git-crypt vs HashiCorp Vault
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted password managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
HashiCorp Vault
Secrets management and data protection for infrastructure
| Feature | git-crypt | HashiCorp Vault |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 52 · Fair | 99 · Excellent |
| Category | Password Managers | Password Managers |
| License | GPL-3.0 | BUSL-1.1 |
| Language | C++ | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, kubernetes, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,931 | ★ 36,291 |
| First released | 2013 | 2015 |
| Replaces | HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager | AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault |
What are git-crypt and HashiCorp Vault?
git-crypt
git-crypt is an open-source tool that enables transparent encryption and decryption of files in a git repository. Files you choose are encrypted when committed and decrypted when checked out, keeping secrets safe in version control.
- Transparent file encryption in git
- GPG-based key management
- Selective encryption via gitattributes
- No server required
HashiCorp Vault
HashiCorp Vault is a tool for securely storing and accessing secrets such as API keys, passwords and certificates. It provides dynamic secrets, encryption as a service and fine-grained access control.
- Dynamic, short-lived secrets
- Encryption as a service
- Detailed audit logging
- Pluggable secrets and auth backends
git-crypt vs HashiCorp Vault: key differences
Git-crypt is written in C++, while HashiCorp Vault is built with Go. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for git-crypt versus BUSL-1.1 for HashiCorp Vault. Git-crypt is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for HashiCorp Vault. Git-crypt is the more established project (first released 2013), while HashiCorp Vault arrived in 2015. HashiCorp Vault has the considerably larger community, at 36,291 GitHub stars versus 9,931. HashiCorp Vault lists first-class Docker deployment; git-crypt does not.
Why pick each one
Choose git-crypt if…
- Simple to integrate with git
- Keeps secrets in repos safely
Watch out for
- Not a vault with access control
Choose HashiCorp Vault if…
- Industry standard for secrets
- Powerful policy engine
Watch out for
- Steep operational complexity
- License changed from open source
Frequently asked questions
Is git-crypt or HashiCorp Vault better?
Neither is universally better. HashiCorp Vault has the larger community, while git-crypt is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are git-crypt and HashiCorp Vault free and open-source?
Yes. git-crypt is licensed under GPL-3.0 and HashiCorp Vault under BUSL-1.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run git-crypt and HashiCorp Vault with Docker?
git-crypt: check the project docs for container support. HashiCorp Vault: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, git-crypt or HashiCorp Vault?
git-crypt has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for HashiCorp Vault. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.