IBM Security Secret Server vs Safeguard by One Identity comparison

IBM and One Identity are both solutions in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category. IBM is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.0, while One Identity is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.5. IBM holds a 1.4% mindshare in PAM, compared to One Identity’s 4.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of One Identity users who would recommend it.

IBM Security Secret Server

Read 8 IBM Security Secret Server reviews

1,105 Views
1,094 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Safeguard by One Identity

Read 92 Safeguard by One Identity reviews

9,972 Views
6,083 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

IBM Security Secret Server

Safeguard by One Identity

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 20, 2026

IBM Security Secret Server and One Identity Safeguard are competing in the privileged access management category. IBM Security Secret Server has the upper hand in pricing and support, while One Identity Safeguard excels in features, appealing to users prioritizing advanced capabilities.

Features: IBM Security Secret Server provides password management, session monitoring, and IT environment integration. These features ensure effective security and operational efficiency. One Identity Safeguard offers multi-factor authentication, advanced threat detection, and comprehensive access controls, delivering an enhanced security scope for users seeking robust protections.

Room for Improvement: IBM Security Secret Server could enhance its setup process to reduce complexity and time consumption. Additionally, expanding integration options and improving user interface intuitiveness could contribute to a better user experience. One Identity Safeguard might benefit from optimizing its UI for user-friendliness and expanding documentation. Enhancing default reporting tools can further streamline operations for administrators.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: One Identity Safeguard features a straightforward deployment model with extensive customer support, offering responsive assistance and comprehensive documentation. In contrast, IBM Security Secret Server provides effective customer service but may involve a more intensive setup process. Safeguard's streamlined deployment sets it apart in user convenience.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Security Secret Server offers a cost-effective solution with strong ROI due to competitive pricing and efficient performance. Meanwhile, One Identity Safeguard's higher initial cost is justified by its extensive features, providing value for those seeking deep security capabilities. The comparison lies in initial costs versus comprehensive feature justifications.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity Report (Updated: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity

August 2026

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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

IBM Security Secret Server

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

20th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Safeguard by One Identity

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (2nd), Non-Human Identity Management (NHIM) (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Safeguard by One Identity is 4.4%, up from 3.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Safeguard by One Identity	4.4%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.4%
Other	94.2%

Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Featured Reviews

AsifIqbal

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.

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Mahesh Malve

Senior Business Development Associate at DigitalTrack Solutions ind pvt ltd

Centralized control has strengthened privileged security and simplified audit investigations

While One Identity Safeguard is a strong and reliable PAM solution, there are a few areas where it can be further improved to enhance user experience and scalability. Regarding the user interface and experience, the UI, while functional, can be a bit complex for new users. A more intuitive and modern dashboard with simplified navigation would improve adoption, especially for non-technical stakeholders. Regarding integration flexibility, although it supports major integrations, expanding out-of-the-box connectors for more cloud-native apps, DevOps tools, and SaaS platforms would be beneficial. Faster and simpler API-based integrations could reduce deployment efforts. Regarding scalability and performance in large enterprise environments, performance tuning and scaling can require additional efforts. Enhancing seamless scalability and high availability configuration would improve enterprise readiness.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Centralized Password Management: Our client has more than 400 geographical locations and approximately ten employees work at each location."

"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."

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

"Stability-wise, I think it is a very good solution."

"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, and 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."

"This product has been able to cover most of the requests from our customers."

"Access to privileged, shared credentials is simplified by optimizing the whole workflow and approval processes."

More IBM Security Secret Server pros

"It is the life of our customers because it brings a lot of security."

"One of the biggest positive impacts of One Identity Safeguard on my organization is the improved control over privileged access; before implementing it, managing administrative credentials and tracking privileged activity required more manual effort, and after implementation, access became more structured and we had better visibility into who was accessing critical systems and when, which helped strengthen our security posture and made audit-related activities easier to manage."

"One Identity Safeguard had a positive impact mainly in improving privilege access control, operational accountability, and audit readiness."

"The technical support is tremendous."

"Overall, my experience with One Identity Safeguard has been very positive, as it is a reliable and secure privilege access management solution that effectively protects sensitive accounts and provides full visibility into administrator activity, with minor improvements needed in terms of UI and reporting enhancements."

"But otherwise, I think it is a good product and a good buy."

"The Transparent Mode is the number one advantage of the product."

"The best feature One Identity Safeguard offers is that it is a pretty new, modern tool that makes extensive use of its API."

More Safeguard by One Identity pros

Cons

"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."

"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."

"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."

"The newer interface is more difficult to use than the previous one, and consequently, new users might need more training."

"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 because it requires API development."

"It would be preferable if the full proxy was included in the IBM Security Secret Server."

"Although much has improved in last two years, the GUI for IBM products can be improved."

More IBM Security Secret Server cons

"There is room for improvement in One Identity Safeguard in several areas."

"One feature that I feel One Identity Safeguard lacks is a robust reporting interface, as the data we get from it is not very well displayed."

