Delinea Runtime Authorization vs IBM Security Secret Server comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Delinea and IBM are both solutions in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category. Delinea is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.0, while IBM is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.0. Delinea holds a 2.2% mindshare in PAM, compared to IBM’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Delinea users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Delinea Runtime Authorization

Read 11 Delinea Runtime Authorization reviews

2,769 Views
2,077 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Security Secret Server

Read 8 IBM Security Secret Server reviews

1,500 Views
1,485 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Delinea Runtime Authorization

IBM Security Secret Server

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 4, 2026

IBM Security Secret Server and Delinea Runtime Authorization are both prominent in cybersecurity, focusing on credential management and runtime access, respectively. IBM's broader feature scope gives it an edge in terms of versatility, while Delinea's specialized real-time access management is highly effective in certain security contexts.

Features: IBM Security Secret Server offers credential management, auditing, and secure storage. Delinea Runtime Authorization includes dynamic and granular access control and emphasizes security at the application runtime level. While IBM provides a more comprehensive feature set, Delinea is strong in real-time authorization.

Room for Improvement: IBM could improve user-friendliness in complex setups, streamline deployment processes, and enhance real-time security features. Delinea might expand its feature set to compete with broader solutions, improve scalability for large enterprises, and enhance documentation for better user guidance.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Delinea facilitates quick integration with existing systems due to its streamlined deployment, coupled with dedicated support. IBM may require more initial setup time, yet it benefits from extensive documentation and a strong support network, making it suitable for complex environments.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Security Secret Server might have higher initial costs but offers extensive management features that can lead to significant ROI. Delinea often has lower upfront investment, with appealing ROI due to real-time breach reduction controls. Although IBM is generally more expensive, it is balanced by its broad capabilities, while Delinea presents a cost-efficient option with a dynamic security focus.

To learn more, read our detailed Delinea Runtime Authorization vs. IBM Security Secret Server Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Delinea Runtime Authorization vs. IBM Security Secret Server

November 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Delinea Runtime Authorization

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Access Management (10th)

IBM Security Secret Server

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

20th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of Delinea Runtime Authorization is 2.2%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.5%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
StrongDM	2.2%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.5%
Other	96.3%

Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Featured Reviews

Mohit X

Dev Ops Engineer And Solution Architect at Scania

Centralized access has improved privileged control and now provides strong audit visibility

I believe StrongDM can improve its initial setup and onboarding experience for larger enterprise environments like Scania, where we have a lot of processes. Integrating different teams, access policies, and existing identity workflows requires substantial planning. Additionally, I think the dashboard customization and reporting could be more flexible for operational teams, though new teams find it manageable. Once the platform is fully integrated, it provides significant value. Apart from the onboarding experience, I would also mention that the templates for enterprise onboarding and policy setup could benefit from innovative thinking tailored to organizations managing large AWS and Kubernetes workloads. Enhanced customization in dashboards and reporting would further ease operations and provide better insights.

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AsifIqbal

Chief Information Security Officer at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees

Privileged access monitoring has strengthened identity control and improved security posture

I find the monitoring and recording parts of IBM Security Secret Server to be the most valuable features. Password vaulting is somewhat typical, but I rate monitoring and recording as very good features, along with ease of deployment. The reporting tools in IBM Security Secret Server have helped me identify vulnerabilities. From the monitoring part, you can somewhat cover the identity vulnerability aspect. However, for identity vulnerability, I think the best approach is to use IAM rather than PAM. It is easy to integrate IBM Security Secret Server with cybersecurity frameworks, which is a very important aspect. When we are improving our attack surface, identity is the most important thing that we need to cover, and PAM will play a very crucial role in improving our cybersecurity framework and architecture. The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system. If we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"By adopting StrongDM, we have achieved benefits such as eliminating our weekend outages, streamlining ongoing on-call workflows, enabling seamless migration with POC transitions directly into production with minimal effort, allowing our engineers to use their preferred SQL clients like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Workbench, and facilitating compliance through detailed session logs and query capture for SOC 2 and ISO audits."

"Since using StrongDM, I estimate around a 60% reduction in effort compared to other PAM tools."

