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Delinea Secret Server vs IBM Security Secret Server comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 6, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Delinea Secret Server
Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
58
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Password Managers (10th), Secrets Management Tools (6th)
IBM Security Secret Server
Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)
20th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.7
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of Delinea Secret Server is 3.6%, down from 7.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.4%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Delinea Secret Server3.6%
IBM Security Secret Server1.4%
Other95.0%
Privileged Access Management (PAM)
 

Featured Reviews

SP
Adjunct Assistant Professor at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Robust credential management has improved security and simplifies privileged access control
I would characterize common frustrations related to Delinea Secret Server rather than using the term dislike. One area is the complexity for the administrative part. While it is straightforward in core values, configuring advanced policies, custom templates, and other areas including discovery scans and detailed reporting have a steep learning curve and may require extra training. The user interface and terminology present another challenge. Some users feel that the user interface can feel dated or overly complex, with terminology around secrets and folder structures taking time to master. Pricing perception is another point where some costs are mixed, while many others find Delinea Secret Server more affordable and flexible than tier one competitors. However, smaller teams still view enterprise licensing as a significant investment. I have observed poor technical support, particularly in multiple reviews. The support can be slow, limited, and sometimes unhelpful when troubleshooting complex configurations or stability issues. Aggressive or untransparent sales practices also present a concern. Some customers on G2 have cited frustrations with hidden costs, such as unexpected EC2 instance fees and core features being unbundled or oversold during contract negotiation. Complex implementation and setup is another significant challenge. The initial configuration, deployment, and managing advanced policies or connectors requires specialized expertise that most organizations do not have, and the steep learning curve compounds this issue. Users transitioning to the cloud-hosted version frequently complain that the updated interface and permissions structure feel slow and problematic compared to the legacy on-premise setup. Integration and API challenges represent the final area of concern. The platform points out challenges with API tokenization and external system integration, and the lack of documentation is one of the key points I would highlight. This limitation affects the ability to integrate with external systems effectively.
AsifIqbal - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Information Security Officer at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees
Privileged access monitoring has strengthened identity control and improved security posture
I find the monitoring and recording parts of IBM Security Secret Server to be the most valuable features. Password vaulting is somewhat typical, but I rate monitoring and recording as very good features, along with ease of deployment. The reporting tools in IBM Security Secret Server have helped me identify vulnerabilities. From the monitoring part, you can somewhat cover the identity vulnerability aspect. However, for identity vulnerability, I think the best approach is to use IAM rather than PAM. It is easy to integrate IBM Security Secret Server with cybersecurity frameworks, which is a very important aspect. When we are improving our attack surface, identity is the most important thing that we need to cover, and PAM will play a very crucial role in improving our cybersecurity framework and architecture. The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system. If we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Before this solution, people had their own passwords stored in different areas and when something was needed we could not find the right person that had the right password, which meant quite a lot in migration scenarios, but with this solution, everyone knew what tools to use and where to put the password and who gives access to that password and then we could have reports on who has access to different passwords so that we could do audits."
"Delinea Secret Server is robust, and the solution provides value-added security for sensitive credentials."
"It is able to manage storage and use of personal passwords."
"Its technical support is good."
"Thycotic is a product that is so friendly that it can be used by nearly anyone and everyone, and that is a good place to be."
"I find it really easy and computer confident, and the experience with the product is really good. Additionally, customizations are easy."
"Delinea's network integration is the most useful. For example, I use a Check Point firewall connect to SmartConsole, so I need to do a lot of configuration in Delinea Secret Server. Native integration with Check Point is valuable. You can also go download whatever API you need from the cloud, whether you're using Check Point, Palo Alto, etc. Enriched discovery is another good feature. If you are dealing with several kinds of systems, you can see which system requires privileged access to my network."
"Ease of use because of its monolithic software."
"As a PAM solution, Secret Server performs all the use cases in our environment."
"It is one of the most well-known names in this field."
"What I like best about IBM Security Secret Server is its single-access console. It's also easy to manage and fulfills the requirements with the least resistance."
"Access to privileged, shared credentials is simplified by optimizing the whole workflow and approval processes."
"Stability-wise, I think it is a very good solution."
"One of the most valuable features is scalability, and how it allows you to scale it without affecting the underlying core components."
"This product has been able to cover most of the requests from our customers."
"The live recording is a very useful feature."
 

