HashiCorp Vault Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
HashiCorp Vault pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $51.2K per month in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
- Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
- Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
HashiCorp Vault's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- Self-hosted deployment
- Basic secrets management
- Dynamic secrets
- Encryption as a service
- Community support
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- Dedicated clusters
- Development, Standard, and Plus tiers
- Pay-as-you-go or annual subscription
- Starting at $1.58 per hour
- Enhanced performance
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like Dedicated clusters or Development, Standard, and Plus tiers
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- HashiCorp Vault branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs HCP Vault Dedicated Plan Comparison
| Open Source $0 | HCP Vault Dedicated $360/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 5 included | 5+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | HashiCorp Vault branding | