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Cybersecurity · head to head

One Identity vs Vim

One Identity logo

One Identity

Cybersecurity

Quest-owned identity governance, PAM and Active Directory management

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit One IdentityFull review
Vim logo

Vim

Developer Tools

Highly configurable text editor built to enable efficient text editing

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit VimFull review

The short version

  • Vim is a highly configurable text editor.
  • Vim is free; One Identity prices on request.
  • Only One Identity lists identity Manager; only Vim lists modal editing.
  • Where Vim falls short: configuration system uses keyboard mappings with no graphical interface for settings.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which One Identity and Vim actually diverge.

Attributes where One Identity and Vim differ
AttributeOne IdentityVim
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelQuoteFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, LinuxLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for One Identity.

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 One Identity

  • Identity Manager
  • Safeguard
  • Active Roles
  • OneLogin
  • Password Manager
  • syslog-ng
  • Starling connectors

Only in Vim

  • Modal editing
  • Extensive customization
  • Plugin support
  • Macro recording
  • Split windows
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Search and replace
  • Command history

What people use each for

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

One Identity

  • An organisation whose authoritative directory will remain on premises Active Directory and needs delegated administration with attribute-level controlnot Vim
  • A government or defence environment requiring privileged session management on a hardened physical appliance rather than a cloud servicenot Vim
  • A manufacturer with SAP and Active Directory needing provisioning governed under one certification processnot Vim
  • An enterprise consolidating Active Directory after an acquisition and needing automated account lifecycle across both forestsnot Vim

Vim

  • Code editingnot One Identity
  • Configuration filesnot One Identity
  • System administrationnot One Identity
  • Remote editingnot One Identity
  • Terminal-based developmentnot One Identity

Where each one falls short

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

One Identity

  • The portfolio is assembled from separate acquisitions, so components are separately licensed, separately administered and do not present one console, which raises operational cost
  • Identity Manager implementations are customisation-heavy and commonly run over a year, with the services spend exceeding the licence cost in the first year
  • Quest has changed private equity ownership more than once since the Dell separation, and buyers should ask directly about product investment commitments before signing a multi-year deal
  • Product documentation and support sit behind a customer portal, which makes independent evaluation before purchase harder than with vendors that publish openly
  • The cloud-native and developer experience trails the pure-play identity vendors, so organisations moving decisively to SaaS applications find the on premises heritage becomes a constraint rather than an asset

Vim

  • Configuration system uses keyboard mappings with no graphical interface for settings
  • Requires browsing documentation to modify even basic settings
  • Lacks sensible defaults for many common configurations
  • Plugin ecosystem stability varies widely depending on custom configuration complexity

Pricing, plan by plan

One Identity

On request
  • Identity ManagerOn request
    • Priced per managed identity
    • On premises or hosted
    • Access certification and provisioning
  • SafeguardOn request
    • Priced per privileged user or per appliance
    • Hardened appliance option for session management
    • Licensed separately from Identity Manager
  • Active RolesOn request
    • Priced per managed Active Directory account
    • Delegated administration and automated provisioning
    • Licensed separately

Vim

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Powerful text editing
    • Extensive customization
    • Plugin ecosystem

Which should you pick?

Choose One Identity if

  • You need identity manager.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want safeguard.
One Identity review

Choose Vim if

  • You need modal editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want extensive customization.
Vim review

Questions people ask

Is One Identity or Vim better?
Neither clearly leads. One Identity starts at On request and Vim at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, One Identity or Vim?
Vim has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for One Identity and Free for Vim.
Does One Identity or Vim run on more platforms?
One Identity runs on Web, Windows, Linux. Vim runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Vim for free?
Yes. Vim has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. One Identity starts at On request.
What is One Identity best used for?
One Identity is most often used for an organisation whose authoritative directory will remain on premises active directory and needs delegated administration with attribute-level control, a government or defence environment requiring privileged session management on a hardened physical appliance rather than a cloud service, a manufacturer with sap and active directory needing provisioning governed under one certification process, an enterprise consolidating active directory after an acquisition and needing automated account lifecycle across both forests. Of those, an organisation whose authoritative directory will remain on premises active directory and needs delegated administration with attribute-level control and a government or defence environment requiring privileged session management on a hardened physical appliance rather than a cloud service are not what Vim is typically brought in for.
What can One Identity do that Vim cannot?
One Identity covers Identity Manager, Safeguard, Active Roles, OneLogin. Vim covers Modal editing, Extensive customization, Plugin support, Macro recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

One Identity: Is One Identity the same company as Quest?

Yes. One Identity is Quest Software's identity and access management business unit, not a separate vendor.

Vim: Is Vim free and open source?

Yes, Vim is free and open source, distributed under a charityware license. The creator requested donations to ICCF Holland, a non-profit supporting AIDS victims in Uganda. All donations are forwarded to ICCF.

Source
One Identity: Does it include privileged access?

Safeguard provides it, but it is licensed separately from Identity Manager. Neither includes the other.

Vim: What platforms does Vim support?

Vim runs on Unix-like systems (Linux, macOS, BSD), Windows (7, 8, 10, 11), VMS, and is available through package managers or standalone installation on all major operating systems.

Source
One Identity: Why choose this over SailPoint or Saviynt?

Almost always because of Active Directory depth via Active Roles or an appliance requirement for privileged sessions. For cloud-first estates the specialists are the stronger choice.

Vim: Who maintains Vim now?

Vim was created by Bram Moolenaar, who passed away on August 3, 2023. Christian Brabandt is the current lead maintainer, and the project continues with volunteer contributors.

Source
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