"The best features in StrongDM are that it is the easiest product in the market for this situation with easy access."

"All of the logging is handled for us, including for auditing purposes. Looking through the audit logs is not a painful experience."

"We primarily used StrongDM for access to resources on private networks like EC2 machines, Kubernetes clusters, and various databases."

"StrongDM replaced the puzzle of different solutions with one single product, which made managing resources more efficient."

"I absolutely would say that the best features of StrongDM and what I appreciate about the solution is that time to onboard is absolutely minimal."

"StrongDM positively impacts our organization in many ways, mainly in cost savings from the time saved, and it has significantly improved both security and operational efficiency for us."

More Delinea Runtime Authorization pros

"What I like best about IBM Security Secret Server is its single-access console. It's also easy to manage and fulfills the requirements with the least resistance."

"Access to privileged, shared credentials is simplified by optimizing the whole workflow and approval processes."

"Centralized Password Management: Our client has more than 400 geographical locations and approximately ten employees work at each location."

"As a PAM solution, Secret Server performs all the use cases in our environment."

"It is one of the most well-known names in this field."

"This product has been able to cover most of the requests from our customers."

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

"The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system, and if we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security."

More IBM Security Secret Server pros

Cons

"My thoughts on the pricing of StrongDM is that it is expensive."

"We've had a few issues with the stability of this product in the past."

"StrongDM lacks the capability for web application injections or password injections, so we need to rely on other tools such as HashiCorp for non-human accounts or DevOps scenarios."

"It would be beneficial to have better control and alignment between frequent updates and improved communication regarding possible negative effects on existing customer bases."

"I think StrongDM could improve by focusing more on network device management by allowing the addition of PAM for network devices, managing legacy network equipment, or helping to initiate enterprise onboarding where a lot of complex environments and initial setup are required."

"Integration, however, is something which admins configure with StrongDM, and in that area, it can be improved."

"Additionally, StrongDM has limited MFA and passwordless options, relying heavily on time-based one-time passwords (OTP) or Duo, lacking support for true passwordless setups like biometrics or hardware YubiKeys, and it does not support per-session MFA."

More Delinea Runtime Authorization cons

"Unfortunately, the technical support is not very responsive because we purchased it from IBM; however, the actual support comes from Thycotic."

"Although much has improved in last two years, the GUI for IBM products can be improved."

"What needs improvement in IBM Security Secret Server is support. The local partner provides good support, but IBM itself doesn't. Most of the time, the IBM support team does not aggressively resolve issues reported through chat or the IBM website."

"The nonclustered index is working in an area with a problem that needs improvement."

"It would be preferable if the full proxy was included in the IBM Security Secret Server."

"Secret Server should have the ability to discover privileged accounts in the servers, like the administrator or users, from SQL and Oracle without having to import a script."

"The newer interface is maybe confusing old customer that using previous one from their point of views, I think they will need little pass of time to be familiar with."

"The newer interface is more difficult to use than the previous one, and consequently, new users might need more training."

More IBM Security Secret Server cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing is per user per month."

"My rating for the IBM Security Secret Server pricing is seven out of ten. It could be cheaper."

"I believe that we paid 35,000 or 40,000 US dollars for it."

"The price could be better. I think it's a good price for the on-premises environment and the high availability for enterprises the solution provides."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Insurance Company

19%

Outsourcing Company

13%

Construction Company

11%

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	9

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for StrongDM?

I cannot disclose the pricing details, but I find it competitive compared to other solutions.

See all answers

What needs improvement with StrongDM?

StrongDM can be improved in many ways. For example, the access approval workflow could be faster. We face a challenge where we sometimes need temporary access to production but have to wait for an ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for StrongDM?

In our environment, we have managed Linux servers, cloud resources, and production systems, and we use StrongDM as a privileged access management solution. StrongDM authenticates users through the ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Security Secret Server?

I believe there is not much that can be improved for IBM Security Secret Server. Providing local support and local vendor availability would be beneficial so we are not dependent on international s...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM Security Secret Server?

