# AWS Secrets Manager vs safe: 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). [safe](https://cybersectools.com/tools/safe) 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 | safe |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 420 |
| Last commit | – | Feb 2023 |
| Company | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | AWS Secrets Manager | safe |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Yes | – |
| Secrets Management | Yes | – |
| SSH | – | 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.
- [safe](https://cybersectools.com/tools/safe) 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 safe FAQ

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

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

**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.

**safe**: A CLI tool for securely generating keys, passwords, and providing credentials without files, primarily for building secure BOSH deployments using Vault and Spruce.

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

### Who makes AWS Secrets Manager and safe?

**AWS Secrets Manager** is made by Amazon Web Services, Inc. **safe** is open-source with 420 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 safe?

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

## Related comparisons

- [AWS Secrets Manager vs IBM Cloud Secrets Manager](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-ibm-cloud-secrets-manager)
- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Thales CipherTrust Secrets Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-thales-ciphertrust-secrets-management)
- [AWS Secrets Manager vs Delinea DevOps Secrets Vault](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-secrets-manager-vs-delinea-devops-secrets-vault)
- [safe vs IBM Cloud Secrets Manager](https://cybersectools.com/compare/ibm-cloud-secrets-manager-vs-safe)
- [safe vs Thales CipherTrust Secrets Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/safe-vs-thales-ciphertrust-secrets-management)
- [safe vs Delinea DevOps Secrets Vault](https://cybersectools.com/compare/delinea-devops-secrets-vault-vs-safe)

## Alternatives to each

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

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

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 safe: 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