Introduction
Privileged access management (PAM) has become a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. As digital transformation accelerates and hybrid work becomes the norm, effectively securing and governing privileged access across increasingly complex IT environments is more important than ever. However, with so many PAM vendors and solutions to choose from, selecting the right one for your unique needs can feel overwhelming. This guide aims to simplify that decision by analyzing and comparing the 15 most popular PAM platforms based on key criteria like features, pricing, deployment options, and market leadership.
Methods of Evaluation
To evaluate and rank each PAM vendor, we considered the following factors: functionality and features offered; number of large enterprise customers; online reviews and ratings; strength and breadth of integration capabilities with other IT systems; deployment flexibility including cloud, on-premises, and hybrid options; total cost of ownership; and market presence indicators like search volume trends, domain authority, and number of backlinks. We also studied analyst reports, customer references, and platforms’ positions in the competitive landscape to gain important context around partnership networks, geographical coverage, and target customer segments.
1. HashiCorp Vault
HashiCorp Vault is an open source tool for secrets management, encryption as a service, and privileged access management created by HashiCorp. It handles sensitive data like passwords, certificates, API keys and environment variables through a unified interface so applications can access sensitive data when needed without hardcoding secret values. Vault gives users centralized control of their secrets and robust access controls for who can access them and under what conditions.
Pros: Some key advantages of HashiCorp Vault include: Open source software that is popular among DevOps teams. Centralized secrets management and access controls reduces risk of secrets exposure. Can be deployed both on-premises or as a cloud native SaaS solution through HashiCorp. Integrates seamlessly with major cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, Azure and popular apps like Kubernetes, Consul, Nomad and Terraform.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as open source software, it requires internal DevOps expertise and resources to deploy and manage over the long run compared to a fully managed solution.
Pricing: HashiCorp Vault has both open source and commercial licensing options. The open source version can be downloaded and used for free. Paid plans through HashiCorp start at $15/secret/month for the Team plan and scale up based on usage.
Some key stats and facts about HashiCorp Vault include: Used by over 5,000 companies worldwide including Uber, Cisco, GitHub and many more. Supports over 60 integrations including major cloud platforms and on-premises applications. Processes over 1 billion API requests per day on average. Can be deployed as self-hosted software or SaaS based version available through HashiCorp.
2. CA Technologies
CA Technologies provides identity and access management software solutions including CA Identity Manager and CA Access Control. With over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity and a large global customer base, CA Technologies offers full lifecycle privileged access management capabilities.
Pros: Key advantages of CA Technologies’ PAM software include:
– Large existing customer base and expertise in IAM
– Comprehensive solution beyond just PAM including identity governance, access requests and workflow automation
– Strong support for financial services compliance and audit requirements
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as an established player, the solutions may not be as modern or user-friendly as some newer SaaS-based offerings.
Pricing: Pricing for CA Technologies’ PAM solution varies based on deployment size and modules required. Typical annual subscription costs can range from $50,000 for mid-sized deployments to over $500,000 for very large enterprise subscriptions.
Some key stats about CA Technologies’ PAM solution include: –
– Over 15,000 customers globally
– Protects over 5 million identities
– Deployed across all major industries including financial services, healthcare, energy and more
3. Ivanti
Ivanti is a leading provider of Privileged Access Management (PAM) software. Founded in 2002, Ivanti helps over 10,000 customers protect their critical IT infrastructure through comprehensive discovery, access control and privileged session management capabilities. The Ivanti Neurons for IT Operations product provides full privileged access management for servers, desktops, network devices and more from a single integrated platform.
Pros: Some key advantages of Ivanti PAM include: comprehensive PAM with strong support for desktops, applications and ITSM integration to enable workflow-based access approval, and the ability to support diverse IT environments with its broad platform coverage and integration capabilities.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that with Ivanti targeting large, complex enterprise environments, it may be overkill for some smaller organizations with simpler IT infrastructures and lower user counts.
Pricing: Ivanti offers both perpetual and subscription-based licensing for its PAM software. Pricing is typically based on the number of managed endpoints. The Ivanti Neurons platform has a free 30-day trial available to help evaluate the solution.
Some key stats about Ivanti PAM include: protection of over 5 million endpoints globally, support for 50+ operating systems and hypervisors, integration with over 150 applications through pre-built connectors, and privileged access governance for human users as well as non-human entities like scripts, services and applications.
4. BeyondTrust
BeyondTrust is a leading provider of privileged access management (PAM) software. Founded in 2002, BeyondTrust software secures and monitors privileged access to critical systems and sensitive data across an entire enterprise. It helps customers gain visibility and control over administrative access while ensuring compliance.
