Cossack Labs Hermes vs Zama Protocol: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Cossack Labs Hermes: Crypto framework for access control & encrypted data security in remote storage. built by Cossack Labs. Core capabilities include Client-side plaintext processing — sensitive data is never decrypted on the server, Cryptographic access control — permissions enforced via possession of cryptographic keys, Encrypted CRUD operations — server performs create, read, update, delete on encrypted data only..

Zama Protocol: Confidential blockchain protocol using FHE for encrypted smart contracts. built by Zama. Core capabilities include Fully Homomorphic Encryption for blockchain data, Confidential smart contracts on any L1 or L2, Solidity-based development with euint data types..

Both serve the Database Security market but differ in approach, feature depth, and target audience.

Cossack Labs Hermes differentiates with Client-side plaintext processing — sensitive data is never decrypted on the server, Cryptographic access control — permissions enforced via possession of cryptographic keys, Encrypted CRUD operations — server performs create, read, update, delete on encrypted data only. Zama Protocol differentiates with Fully Homomorphic Encryption for blockchain data, Confidential smart contracts on any L1 or L2, Solidity-based development with euint data types.

Cossack Labs Hermes is developed by Cossack Labs. Zama Protocol is developed by Zama. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

Cossack Labs Hermes and Zama Protocol serve similar Database Security use cases: both cover Encryption, Open Source. Key differences: Cossack Labs Hermes is Free while Zama Protocol is Commercial. Review the feature comparison above to determine which fits your requirements.