IBM Security Secret Server serves multiple use cases for us, including the monitoring of privileged users, as well as the recording and password vaulting of their accounts, passwords, and need-base...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering IBM Security Secret Server?

I mention that password vaulting and password rotation in IBM Security Secret Server are basically the same thing, and it becomes somewhat complex when integrating a different system with them beca...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 29% of the time

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Compared 12% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

Fortra's Powertech Identity & Access Manager vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 3% of the time

More IBM Security Secret Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Delinea Runtime Authorization

November 2026

Download Delinea Runtime Authorization product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

October 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Also Known As

No data available

IBM Secret Server, Secret Server, IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager

Overview

Delinea Runtime Authorization offers advanced privileged access management with features like session logging and centralized access management, ensuring secure and efficient operations.

Designed for environments requiring secure privileged access, Delinea Runtime Authorization centralizes session logging and audit trails, integrates with SSO and MFA, and supports just-in-time access without credential exposure. It enhances security and compliance with seamless deployment across cloud environments, inheriting role-based controls and self-service options. Despite potential improvements needed in reporting, setup complexity, and integrations, it remains integral for managing secure access to servers, databases, and Kubernetes clusters.

What are the key features of Delinea Runtime Authorization?

Session Logging: Captures and records sessions for security and auditing.
Audit Trail: Provides detailed logs to track user activity and access.
Centralized Access Management: Unifies control over user access across platforms.
Just-in-Time Access: Offers temporary access without exposing credentials.
Integration with SSO and MFA: Enhances authentication with existing systems.
Session Replay: Facilitates security incident analysis and troubleshooting.
Credential-less Access: Reduces risk by eliminating exposed credentials.
Role-Based Controls: Assigns access based on user roles for tailored security.
Self-Service Options: Empowers users with on-demand access capabilities.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Improved Security: Reducing exposure to shared credentials and untracked admin access.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlining workflows through automation and centralized controls.
Compliance Assurance: Supporting compliance with standards like SOC 2 and ISO 27001.
Deployment Simplicity: Seamless integration with cloud environments and secret management.
Comprehensive Audit Trails: Enhancing accountability and visibility into user actions.

Used extensively in industries like finance, healthcare, and technology, Delinea Runtime Authorization helps manage privileged access by eliminating shared credentials and ensuring secure access across infrastructures. It supports compliance needs and enhances security for remote access management, particularly for environments requiring stringent security measures and efficient operational processes.

Delinea

IBM Security Secret Server provides centralized management of privileged credentials, secure access, session recording, and replay. Its pricing model is unique, being based on user count rather than system connections, making it a flexible choice for organizations.

IBM Security Secret Server enhances cybersecurity by integrating with frameworks and offering features like monitoring, high availability, and adaptable reporting. It simplifies password management, automates changes, and ensures compliance with security protocols. The platform is valued for its ease of deployment and user-friendly interface, although it can improve in areas such as the GUI and integration process. Complex high availability and disaster recovery setups are noted challenges, along with nonclustered indexing issues affecting performance. Users desire improvements in local support and migration processes.

What are the key features of IBM Security Secret Server?

Centralized Management: Streamlines credential management across systems.
Session Recording: Allows recording and replay of sessions for forensic purposes.
Integration Capabilities: Enhances security with diverse cybersecurity frameworks.
Adaptable Reporting: Provides tools for customizable reporting.
Single-Access Console: Offers a unified user experience with granular roles.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies deployment and daily operations.
Scalability: User-based pricing model ensures flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Security Compliance: Ensures adherence to security protocols with automated processes.
Audit and Reporting: Robust capabilities for auditing and compliance documentation.
Enhanced Security Posture: Integrates well with existing frameworks to bolster security.

Organizations across various industries implement IBM Security Secret Server for managing privileged access and securing critical systems. It serves financial institutions by providing a secure jump server for accessing core banking platforms and databases. IT managers benefit from workflow approvals and automated password management, ensuring compliance and boosting security posture. The platform's session recording and auditing features are crucial for sectors needing detailed activity documentation.

IBM

Buyer's Guide

Delinea Runtime Authorization vs. IBM Security Secret Server

November 2026

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