Pros: Some key advantages of BeyondTrust PAM software include: strong session monitoring and recording capabilities to review any privileged activity, customizable access requests and approvals for shared accounts, secure password vaulting to rotate and distribute credentials, and tight integration with major systems and applications like Windows, Linux, network devices, databases and cloud platforms.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is the upfront cost may be higher than some other PAM options for large enterprises with complex requirements.
Pricing: BeyondTrust offers both perpetual and subscription licensing options. Pricing is based on the number of protected systems, users with privileged access needs, and desired functionality and support levels.
Some key stats about BeyondTrust PAM software include: protects over 9,500 customers worldwide in over 50 countries, secures over 10 million privileged sessions per month on average, and has over 20 years of experience in identity and access security.
5. CyberArk
CyberArk is a leader in the privileged access management space. Founded in 1999, CyberArk has been protecting organizations from privileged account threats for over 20 years. The company recognizes that privileged accounts pose some of the biggest risks to an organization but are also necessary for critical business functions. CyberArk’s solutions help secure, monitor, and control administrative privileges while enabling productive access for authorized users.
Pros: Key advantages of CyberArk’s Privileged Access Management solution include: Wide range of capabilities for privileged access security including credential vaulting, session monitoring and application control, Strong integration with over 150 technology partners including leading security and IT vendors, Large customer base of over 5,500 organizations that trust CyberArk to secure their most sensitive assets.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is CyberArk’s solutions require more configuration and management overhead compared to simpler PAM alternatives. CyberArk targets large enterprises with complex IT environments.
Pricing: CyberArk pricing is customized based on organization size and needs. Generally CyberArk offers both on-premises perpetual licenses as well as cloud and subscription-based options. Additional services like implementation, training and support are also available.
Some key stats about CyberArk include: Processes over 30 trillion privileged sessions annually, Secures access for over 5,500 global customers across all major industries, Helps customers reduce median time to identify exposed credentials from 312 to 30 days.
6. Netwrix
Netwrix Auditor is a privileged access management (PAM) solution developed by Netwrix. Netwrix Auditor provides visibility and control over who has access to sensitive data across an organization. It centrally tracks and monitors all user activity including changes to sensitive files, permissions, logons and logoffs.
Pros: Some key advantages of Netwrix Auditor include: Auditing of privileged access usage across all user accounts and systems. Strong reporting and analytics capabilities to analyzePrivilege user activity trends. Wide coverage of systems and applications including Windows, Linux, Oracle, SQL Server, Active Directory and more. Reasonably priced especially for small to medium sized businesses.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the full capabilities of Netwrix Auditor may not be necessary for very small organizations with only a handful of users and systems.
Pricing: Netwrix Auditor pricing starts at $1,800 per year for 10 audited servers/workstations. Additional servers can be added in batches. They also offer monthly and annual subscription plans. Volume pricing is available for organizations with more than 500 servers/workstations.
Some key stats about Netwrix Auditor include: It monitors access and changes for 80+ system types out of the box. It provides real-time alerting and detailed reports on privileged user activity. Over 4,500 organizations worldwide rely on Netwrix Auditor to monitor privileged access.
7. OneIdentity
OneIdentity Safeguard is a privileged access management (PAM) software solution from OneIdentity. Safeguard provides comprehensive privileged access governance capabilities to help secure, control and monitor privileged access across an organization.
Pros: Some key advantages of OneIdentity Safeguard include: – Comprehensive IGA solution with strong privileged session monitoring, access requests and certifications. – Wide array of deployment options from virtual/cloud appliances to hardware appliances. – Strong partner network for custom integrations and extensions to meet specific customer needs.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that Safeguard may be overkill for very small organizations with minimal privileged access needs. The full breadth of functionality comes at a higher cost compared to some simpler PAM options.
Pricing: OneIdentity Safeguard pricing is based on the number of devices, users and accounts being managed. Contact OneIdentity sales for an exact quote tailored to requirements. Typical deployment options include on-premise hardware/virtual appliances as well as SaaS and managed service provider options.
Some key stats about OneIdentity Safeguard include: – Secures over 25,000 customers globally across all major industries. – Manages privileged access for over 150 million identities. – Provides access request, approval and access assurance workflows for UNIX, Linux, Windows, macOS, network devices and custom applications.
8. Centrify
Centrify, now known as Delinea, is a leading provider of privileged access management (PAM) solutions. Founded in 2004, Centrify helps enterprises implement a zero trust approach to security by centrally governing, monitoring and enforcing least privilege access across hybrid IT environments. Their PAM platform provides seamless protection for modern, hybrid enterprises.
