--- title: "Infisical vs. CyberArk" description: "How Infisical and CyberArk (now Idira) differ across secrets, certificates, and privileged access: what CyberArk takes to deploy and run on Windows Server, the certified admins it needs, and how to migrate." canonical: "https://infisical.com/compare/infisical-vs-cyberark" last-reviewed: "2026-10-29" source-index: https://infisical.com/llms.txt ---

# Infisical vs. CyberArk

Looking for a CyberArk alternative? CyberArk covers secrets, certificates, and privileged access, but requires Windows servers and certified specialists. Infisical is a simple, developer-friendly platform.

## What's the difference between Infisical and CyberArk?

CyberArk requires Windows Server and certified admins. Infisical is a developer-friendly platform to automate secrets management, certificate renewal, and privileged access without specialist engineers.

| Stage | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluate | Try the free tier from the dashboard, with nothing to set up; Self-host the MIT-licensed open-source version | Get a quote through sales, with privileged access licensed per user; Determine what Palo Alto Networks' acquisition means for the product's future |
| Deploy/integrate | Use managed cloud, or self-host on Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, AWS ECS, or Google GKE; Run one gateway to reach private networks | Install the Vault, PVWA, CPM, and PSM on separate hardened Windows servers; Add Windows Server, IIS, and SQL Server for Certificate Manager; Upgrade every component in order, starting with the Vault |
| Migrate/onboard | Import existing secrets from AWS, Azure, GCP, or Vault when you connect; Issue certificates through Certificate Manager while you move | Map every app's accounts to separate Safes, platforms, and Conjur policy |
| Control access | Scope roles to an environment or folder; Grant just-in-time access with approvals and Slack notifications | Set Safe member permissions in the PVWA; Manage secrets access as Conjur policy in YAML |
| Operate | See dev, staging, and prod side by side and edit values in the dashboard; Run apps locally with secrets injected by the CLI, no .env files | Wait for a certified admin to change Safes, platforms, or policy; Keep certified admins on staff, from Defender to Guardian |
| Automate | Rotate database, cloud, and SaaS credentials on a schedule; Issue dynamic secrets for 30+ targets; Sync secrets to 40+ destinations | Rotate with the CPM on a Windows server, then sync to Secrets Manager; Issue dynamic secrets for AWS and GCP only; Buy Secrets Hub to sync to AWS, Azure, and Google secret stores |
| Scale | Add certificates, privileged access, and KMS on the same platform and gateway | Add Windows PSM servers as concurrent sessions grow |

## Infisical vs. CyberArk at a glance

CyberArk covers secrets, certificates, and privileged access if you have Windows servers and certified admins. Infisical runs on Linux or in the cloud without specialists.

### Platform and deployment

Where each product runs, what it's built on, and what it covers.

| Feature | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | MIT-licensed, 29,000+ GitHub stars | Conjur Open Source |
| Self-hosting | Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, AWS ECS, or Google GKE | Windows Server for PAM and certificates |
| Managed cloud | US and EU regions | Yes |
| Components to run | One platform, plus a gateway | Windows servers for the Vault, PVWA, CPM, and PSM, and more |
| Expertise to run | Any engineer, via dashboard or CLI | Certified admins, from Defender to Guardian |

### Secrets management

Storing credentials like API keys and database passwords, and delivering them to workloads and developer machines.

| Feature | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Secret structure | Projects, environments, and folders | Policy branches you declare in YAML |
| Secret rotation | 30+ types, built in | Through PAM's CPM, synced to Secrets Manager |
| Dynamic secrets | 30+ targets, including databases and Kubernetes | AWS and GCP only |
| Syncs and integrations | 40+ destinations | AWS, Azure, and Google, through Secrets Hub |
| Kubernetes | Operator, CSI provider, or injector | Yes |

### Access and governance

Defining who has what permissions: access requests, approvals, audit logs, etc.

| Feature | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Access control | RBAC and ABAC, down to a folder | Conjur policy in YAML |
| Approval workflows | Yes | Yes |
| SAML SSO | Yes | Yes |
| SCIM | Yes | Yes |
| Audit logs | Searchable, and streams to Splunk, Datadog, Sentinel, and more | Yes |

### Certificate management

Issuing, finding, renewing, and installing certificates.

| Feature | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate product | Full lifecycle management, on the same platform | Certificate Manager, formerly Venafi |
| Certificate infrastructure | Nothing beyond the platform and gateway | A VSatellite, or Windows Server, IIS, and SQL Server |
| Renewal, alerts, and syncs | 13+ destinations, no agent on the target | A driver library, plus PowerShell drivers you write |

### Privileged access management

Time-bound, recorded access to sensitive infrastructure.

| Feature | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Privileged access product | Databases, servers, Kubernetes, clouds, and Windows | Privilege Cloud or PAM Self-Hosted |
| Runs in your network | One gateway, outbound connections only | A Windows Connector for CPM and PSM, hardened by GPO |

### AI agents

Keeping credentials out of AI agents and controlling what they can reach.

| Feature | Infisical | CyberArk |
|---|---|---|
| Agent security product | Agent Vault, plus agent access in PAM | Idira Secure AI Agents, an identity broker for agents |
| Credentials kept from the agent | Brokered, so the agent never holds them | Only for MCP servers it brokers |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Infisical a CyberArk alternative?

