Cloud · head to head
Vault vs Wiz
Wiz
Cloud
Cloud and AI security platform unifying code, cloud, and runtime protection.
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Vault has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Vault vault 1.15.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1, not an OSI open source licence, with IBM Corporation as licensor; Wiz no public pricing; licensing requires a custom quote based on workloads and sensors.
- They diverge on capability: Vault covers Secrets management, Wiz covers Cloud security posture management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Vault and Wiz actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).
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 Vault
- Secrets management
- Encryption
- Authentication
- Authorization
- Audit logging
- API access
- High availability
- Replication
Only in Wiz
- Cloud security posture management
- Code security (Wiz Code)
- Runtime threat detection (Wiz Defend)
- AI security agents
- AI workload protection
- Attack path analysis
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Vault
- Centrally storing and rotating secrets, API keys and database credentialsnot Wiz
- Issuing short-lived dynamic credentials to applications instead of static passwordsnot Wiz
- Encryption as a service and PKI certificate issuancenot Wiz
Wiz
- Identifying cloud misconfigurations across multi-cloud environmentsnot Vault
- Securing code from IDE through CI/CD deploymentnot Vault
- Detecting and responding to active threats at runtimenot Vault
- Governing AI workloads and models in the cloudnot Vault
- Prioritizing risk with cross-environment attack path analysisnot Vault
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Vault
- Vault 1.15.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1, not an OSI open source licence, with IBM Corporation as licensor
- The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Vault to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Vault
- Each version only converts to MPL 2.0 four years after that version is published, and the Change Date is tracked per version
- Replication, HSM support, namespaces, performance standby nodes, FIPS builds, control group authorisation, multi-factor authentication, secrets sync and lease count quotas all require a Vault Enterprise licence
- A Vault Enterprise licence must be applied to the cluster before any Enterprise feature can be used
Wiz
- No public pricing; licensing requires a custom quote based on workloads and sensors.
- Modular licensing across Cloud, Code, Defend, and Sensor products can complicate cost planning.
- Full runtime protection value depends on deploying Wiz Sensor agents, adding operational overhead.
- Primarily aimed at mid-to-large enterprises despite the smaller Wiz Go bundle.
Pricing, plan by plan
Vault
Free- Open SourceFree
- Secrets management
- Encryption as a service
- Identity management
- EnterpriseFree
- Advanced features
- Premium support
- Dedicated updates
Wiz
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Wiz review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Vault if
- You need secrets management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Cloud.
- You also want encryption.
Choose Wiz if
- You need cloud security posture management.
- You work on web, api.
- You also want code security (wiz code).
Questions people ask
- Is Vault or Wiz better?
- Neither clearly leads. Vault starts at Free and Wiz at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Vault or Wiz?
- Vault has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Vault and On request for Wiz.
- Does Vault or Wiz run on more platforms?
- Vault runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Cloud. Wiz runs on web, api.
- Can I use Vault for free?
- Yes. Vault has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wiz starts at On request.
- What is Vault best used for?
- Vault is most often used for centrally storing and rotating secrets, api keys and database credentials, issuing short-lived dynamic credentials to applications instead of static passwords, encryption as a service and pki certificate issuance. Of those, centrally storing and rotating secrets, api keys and database credentials and issuing short-lived dynamic credentials to applications instead of static passwords are not what Wiz is typically brought in for.
- What can Vault do that Wiz cannot?
- Vault covers Secrets management, Encryption, Authentication, Authorization. Wiz covers Cloud security posture management, Code security (Wiz Code), Runtime threat detection (Wiz Defend), AI security agents.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Vault: Is HashiCorp Vault free to use?
Yes, Vault is available as a free, open-source project. The community version includes secrets management, certificate generation and rotation, encryption services, and credential management. Vault Enterprise is a commercial offering with additional features.
SourceWiz: How much does Wiz cost?
Wiz does not publish standard pricing. The platform uses modular licensing based on workloads, active developers, log ingestion, or sensors. All pricing requires requesting a custom quote directly from the company.
SourceVault: What are the differences between open-source Vault and Vault Enterprise?
Open-source Vault is free and self-hosted. Vault Enterprise includes additional features and commercial support. HashiCorp also offers Vault Dedicated on the HashiCorp Cloud Platform as a fully managed cloud option.
SourceWiz: Does Wiz offer a free trial?
No free trial information is mentioned on Wiz's pricing page. Pricing is determined by custom quote based on organizational needs.
SourceVault: Can I try HashiCorp Cloud Platform Vault without payment?
Yes, HashiCorp offers a free trial option for HCP Vault Dedicated. New users also receive a $500 credit to use across HashiCorp Cloud Platform services.
SourceWiz: What products does Wiz offer?
Wiz provides five modular licensing options: Wiz Cloud, Wiz Code, Wiz Defend, Wiz Sensor, and Wiz Go Bundle for SMBs, allowing organizations to scale based on specific security requirements.
SourceVault: What does Vault manage and protect?
Vault provides identity-based secrets management for users, machines, services, and AI agents. It automates authentication and authorization for access to secrets, passwords, certificates, encryption keys, and other sensitive data across your infrastructure.
SourceRelated pages
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