# OpenBao vs SOPS

**Leader by Vioscale score:** OpenBao

| Attribute | OpenBao | SOPS |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 56.9 (41% (low)) | 42.2 (39% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 17 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 0 | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | 7,176 | 22,932 |
| deployment.options | `{"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A centralized system for storing and managing sensitive data like API keys and database credentials, with automatic credential generation for external systems, automatic expiration after a set lease period, and identity-based access controls. | A configuration encryption tool that encrypts sensitive values and comments while keeping keys and file structure readable, supporting multiple formats and key management methods. |
| features.capabilities | `{"hosting":"both","tool_type":"store","cncf_project":"none","audit_logging":true,"dynamic_secrets":true,"secret_rotation":true,"open_source_core":true,"kubernetes_native":true,"fine_grained_policy":true,"encryption_as_a_service":true}` | `{"hosting":"self","tool_type":"store","cncf_project":"sandbox","open_source_core":true,"fine_grained_policy":true,"encryption_as_a_service":true}` |
| integrations.count | 7 | 9 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"PostgreSQL"},{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"S3"},{"name":"Flux"},{"name":"SOPS"},{"name":"Cosign"}]` | `[{"name":"AWS KMS"},{"name":"Google Cloud KMS"},{"name":"Azure KMS"},{"name":"HuaweiCloud KMS"},{"name":"HashiCorp Vault"},{"name":"OpenBAO"},{"name":"Age"},{"name":"PGP"},{"name":"GnuPG"}]` |
| language.primary | Go | Go |
| license.spdx | MPL-2.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` | `{"cli":true,"linux":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://openbao.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T13:26:33.292Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Open source and free","sourceUrl":"https://getsops.io/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T13:27:57.622Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 26 | 44 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.6.2","date":"2026-08-18T16:21:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.6.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.6.1","date":"2026-07-22T14:37:36Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.6.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.6.0","date":"2026-07-14T17:06:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.6.0-beta20260622","date":"2026-06-22T19:58:29Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.6.0-beta20260622"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.5","date":"2026-06-17T11:27:10Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.5.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.4","date":"2026-05-20T16:15:07Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.5.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.3","date":"2026-04-20T19:35:06Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.5.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.2","date":"2026-03-25T16:23:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.5.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.1","date":"2026-02-23T17:34:23Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.0","date":"2026-02-04T16:26:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.5.0-beta20251125","date":"2025-11-25T19:36:21Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.5.0-beta20251125"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.4.4","date":"2025-11-24T20:01:19Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.4.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.4.3","date":"2025-10-22T20:27:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.4.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.4.1","date":"2025-09-11T20:32:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.4.0","date":"2025-08-28T20:39:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.3.2","date":"2025-08-08T04:11:06Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.3.1","date":"2025-06-25T19:26:24Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.2.2","date":"2025-05-29T19:43:18Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.3.0-beta20250528","date":"2025-05-28T21:56:16Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.3.0-beta20250528"},{"url":"https://github.com/openbao/openbao/releases/tag/v2.2.1","date":"2025-04-22T20:39:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.2.1"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.13.3","date":"2026-07-23T05:27:57Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.13.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.13.2","date":"2026-06-30T05:17:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.13.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.13.1","date":"2026-05-16T14:32:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.13.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.13.0","date":"2026-05-08T18:10:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.13.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.12.2","date":"2026-03-18T06:11:11Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.12.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.12.1","date":"2026-02-22T07:45:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.12.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.11.0","date":"2025-09-28T18:28:49Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.10.2","date":"2025-04-14T19:17:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.10.1","date":"2025-03-31T18:13:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.10.0","date":"2025-03-30T17:31:26Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.9.4","date":"2025-01-25T19:46:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.9.3","date":"2024-12-31T12:54:35Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.9.2","date":"2024-12-02T20:21:48Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.9.1","date":"2024-10-04T05:14:58Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.9.0","date":"2024-06-28T06:14:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.8.1","date":"2023-10-11T15:25:32Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.8.0","date":"2023-09-15T13:52:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.8.0-rc.1","date":"2023-08-25T11:33:42Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v3.8.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.7.3","date":"2022-05-09T17:37:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.7.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/getsops/sops/releases/tag/v3.7.2","date":"2022-03-09T19:26:40Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.7.2"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | 8.5 | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fopenbao%2Fopenbao%2Ftools&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fgetsops%2Fsops%2Fv3%2Fage&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Secrets Management Tools)

| Capability | OpenBao | SOPS |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Tool type | Secret store / engine | Secret store / engine |
| Dynamic (short-lived) secrets | ✓ | - |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Hosting | Cloud + self-hosted | Self-hosted only |
| **Lifecycle** |  |  |
| Automatic secret rotation | ✓ | - |
| **Crypto** |  |  |
| Encryption as a service (transit) | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Compliance** |  |  |
| FIPS 140-2/3 validated crypto | - | - |
| HSM support | - | - |
| **Access** |  |  |
| Fine-grained / identity-based policy | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Governance** |  |  |
| Audit logging | ✓ | - |
| **Integration** |  |  |
| Kubernetes native (CRD / CSI / K8s auth) | ✓ | - |
| **Scope** |  |  |
| PKI / certificate authority | - | - |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-source core | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| CNCF maturity | None | Sandbox |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:12:19.909Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*