Infisical runs secrets, certificates, and privileged access on one platform engineering teams run themselves on any infrastructure or as a managed cloud service. CyberArk's self-hosted components run on Windows servers, and CyberArk certifies the admins who deploy and run them.

### Does CyberArk require Windows Server?

For most of its self-hosted products, yes. PAM Self-Hosted installs the Vault on a dedicated Windows server, and the PVWA web console, CPM, and PSM on separate Windows servers, with IIS for the PVWA and Remote Desktop Services for the PSM. Privilege Cloud moves the Vault to SaaS, but the CPM and PSM still run on Windows Connector servers in your network. Infisical runs as a managed cloud service or on Docker, Kubernetes, or Linux.

### Is CyberArk hard to run?

CyberArk requires trained admins and separate infrastructure in your network. CyberArk runs certification programs for its admins, including a dedicated Secrets Manager exam. Privilege Cloud needs a Windows Connector server for its CPM and PSM. Self-hosted Secrets Manager needs a Leader, two Standbys, and Followers, and Certificate Manager needs a VSatellite or a Windows and SQL Server cluster. Infisical runs as one platform, with one gateway to reach private networks.

### Is CyberArk now Idira?

Yes. Palo Alto Networks acquired CyberArk and launched Idira, a security platform built on CyberArk's products. Products now carry Idira names. Existing customers keep using the platform as before, but there's no clarity for the long-term future of the brand and its products. Acquisitions also frequently impact further product development towards deeper tie-ins with the new ownerships.

### Does CyberArk rotate application secrets?

Through its privileged access suite, but not in Secrets Manager itself. Secrets created in Secrets Manager stay static, so anything needs to be rotated in Privilege Cloud or PAM Self-Hosted and synced to Secrets Manager. Its dynamic secrets cover AWS and GCP. Infisical rotates database, cloud, and SaaS credentials and issues dynamic secrets for 30+ targets on one platform.

### How do I migrate from CyberArk to Infisical?

Move one application at a time, starting with secrets. Import its secrets into an Infisical project, give its workloads machine identities, and switch them to the CLI, an SDK, or the Kubernetes Operator. Issue certificates through Certificate Manager while applications move, then add privileged accounts behind an Infisical gateway. Retire each CyberArk product once nothing depends on it.

### Can CyberArk secure AI agents?

CyberArk, now Idira, offers Secure AI Agents, which gives agents an identity and routes their access to MCP servers through a broker. Infisical Agent Vault uses a credential brokering approach to give agents access to services without holding credentials. For databases, servers, and clusters, Infisical PAM gives agents the same roles, approvals, and session recording as people.

## Start managing secrets, then add certificates, privileged access, KMS, or agent access.

- **[Secrets Management](https://infisical.com/platform/secrets-management)**: Store, rotate, and deliver secrets.
- **[Certificate Management](https://infisical.com/platform/certificate-management)**: Issue, renew, and track every certificate.
- **[Privileged Access Management](https://infisical.com/platform/pam)**: Time-bound access without shared credentials.
- **[KMS](https://infisical.com/docs/documentation/platform/kms/overview)**: Encrypt and sign data through an API.
- **[Agent Vault](https://infisical.com/platform/agent-vault)**: Give AI agents access without handing them credentials.

## How to migrate from CyberArk to Infisical

Most teams move one application at a time, starting with secrets, so both run side by side until the last workload moves.

1. **Import one application.** Recreate its layout as an Infisical project with environments and folders, then import its secrets in the dashboard, CLI, or API.
2. **Switch its workloads.** Give workloads machine identities and replace what workloads call on startup.
3. **Move certificates.** Have Certificate Manager sign an Infisical intermediate CA, then switch to Infisical's own CAs or public CAs.
4. **Add privileged access.** Deploy a gateway, add database, server, and Kubernetes accounts, and set up access requests and session recording.
5. **Retire CyberArk.** Once nothing reads from a CyberArk product, decommission it.

Our team can help you plan and run the migration: [talk to an expert](https://infisical.com/talk-to-us).

## Get started

- Start free: https://app.infisical.com/signup
- Talk to an expert: https://infisical.com/talk-to-us
- All comparisons: https://infisical.com/compare.md