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Government · head to head

CentralSquare vs HashiCorp Boundary

CentralSquare logo

CentralSquare

Government

Public Safety and Administration Software

From
$1500/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
HashiCorp Boundary logo

HashiCorp Boundary

Cybersecurity

Identity-aware session broker for infrastructure access without distributing credentials

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HashiCorp Boundary has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CentralSquare no pricing information is published on the website; HashiCorp Boundary hashiCorp was acquired by IBM in February 2025 and Enterprise licensing now runs through IBM Passport Advantage; IBM has already retired HCP Vault Secrets, so Boundary's roadmap depends on IBM portfolio decisions rather than HashiCorp's own product strategy.
  • They diverge on capability: CentralSquare covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, HashiCorp Boundary covers Identity-based access.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CentralSquare and HashiCorp Boundary actually diverge.

Attributes where CentralSquare and HashiCorp Boundary differ
AttributeCentralSquareHashiCorp Boundary
Starting price$1500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Ios, AndroidLinux, macOS, Windows, Web
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2018Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CentralSquare

  • Computer-Aided Dispatch
  • Records Management
  • Jail Management
  • Fire RMS
  • Community Development
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • FBI CJIS
  • NCIC

Only in HashiCorp Boundary

  • Identity-based access
  • Just-in-time credentials
  • Dynamic host catalogues
  • Session recording
  • Transparent sessions
  • Multi-hop workers
  • Audit logging
  • Terraform provider

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CentralSquare

  • Citizen Servicesnot HashiCorp Boundary
  • Records Managementnot HashiCorp Boundary
  • Public Safetynot HashiCorp Boundary
  • Civic Engagementnot HashiCorp Boundary

HashiCorp Boundary

  • A platform team replacing shared SSH keys and a bastion host so that leavers lose access the moment they are removed from the identity providernot CentralSquare
  • Granting contractors time-boxed database access without ever issuing them a credential they could keepnot CentralSquare
  • An estate where autoscaling replaces hosts continuously and a static access list is always out of datenot CentralSquare
  • Producing session recordings as evidence for an audit that requires proof of who touched production and what they rannot CentralSquare

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CentralSquare

  • No pricing information is published on the website
  • Pricing model is not disclosed; visitors are directed to request a demo or contact sales

HashiCorp Boundary

  • HashiCorp was acquired by IBM in February 2025 and Enterprise licensing now runs through IBM Passport Advantage; IBM has already retired HCP Vault Secrets, so Boundary's roadmap depends on IBM portfolio decisions rather than HashiCorp's own product strategy.
  • Enterprise pricing is not published anywhere, and the features most organisations actually need for compliance, notably session recording, are Enterprise only, so the free community edition is rarely the version you end up buying.
  • It solves access to infrastructure, not to applications; browser-based internal tools, SaaS admin consoles and APIs need a separate control, so Boundary is one component of a zero-trust programme rather than the whole thing.
  • Running it yourself means operating controllers, worker nodes and a Postgres database in a highly available configuration, and if that control plane is down nobody can reach production, which makes it a new critical dependency.
  • It is materially easier to adopt if you already run Vault and Terraform; teams without that ecosystem face a steeper learning curve than a device-based mesh product like Tailscale, for a similar access outcome.

Pricing, plan by plan

CentralSquare

$1500/month
  • Public Safety Suite$1500/month
    • CAD
    • Records Management
    • Mobile Solutions

HashiCorp Boundary

Free
  • Boundary Community EditionFree
    • MPL 2.0 open source
    • Self-hosted controllers and workers
    • Identity-based target access
  • Boundary Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Session recording and playback
    • Multi-hop and transparent sessions
    • Multi-tenancy via scopes

Which should you pick?

Choose CentralSquare if

  • You need computer-aided dispatch.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want records management.
CentralSquare review

Choose HashiCorp Boundary if

  • You need identity-based access.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Web.
  • You also want just-in-time credentials.
HashiCorp Boundary review

Questions people ask

Is CentralSquare or HashiCorp Boundary better?
Neither clearly leads. CentralSquare starts at $1500/month and HashiCorp Boundary at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CentralSquare or HashiCorp Boundary?
HashiCorp Boundary has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for CentralSquare and Free for HashiCorp Boundary.
Does CentralSquare or HashiCorp Boundary run on more platforms?
CentralSquare runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android. HashiCorp Boundary runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Web.
Can I use HashiCorp Boundary for free?
Yes. HashiCorp Boundary has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CentralSquare starts at $1500/month.
What is CentralSquare best used for?
CentralSquare is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what HashiCorp Boundary is typically brought in for.
What can CentralSquare do that HashiCorp Boundary cannot?
CentralSquare covers Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management, Jail Management, Fire RMS. HashiCorp Boundary covers Identity-based access, Just-in-time credentials, Dynamic host catalogues, Session recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CentralSquare: How much does CentralSquare cost?

CentralSquare does not publish pricing on its website. The company directs customers to request a demo or schedule a call with their sales team to discuss pricing.

Source
HashiCorp Boundary: Is Boundary open source?

The community edition is, under MPL 2.0. Boundary Enterprise is commercial and is now sold through IBM Passport Advantage.

CentralSquare: What is CentralSquare's pricing model?

The pricing model is not disclosed. CentralSquare appears to use a custom quote or consultation-based approach, as the website does not mention subscription plans or tier-based pricing.

Source
HashiCorp Boundary: Does it replace a VPN?

For infrastructure access, largely yes. It grants a session to a specific target rather than putting the user on a network, but it does not cover browser-based internal applications.

CentralSquare: Is there a free tier or trial?

No information about free tiers or trials is available on the website.

Source
HashiCorp Boundary: What does Boundary Enterprise cost?

HashiCorp does not publish Boundary pricing. It is quoted, and since the IBM acquisition it is transacted on IBM licensing paper.

CentralSquare: How do I get a pricing quote?

Contact CentralSquare through their website to request a demo or schedule a call with their sales team.

Source
HashiCorp Boundary: Do I need Vault to use it?

No, but the just-in-time credential brokering that makes Boundary worthwhile depends on Vault or an equivalent secrets store.

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