Pros: Some key advantages of Centrify’s PAM platform include: Zero trust access model, Strong role-based access control to enforce least privilege, Continuous monitoring of all privileged access sessions to detect anomalies, Identity-centric approach which ties privileges to identities for governance.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that as a leader in the PAM space, Centrify’s solutions may be more expensive compared to smaller vendors.
Pricing: Centrify offers both perpetual and subscription license models. Pricing is typically based on numbers of identities under management. They also offer free trials to test the full platform capabilities.
Some key stats about Centrify’s PAM platform include: Protects over 5000 customers globally, Secures over 10 million identities, Monitors over 1 billion privileged sessions annually.
9. Devolutions
Devolutions is a Montreal-based software company that provides remote access and password management tools. Their flagship product is Devolutions Server, which offers privileged access management (PAM), remote connections and session recordings in one unified platform.
Pros: Some key advantages of Devolutions Server include: its focus on IT administrators needing to manage privileged access and remote connections, its ability to record sessions for auditing and troubleshooting purposes, its affordability making it a good option for SMBs and smaller IT teams, and its simple and intuitive user interface.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that as a smaller company, Devolutions may lack some of the extensive features and customization options of larger privileged access management vendors. Support and professional services could also be more limited compared to industry giants.
Pricing: Devolutions offers perpetual licensing or subscription-based plans starting at $19/user per month for the Professional edition. Volume discounts are available. For larger deployments they also offer customized enterprise pricing and support agreements.
Some key stats about Devolutions Server include: supports over 50 different remote connections including RDP, SSH, VNC, and more. It securely stores an unlimited number of passwords, servers, IPs, credentials and other secrets. Currently has over 40,000 customers worldwide, both commercial and personal users.
10. Thycotic Secret Server
Thycotic Secret Server is a privileged access management (PAM) software developed by Thycotic. It provides strong password vaulting capabilities and vaults secrets like passwords, SSH keys, and more in an encrypted repository. This allows organizations to securely store and control privileged credentials.
Pros: Some key advantages of Thycotic Secret Server include:
– Strong password vaulting capabilities
– Granular access controls and remote access
– Cloud and on-premise deployment options
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that the pricing can be relatively expensive for very large deployments compared to some other PAM vendors.
Pricing: Thycotic Secret Server pricing starts at $3,995 per year for the SMB edition, which supports up to 25 users. Larger deployments have custom enterprise pricing based on number of users and servers protected.
Some key stats about Thycotic Secret Server include:
– Used by over 10,000 customers worldwide across all major industries
– Protects over 10 million privileged credentials
– Provides separation of duties and just-in-time access to prevent credential abuse
11. Bomgar
Bomgar is a leading provider of privileged access management (PAM) solutions. Founded in 2001, Bomgar offers a comprehensive privileged access security platform to secure, manage and monitor user access to critical network devices, systems and applications. With over 15,000 customers worldwide across industries such as healthcare, government and finance, Bomgar has established itself as a trusted vendor for privileged access management needs.
Pros: Key advantages of Bomgar’s PAM platform include being an established vendor in remote support and access management, its ability to record and monitor all privileged network access sessions for auditing and security, and its broad set of capabilities for endpoint management, access requests, just-in-time access and credential vaulting.
Cons: A potential disadvantage is that Bomgar’s PAM platform may have a relatively high total cost of ownership compared to some open source or lower-cost commercial options due to additional features and support costs.
Pricing: Bomgar offers flexible licensing for its PAM platform, including annual subscription licenses based on the number of managed systems/devices. Contact Bomgar sales for a custom quote.
Some key stats about Bomgar’s PAM platform include: Supports over 15,000 customers globally, Securely manages privileged access to over 20 million systems, Handles over 1 billion support sessions annually, Integrates with over 150 systems via API integrations.
12. Balabit Privileged Session Manager
Balabit Privileged Session Manager is a privileged access management (PAM) software developed by Balabit. It provides privileged session monitoring, recording and auditing capabilities for servers and network devices to help enterprises gain stronger control and visibility over administrative access.
Pros: Some key advantages of Balabit Privileged Session Manager include: – Provides real-time alerts when suspicious activity is detected during privileged sessions. – Integrates with AD/LDAP for centralized user management. – Agentless architecture works well for remote server and device access without requiring installation of software. – Is reasonably priced even for small and medium businesses.
Cons: The key disadvantage is that for complete functionality, certain components like recording and replaying privileged sessions require client-side software to be installed on Linux/Unix endpoints.
Pricing: Balabit Privileged Session Manager pricing starts from $3 per user per month for the basic edition. Enterprise editions with additional features like centralized reporting and dashboard are also available.