Cons

"When working with larger enterprises Thycotic Secret Server becomes a little cumbersome to work with because they do not allow as much flexibility as some of the other competitors, such as CyberArk. Thycotic Secret Server could improve by being more flexible when it comes to customization, and increase the number of API integrations."
"The technical support needs improvement. For example, if you have any problems on the server configuring the IIS, they would provide you very limited details and they would tell you the problem is on your end."
"The initial setup and deployment can be cumbersome. It's not an easy process."
"Having more detailed reporting would improve this solution."
"The initial setup and deployment can be cumbersome."
"I rate customer service and support a zero out of ten. We reached out to them to solve an issue, and they hung up on us."
"We always ask for partner enablement, which is more like a soft requirement rather than a product requirement. It would be great if they can provide us deeper knowledge of their products for integration."
"I would like to see improvement with the integration with Azure Active Directory. This would mean that we can have support on multiple platforms such as Windows, Linux, and Mac."
"If you have a hosted PIM in your local environment and you plan to migrate it to some cloud-based environment, then migration will become a painful task."
"It would be preferable if the full proxy was included in the IBM Security Secret Server."
"The newer interface is maybe confusing old customer that using previous one from their point of views, I think they will need little pass of time to be familiar with."
"Unfortunately, the technical support is not very responsive because we purchased it from IBM; however, the actual support comes from Thycotic."
"What needs improvement in IBM Security Secret Server is support. The local partner provides good support, but IBM itself doesn't. Most of the time, the IBM support team does not aggressively resolve issues reported through chat or the IBM website."
"Although much has improved in last two years, the GUI for IBM products can be improved."
"Secret Server should have the ability to discover privileged accounts in the servers, like the administrator or users, from SQL and Oracle without having to import a script."
"The nonclustered index is working in an area with a problem that needs improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Compared to other solutions, Delinea Secret Server is competitively priced but on the higher side."
"It would be beneficial if it were reduced."
"We have an enterprise license as well as a user license and a support license."
"The solution is low-cost than other vendors."
"The price of this solution is good."
"I would give the price a four on a scale from one to ten, with one being the cheapest and ten being the most expensive. We pay for the license on a yearly basis, and we paid for three years. It costs around 5000 a year."
"The pricing is standard in this business and we have no complaints about it."
"The tool's pricing is expensive."
"The price could be better. I think it's a good price for the on-premises environment and the high availability for enterprises the solution provides."
"I believe that we paid 35,000 or 40,000 US dollars for it."
"My rating for the IBM Security Secret Server pricing is seven out of ten. It could be cheaper."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Construction Company
8%
Insurance Company
19%
Outsourcing Company
13%
Construction Company
12%
Performing Arts
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise27
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

Looking for recommendations and a pros/cons template for software to detect insider threats
This is an inside-out --- outside-in --- inside-in question, as an insider can be an outsider as well. There is no short answer other than a blend of a PAM tool with Behavioral Analytics and Endpo...
Which PAM tool do you prefer: CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, One Identity Safeguard, Delinea Secret Server, or BeyondTrust Privileged Remote A
For a banking or financial services use case you should check out SplitSecure. Very easy to deploy and use and splits secrets across devices rather than on cloud servers so you get full cryptograph...
What needs improvement with IBM Security Secret Server?
I believe there is not much that can be improved for IBM Security Secret Server. Providing local support and local vendor availability would be beneficial so we are not dependent on international s...
What is your primary use case for IBM Security Secret Server?
IBM Security Secret Server serves multiple use cases for us, including the monitoring of privileged users, as well as the recording and password vaulting of their accounts, passwords, and need-base...
What advice do you have for others considering IBM Security Secret Server?
I mention that password vaulting and password rotation in IBM Security Secret Server are basically the same thing, and it becomes somewhat complex when integrating a different system with them beca...
 

Also Known As

Thycotic Secret Server, Delinea Password Reset Server
IBM Secret Server, Secret Server, IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Secure-24, University of San Diego, International Rescue Committee, San Francisco Ballet, Perkins Coie, University of San Diego, D.S.S. Limited, Turbo's Hoet, Eclipse Computing, Cathay Bank, Stellarise, J&R Consulting
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Delinea Secret Server vs. IBM Security Secret Server and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
912,930 professionals have used our research since 2012.