# AWS Secrets Manager vs helm-secrets: 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). [helm-secrets](https://cybersectools.com/tools/helm-secrets) 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 | helm-secrets |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Secrets Management | Secrets Management |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Cloud | Cloud |
| Company size fit | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 1,970 |
| Last commit | – | Feb 2026 |
| Company | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | AWS Secrets Manager | helm-secrets |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Yes | Yes |
| Secrets Management | Yes | Yes |
| Kubernetes | – | Yes |
| Azure | – | 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 are a startup.
- [helm-secrets](https://cybersectools.com/tools/helm-secrets) fits if you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## AWS Secrets Manager vs helm-secrets FAQ

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

### What is the difference between AWS Secrets Manager and helm-secrets?

**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.

**helm-secrets**: A Helm plugin that decrypts encrypted value files using sops encryption and integrates with cloud secret managers for secure secrets management in Kubernetes deployments.

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

### Who makes AWS Secrets Manager and helm-secrets?

**AWS Secrets Manager** is made by Amazon Web Services, Inc. **helm-secrets** is open-source with 1,970 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 helm-secrets?

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

## Related comparisons

- [AWS Secrets Manager vs enclaive Vault](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-enclaive-vault)
- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Crypto4A QxVault™](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-crypto4a-qxvaulttm)
- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Doppler](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-doppler)
- [helm-secrets vs enclaive Vault](https://cybersectools.com/compare/enclaive-vault-vs-helm-secrets)
- [helm-secrets vs Crypto4A QxVault™](https://cybersectools.com/compare/crypto4a-qxvaulttm-vs-helm-secrets)
- [helm-secrets vs Doppler](https://cybersectools.com/compare/doppler-vs-helm-secrets)

## Alternatives to each

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

---

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

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 helm-secrets: 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