Security & Cybersecurity · head to head
HashiCorp Vault vs Acunetix
HashiCorp Vault
Security & Cybersecurity
Manage secrets and protect sensitive data
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Acunetix
Security & Cybersecurity
Web application security testing made easy
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only HashiCorp Vault has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: HashiCorp Vault policies are written in HCL with no graphical user interface for policy management or editing; Acunetix aWS Marketplace lists Acunetix Online Premium, published by seller Invicti Security, at $7,000 per year for 5 targets under a 12 month contract, where a target is one fully qualified domain, website, web app, API or web service
- They diverge on capability: HashiCorp Vault covers Secret storage, Acunetix covers DAST scanning.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HashiCorp Vault and Acunetix actually diverge.
| Attribute | HashiCorp Vault | Acunetix |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | open-source | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, Mac, Api | Desktop, Web, Api |
| Founded | 2014 | 2005 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & Cybersecurity).
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 HashiCorp Vault
- Secret storage
- Dynamic secrets
- Encryption as a service
- Identity-based access
- Audit logging
- Leasing and renewal
- Secret engines
- Auth methods
Only in Acunetix
- DAST scanning
- IAST technology
- AcuSensor
- JavaScript security
- SQL injection testing
- XSS detection
- OWASP Top 10
- API security testing
Both cover
- Jenkins
- On-premise deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
HashiCorp Vault
- Secrets managementnot Acunetix
- Database credentialsnot Acunetix
- API keysnot Acunetix
- SSH accessnot Acunetix
- PKI and certificatesnot Acunetix
Acunetix
- Vulnerability Scannernot HashiCorp Vault
- Web Securitynot HashiCorp Vault
- Dastnot HashiCorp Vault
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
HashiCorp Vault
- Policies are written in HCL with no graphical user interface for policy management or editing
- Unsealing requires managing multiple key shares and coordinating a quorum of operators
- Community Edition lacks enterprise features like namespaces and disaster recovery replication
- Requires additional monitoring solutions for alerting and observability
Acunetix
- AWS Marketplace lists Acunetix Online Premium, published by seller Invicti Security, at $7,000 per year for 5 targets under a 12 month contract, where a target is one fully qualified domain, website, web app, API or web service
- AWS Marketplace's Invicti listing shows Premium Support priced separately at $150,000 per year and Premium Support with Guided Success at $300,000 per year, on top of the base scanning licence
Pricing, plan by plan
HashiCorp Vault
Free- Open SourceFree
- Secrets management
- Encryption
- Community support
- Vault Enterprise$6000/year
- Replication
- HSM support
- Advanced audit
Acunetix
On request- StandardFree
- Single user
- 5 targets
- Scheduled scans
- PremiumFree
- Multiple users
- Unlimited targets
- CI/CD integration
- Acunetix 360Free
- Enterprise features
- SDLC integration
- Custom workflows
Which should you pick?
Choose HashiCorp Vault if
- You need secret storage.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api.
- You also want dynamic secrets.
Choose Acunetix if
- You need dast scanning.
- You work on Desktop, Web, Api.
- You also want iast technology.
Questions people ask
- Is HashiCorp Vault or Acunetix better?
- Neither clearly leads. HashiCorp Vault starts at Free and Acunetix at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, HashiCorp Vault or Acunetix?
- HashiCorp Vault has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HashiCorp Vault and On request for Acunetix.
- Does HashiCorp Vault or Acunetix run on more platforms?
- HashiCorp Vault runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Api. Acunetix runs on Desktop, Web, Api.
- Can I use HashiCorp Vault for free?
- Yes. HashiCorp Vault has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acunetix starts at On request.
- What is HashiCorp Vault best used for?
- HashiCorp Vault is most often used for secrets management, database credentials, api keys, ssh access. Of those, secrets management and database credentials are not what Acunetix is typically brought in for.
- What can HashiCorp Vault do that Acunetix cannot?
- HashiCorp Vault covers Secret storage, Dynamic secrets, Encryption as a service, Identity-based access. Acunetix covers DAST scanning, IAST technology, AcuSensor, JavaScript security. Both handle Jenkins, On-premise deployment.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
HashiCorp Vault: Does HashiCorp Vault have a free version?
Yes. The open-source Community Edition is completely free and includes core secrets management, dynamic secrets, and encryption as a service. It is self-hosted with no licensing fees or secret count limits, but lacks enterprise features like namespaces, disaster recovery replication, and Sentinel policies.
SourceHashiCorp Vault: Can I use HashiCorp Vault in production?
The Community Edition is suitable for non-production environments and small teams. For production deployments, organizations typically use HCP Vault Dedicated (managed cloud service starting at approximately 22 USD per month) or Vault Enterprise with custom pricing that includes disaster recovery, performance replication, and 24/7 support.
SourceHashiCorp Vault: What are the main integrations available?
Vault integrates with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Active Directory, Okta, and 80+ other platforms. It supports dynamic credential generation for cloud providers, database systems, and identity services, enabling centralized secret management across multi-cloud infrastructure.
SourceHashiCorp Vault: Does Vault work offline?
Vault requires network connectivity to function as it is a centralized secrets management server. However, it can be deployed on-premises for air-gapped environments, and clients can cache short-lived tokens for temporary offline access once authenticated.
Source