Some key stats about Balabit Privileged Session Manager include: – Supports auditing and monitoring of over 20 different privileged access platforms including Linux, Windows, network devices etc. – Has active directory and LDAP integration for user authentication and authorization. – Agents are not required on endpoints which makes deployment and maintenance easier.
13. Vasco
Vasco provides best-in-class privileged access management (PAM) software to securely manage, control and monitor users’ privileged access to critical infrastructure. With over 30 years of experience in authentication and digital security, Vasco PAM solutions help enterprises enforce least privilege, prevent misuse and detect anomalous behavior to protect against insider threats and reduce risk.
Pros: Key advantages of Vasco’s PAM solution include being easy to deploy, highly scalable, offering great out-of-the-box visibility and reporting, protecting privileged access across hybrid environments, and integrating tightly with popular applications like ServiceNow, Azure AD and Okta via APIs.
Cons: One potential disadvantage is that Vasco’s PAM software has a higher upfront and ongoing cost compared to some open source or lower-tier commercial options. Extensive customizations may also require additional professional services.
Pricing: Vasco offers flexible perpetual and subscription licensing for its PAM software. Perpetual licenses are priced based on the number of managed accounts, systems or users with starting prices around $150 per managed account. Subscription licenses are priced on a per-user per-month model starting at around $5 per user per month for the basic tier.
Some key stats about Vasco’s PAM software include: Protected over 100 million privileged users globally; Secures access to over 10,000 customers’ most sensitive systems and assets; Integration with over 150 different applications, devices and systems; Achieves over 99.999% availability.
14. Wallix Bastion
Wallix Bastion is a Privileged Access Management (PAM) software solution developed by the French company Wallix. Wallix Bastion focuses primarily on managing and monitoring privileged sessions across an organization’s heterogeneous IT environments. It provides centralized control and visibility of administrative accounts and privileged access.
Pros: Some key advantages of Wallix Bastion include: – Dedicated focus on privileged session management and monitoring privileges use. – Provides remote privileged access options via SSH, RDP, SSH tunnels etc across servers, network devices and Cloud platforms. – Built-in continuous access monitoring capabilities for all privileged sessions with detailed session recordings and logs. – Ideal solution for compliance-focused industries like healthcare and financial services due to its robust audit trails and reports.
Cons: A potential disadvantage could be its pricing which may be higher than some other open-source or lower-cost PAM alternatives in the market.
Pricing: Wallix Bastion pricing is based on the number of privileged accounts being managed. It has different licensing plans starting from $4/month per account for smaller deployments up to custom enterprise licenses for very large implementations with millions of resources and accounts.
Some key stats about Wallix Bastion include: – Supports Windows, Linux, Unix, networking devices and Cloud environments. – Over 1,500 customers worldwide spanning various industries such as banking, energy, healthcare etc. – Continuous session monitoring via recording and playback capabilities. – Role-based access control models for privileges delegation.
15. Saviynt
Saviynt is a leading privileged access management (PAM) software. As one of the top PAM solutions on the market, Saviynt helps organizations embrace zero trust, secure privileged access, and stay in continuous compliance. Saviynt provides a powerful cloud identity governance platform to manage, monitor and control access to critical enterprise systems and sensitive data.
Pros: Some key advantages of Saviynt include: A strong focus on governance, risk and compliance (GRC) features for PAM. Advanced access request workflows and approval processes. Suitable for highly regulated industries and environments that require robust audit logs and reporting.
Cons: As an enterprise solution, Saviynt may be overkill for some smaller businesses and teams. The pricing could be considered expensive compared to some less full-featured PAM options.
Pricing: Saviynt offers flexible pricing models including annual subscriptions and perpetual licenses. Pricing is typically based on the number of protected systems, accounts and licenses required. Contact Saviynt sales for a custom quote.
Some key stats about Saviynt include: Used by over 1000+ customers globally across industries like finance, healthcare, retail and more. Secures over 10 million identities and 30 million privileged access sessions per month on average. Recognized as a leader in the latest Gartner and KuppingerCole Leadership Compass reports for PAM.
Conclusion
While no single PAM solution will be the perfect fit for all organizations, hopefully this comprehensive evaluation and comparison of the 15 leading options provides a helpful starting point for narrowing down your search. The ideal choice highly depends on factors like your specific compliance needs, deployment preferences, IT environment complexity, and budget. We recommend reviewing detailed customer references, requesting product demos from shortlisted vendors, and potentially engaging advisers or consultants as needed to ultimately select the best Privileged Access Management solution to meet your unique security posture requirements in the coming year.