PHP Encryption is a free database security solution. Thales CipherTrust Database Protection is a commercial database security solution by Thales Group. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.
What our shortlists say about the one we picked.
Best for: Column encryption without changing application code
This is the encryption pick on the list, because stolen data is useless without the key and you do not have to rewrite applications to get there. It fits teams of any size that must protect specific columns for regulators. It does not watch activity, so pair it with a monitoring product if you also need audit trails.
From Best Database Security Solutions for Business, Fall 2026
Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze.
A PHP library that provides secure data encryption capabilities using keys or passwords, designed to minimize implementation errors.
Column-level database encryption without application code modification
See more solutions in this category, or build a security stack from your picks.
Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.
PHP Encryption fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you are a startup, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.
Thales CipherTrust Database Protection fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options.
Common questions when comparing PHP Encryption vs Thales CipherTrust Database Protection for database security.
PHP Encryption: A PHP library that provides secure data encryption capabilities using keys or passwords, designed to minimize implementation errors.
Thales CipherTrust Database Protection: Column-level database encryption without application code modification. Built by Thales Group.
The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.
PHP Encryption is open-source with 3,873 GitHub stars. Thales CipherTrust Database Protection is made by Thales Group. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.
Often, yes. PHP Encryption and Thales CipherTrust Database Protection are both Database Security products, and both cover Encryption. Key differences: PHP Encryption is Free while Thales CipherTrust Database Protection is Commercial, PHP Encryption is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.
Need the answer fast? Best Database Security Solutions for Business picks IBM Guardium, Imperva Data Security Fabric, Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall and 4 more.See the shortlist