"Transparent mode was too cumbersome, so I don't foresee us being able to use it. On paper when we were initially talking about it, it was definitely going to be the preferred method until we realized the burden it would be on our network guys. Then, we had to step back and reevaluate what we wanted to do. That's when we changed our approach to use the RD Gateway feature."

"Some of the out-of-the-box reporting isn't that rich."

"The customer support for One Identity Safeguard was not very good and definitely needs to be improved."

"The interface is better now, but it still could be improved a lot. It needs more organization, menus, automatic refresh of information, and Web 2.0."

"We've had issues managing accounts and access to some data saved on the servers. Accounts are granted a new working certificate daily. We have an account to do it on APIs online and sync it with that. If the path changes at some point or someone changes the password, I don't know if it's from the Active Directory or what."

"For some users, the physical appliance has been a bit buggy."

More Safeguard by One Identity cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"My rating for the IBM Security Secret Server pricing is seven out of ten. It could be cheaper."

"I believe that we paid 35,000 or 40,000 US dollars for it."

"The license is very expensive for us, partly due to inflation and partly because of the exchange rate between the Dollar and the Iranian Rial. We purchased a perpetual license that we've been using up until now, but I believe that we are not going to update it in the future. Instead, we plan to find another third-party to support us with the license, in the sense that we would have access to their license as a shared agreement."

"They offer a fair price for a robust solution."

"As compared to other products, it is reasonable, but the training sessions are too expensive."

"We bought their other products, so it was not that expensive. It is one of those where the more you buy, the cheaper it is."

"It is a bit on the pricey side, but you get what you pay for. You don't want to get anything too cheap because then you get cheap stuff and cheap support. That really never helps anybody."

"Safeguard is cheaper than CyberArk."

"The license is around $3,000 per month."

"Our licensing costs are on a yearly basis."

More Safeguard by One Identity pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Insurance Company

19%

Construction Company

13%

Performing Arts

Outsourcing Company

Retailer

11%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	89
Midsize Enterprise	28
Large Enterprise	40

Questions from the Community

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...

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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...

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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...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for One Identity Safeguard?

Safeguard by One Identity's pricing is on the higher side, but it remains reasonable considering the security and privileged access management capabilities it provides. Safeguard by One Identity's ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with One Identity Safeguard?

I would like to highlight a couple of points, which are UI modernization. In the new world of AI, we are thinking about how AI can be helpful for detection capabilities in PAM solutions and easier ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for One Identity Safeguard?

I have been working with Safeguard by One Identity platform for the last one year, which is the PAM solution. We are using it as a Privileged Access Management solution as a point of security, as t...

See all answers

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Delinea Secret Server vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 15% of the time

Delinea Privileged Access Service vs IBM Security Secret Server

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

August 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Safeguard by One Identity

July 2026

Download Safeguard by One Identity product report

Also Known As

IBM Secret Server, Secret Server, IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager

No data available

Overview

IBM Security Secret Server provides centralized management of privileged credentials, secure access, session recording, and replay. Its pricing model is unique, being based on user count rather than system connections, making it a flexible choice for organizations.

IBM Security Secret Server enhances cybersecurity by integrating with frameworks and offering features like monitoring, high availability, and adaptable reporting. It simplifies password management, automates changes, and ensures compliance with security protocols. The platform is valued for its ease of deployment and user-friendly interface, although it can improve in areas such as the GUI and integration process. Complex high availability and disaster recovery setups are noted challenges, along with nonclustered indexing issues affecting performance. Users desire improvements in local support and migration processes.

What are the key features of IBM Security Secret Server?

Centralized Management: Streamlines credential management across systems.
Session Recording: Allows recording and replay of sessions for forensic purposes.
Integration Capabilities: Enhances security with diverse cybersecurity frameworks.
Adaptable Reporting: Provides tools for customizable reporting.
Single-Access Console: Offers a unified user experience with granular roles.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies deployment and daily operations.
Scalability: User-based pricing model ensures flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Security Compliance: Ensures adherence to security protocols with automated processes.
Audit and Reporting: Robust capabilities for auditing and compliance documentation.
Enhanced Security Posture: Integrates well with existing frameworks to bolster security.

Organizations across various industries implement IBM Security Secret Server for managing privileged access and securing critical systems. It serves financial institutions by providing a secure jump server for accessing core banking platforms and databases. IT managers benefit from workflow approvals and automated password management, ensuring compliance and boosting security posture. The platform's session recording and auditing features are crucial for sectors needing detailed activity documentation.

IBM

One Identity Safeguard manages and monitors privileged access, enhancing security with features like automatic session recording, real-time monitoring, and credential rotation. It integrates seamlessly, supports compliance with audit trails, and improves operational efficiency across organizations. This robust platform significantly bolsters security protocols while controlling sensitive operations.

One Identity

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Cavium

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Safeguard by One Identity

August 2026

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