Parameter Store vs Secrets Manager: Differences

Here are two tables comparing AWS Parameter Store and AWS Secrets Manager, and when to use each.

Feature	AWS Parameter Store	AWS Secrets Manager
Primary Use Case	Storing configuration data, non-sensitive parameters	Managing secrets such as database credentials, API keys
Secret Rotation	Not supported directly	Built-in support for automatic rotation of secrets
Encryption	Uses AWS KMS (optional)	Uses AWS KMS for encryption
Cost	Free for basic usage; charged for advanced tier	Paid service; charges for storage and API calls
Integration	Works with AWS Systems Manager, EC2, Lambda	Integrates with databases, services requiring secret rotation
Versioning	Supports versioning	Supports versioning
Hierarchy Support	Hierarchical organization with paths	No hierarchical structure
Audit and Monitoring	AWS CloudTrail support	More advanced audit capabilities with CloudTrail
SDK/API Support	Fully supported via AWS SDKs and CLI	Fully supported via AWS SDKs and CLI
Ease of Use	Simple for configuration storage	Focused on secret management, with more features for sensitive data
Rotation Triggers	Requires manual implementation	Automatically triggers Lambda functions for rotation
Resource Policies	Limited to IAM policies	Fine-grained access control and resource policies

Use Case	AWS Parameter Store	AWS Secrets Manager
Storing app configurations	✅ Ideal for configurations like environment variables	❌ Not the intended use case
Managing secrets like passwords and API keys	❌ Not designed for sensitive secret management	✅ Perfect for managing sensitive secrets
Automatic secret rotation	❌ Requires custom implementation	✅ Built-in support
Cost-sensitive projects	✅ Free for basic usage	❌ Can be costly for extensive use
Hierarchical data storage	✅ Supports hierarchy with path structures	❌ Does not support hierarchy
Frequent access to secrets	✅ Suitable for frequently accessed non-sensitive parameters	✅ Suitable for sensitive data with access tracking
Compliance requirements (e.g., PCI-DSS)	❌ May not meet compliance needs without extra effort	✅ Tailored for compliance scenarios
Integration with existing AWS workflows	✅ Seamlessly integrates into most AWS services	✅ Specialized for secret integration