OpenBao vs SikkerKey
OpenBao
openbao.org
SikkerKey
sikkerkey.comSide by side
| Figure | OpenBao | SikkerKey |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $29/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Secrets Management Tools | 8.0 (#12) | 8.0 (#14) |
| Encryption | OpenBao can encrypt and decrypt data without storing it, using centrally defined encryption parameters. | Secrets use three-layer envelope encryption with per-secret AES-256-GCM data keys, per-project master keys and a separate root key. |
| Integrations | The project lists integrations including Sigstore for artifact signing, StackHPC for OpenStack, and Percona for database encryption key management. | SikkerKey integrates through its CLI, SDKs or signed HTTP with CI/CD, containers, app platforms, serverless functions, servers and on-premise systems. |
| 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. | SikkerKey is a secrets manager and vault for application and infrastructure credentials. |
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.
SikkerKey
SikkerKey is a secrets manager and vault for application and infrastructure credentials. It supports standard, structured, managed, leased, certificate, canary, and TTL secrets, as well as secret rotation and dynamic secrets. Machines authenticate by signing each request with an Ed25519 private key that stays on the host. Teams can connect it to CI/CD, containers, app platforms, serverless functions, servers, and on-premise systems through its CLI, SDKs, or signed HTTP. Official SDKs are available for Go, Python, Node.js,.NET, Kotlin, and PHP. Its CLI supports Linux x64 and ARM64, macOS Intel and Apple Silicon, and Windows x64. The service describes a three-layer encryption design; its MCP server gives AI agents a separate identity class that cannot retrieve plaintext secret values. SikkerKey says its vault, secrets, and audit trail stay in the EU and are operated from Denmark. The free Developer plan is free and includes 10 machines; paid plans start at $29/mo. Every plan includes direct in-dashboard support and unlimited secret, project, read-volume, and rotation counts.