Best Akeyless Alternative in 2026

Akeyless has built a strong platform for secrets management. Their Distributed Fragments Cryptography removes the cluster management that made HashiCorp Vault expensive to run, and the platform integrates well with modern DevOps tooling. Users on G2 and Gartner Peer Insights rate Akeyless at 4.3 stars.

But Akeyless is a SaaS platform that processes your secrets through their infrastructure. For organizations where any third-party dependency on credential retrieval is unacceptable, that architecture is the wrong fit, regardless of how well it performs.

SplitSecure is a highly rated keyless alternative that removes vendor dependency from your most sensitive credentials. Learn More.

In this article, we reviewed Akeyless documentation, customer reviews, and technical architecture to explain when SplitSecure is the best Akeyless alternative, and when Akeyless remains the right choice.

 

Where Akeyless Falls Short

Third-Party Dependency

Akeyless markets their platform as "zero-knowledge," meaning they cannot access your secrets even if their systems are breached. Their DFC architecture does provide meaningful security benefits. But "zero-knowledge" is not the same as "zero-dependency." Your credential retrieval still depends on Akeyless's platform being available. If Akeyless goes down, your secrets retrieval is affected until service resumes.

For organizations subject to DORA (Article 28 specifically addresses ICT third-party concentration risk) or NYDFS 23 NYCRR 500, this dependency is increasingly difficult to justify for your highest-sensitivity credentials.

Operational Complexity

Consistent criticism on G2 and AWS Marketplace involves documentation gaps and UI challenges. Reviews cite "poor documentation and unclear implementation guidelines" and a "steep learning curve for effective integration and setup." Akeyless requires a gateway deployment in your environment, and troubleshooting integration issues often means working through sparse documentation.

• SplitSecure has almost no learning curve and no gateway to configure. Learn More.

 

SplitSecure vs. Akeyless: Side-by-Side

Factor	Akeyless	SplitSecure
Architecture	SaaS vault with customer gateway	Distributed across your devices (no vault)
Vendor dependency	Requires Akeyless platform uptime	None for core operations. Auditing service can be hosted by SplitSecure on request.
Secret location	Fragments in Akeyless cloud regions	Fragments on devices you control only
Infrastructure needed	Gateway deployment required	Minimal. No vault, no gateway, no cluster.
Breach impact	Zero-knowledge limits exposure, but platform dependency remains	A breach of SplitSecure does not expose your credentials
Vendor exit	Secrets depend on platform availability	Deployments continue functioning if SplitSecure ceased operations
Best for	DevOps teams, CI/CD pipeline secrets, cloud-native environments	Highest-sensitivity accounts, regulated industries, break-glass credentials
Compliance fit	Meets access control and logging requirements	Architectural compliance with DORA, NYDFS, PCI DSS, SOX by default

 

How SplitSecure Works Differently

Instead of fragmenting keys across cloud regions managed by a vendor, SplitSecure distributes secrets across multiple devices you control using Shamir Secret Sharing. No single device ever holds a complete credential. Reconstructing a secret requires a configurable threshold of devices, and this is a mathematical property of how the system works, not a policy that can be bypassed through social engineering or emergency exceptions.

Practically, this means three things for your security posture:

No Vendor Dependency

Your secrets exist independently of SplitSecure. If SplitSecure ceased operations tomorrow, your deployments would still function. This directly addresses concentration risk requirements in DORA Article 28 and is something no SaaS platform, including Akeyless, can offer.

Cryptographic Separation of Duties

Accessing the most sensitive credentials requires multiple devices to participate in reconstruction. This is not a configuration setting. It is built into the mathematics of the system, meeting DORA Article 9 separation of duties requirements by architecture rather than policy.

• Learn more about SplitSecure's distributed secrets technology. Learn More.

Automatic Audit Trails

Every secret reconstruction generates a record because the distributed architecture requires coordination across devices. You cannot access a credential without creating an audit trail, meeting DORA Article 12 logging requirements by default.

 

When Akeyless Is Still the Right Choice

Akeyless is a strong platform for DevOps-heavy environments with high-volume machine-to-machine secrets. If your primary use case is managing thousands of secrets flowing through CI/CD pipelines, GitHub Actions, Terraform, and Kubernetes, Akeyless provides the right feature set with native integrations. Not every secret needs the level of protection that distributed secrets management provides.

 

When SplitSecure Is the Best Alternative

SplitSecure is the best Akeyless alternative when your use case involves the credentials where a single compromise would be catastrophic: AWS root accounts, domain admin access, encryption keys that cannot be quickly rotated, and any credential subject to regulatory scrutiny.

Many organizations we talk to use both. Akeyless for operational secrets in pipelines. SplitSecure for the 10 to 20 accounts that represent irreversible risk. The two are not mutually exclusive.

• Want to talk to a real person about whether SplitSecure fits your use case? Contact us.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SplitSecure a full replacement for Akeyless?

For most organizations, no. SplitSecure is designed for human access to the highest-sensitivity accounts, not high-volume machine-to-machine secrets. Many teams use SplitSecure alongside Akeyless or a similar platform, layering distributed secrets management on top for the credentials that carry the most risk.

What is the difference between Akeyless DFC and SplitSecure?

Akeyless fragments keys across their cloud infrastructure using Distributed Fragments Cryptography. SplitSecure distributes secrets across devices you control using Shamir Secret Sharing. The key difference is that Akeyless involves their platform in cryptographic operations, whereas SplitSecure keeps credentials entirely in your environment.

Does SplitSecure meet DORA requirements?

Yes, by architecture. Separation of duties is cryptographic, audit trails are automatic, and credentials never leave your environment. There is no third-party dependency to assess under Article 28.

How long does SplitSecure take to deploy?

SplitSecure has a minimal operational footprint. There is no vault to configure, no gateway to deploy, and no cluster to monitor. Most teams are operational within days, not months.