredStash](https://cybersectools.com/tools/credstash) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## AWS Secrets Manager vs CredStash FAQ

Common questions when comparing AWS Secrets Manager vs CredStash for secrets management.

### What is the difference between AWS Secrets Manager and CredStash?

**AWS Secrets Manager**: A fully managed service that securely stores, rotates, and manages sensitive data such as database credentials and API keys. Built by Amazon Web Services, Inc.

**CredStash**: CredStash is a credential management tool that securely stores and retrieves sensitive information using AWS KMS encryption.

The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.

### Who makes AWS Secrets Manager and CredStash?

**AWS Secrets Manager** is made by Amazon Web Services, Inc. **CredStash** is open-source with 2,064 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is AWS Secrets Manager a good alternative to CredStash?

Often, yes. AWS Secrets Manager and CredStash are both Secrets Management products, and both cover AWS, Secrets Management. Key differences: AWS Secrets Manager is Commercial while CredStash is Free, CredStash is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Crypto4A QxVault™](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-crypto4a-qxvaulttm)
- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Codezero](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-codezero)
- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Doppler](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-doppler)
- [CredStash vs Crypto4A QxVault™](https://cybersectools.com/compare/credstash-vs-crypto4a-qxvaulttm)
- [CredStash vs Codezero](https://cybersectools.com/compare/codezero-vs-credstash)
- [CredStash vs Doppler](https://cybersectools.com/compare/credstash-vs-doppler)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all AWS Secrets Manager alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/aws-secrets-manager)
- [See all CredStash alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/credstash)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-credstash

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-secrets-manager.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on AWS Secrets Manager and CredStash: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md