OpenBao vs Phase
OpenBao
openbao.org
Phase
phase.devSide by side
| Figure | OpenBao | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Secrets Management Tools | 8.0 (#12) | 8.1 (#11) |
| Deployment | OpenBao can be installed through package managers, container registries, precompiled binaries, source builds, or Helm for Kubernetes. | Phase can run as fully managed Cloud or self-hosted on your own infrastructure, including air-gapped environments. |
| Integrations | The project lists integrations including Sigstore for artifact signing, StackHPC for OpenStack, and Percona for database encryption key management. | Listed integrations include AWS, Azure, HashiCorp Vault, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloudflare, GitHub, GitLab, Vercel and Railway. |
| Product | OpenBao is an identity-based secrets and encryption management system for storing and controlling access to sensitive data such as API tokens, encryption keys, passwords, and certificates. | Phase is an open source platform to securely access, manage and deploy application secrets from development to production. |
| Security | OpenBao's security barrier encrypts data sent to storage with AES-256-GCM and verifies the authentication tag when decrypting. | Phase says end-to-end encryption is enabled by default and its servers store only ciphertext in that mode. |
Plans
In their own words
OpenBao
OpenBao is a free, open-source system for storing and controlling access to secrets such as API tokens, encryption keys, passwords, and certificates. Management is available through a web UI, CLI, or HTTP API. Key/value secrets are encrypted before persistent storage, while dynamic credentials can be generated for Kubernetes and SQL databases and revoked when leases expire. Leases can be renewed, and individual secrets or groups can be revoked. OpenBao also encrypts and decrypts data without retaining it. Authentication methods include GitHub, LDAP, and AppRole, with token-based policies. Its storage barrier uses AES-256-GCM and verifies authentication tags during decryption. High-availability configurations are supported. Deployment options include packages, containers, binaries, source builds, and Helm; documentation covers Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and Windows. Releases provide GPG signatures and SBOMs. Integrated Storage defaults to a 1 MiB maximum entry size, configurable with max_entry_size.
Phase
Phase is an open-source platform for managing application secrets from development through production. It runs as a managed cloud service or on your infrastructure, including in air-gapped environments. Phase says end-to-end encryption is enabled by default, with servers storing ciphertext in that mode. Its CLI keeps secrets encrypted at rest locally and can inject them while offline; it also installs skills for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, and VS Code Copilot to work with secrets using natural language. Teams can assign managed or custom roles by app and environment, set IP allow-lists, review records of access and changes, and use point-in-time rollback. Integrations include AWS, Azure, HashiCorp Vault, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloudflare, GitHub, GitLab, Vercel, and Railway. Phase lists SOC 2 Type 2 and penetration testing by Oneleet. The Free plan is limited to 5 users or service accounts, 3 apps, and 3 environments. Pro costs $10 per month, billed annually at $120 ($144 shown), with a 14-day trial.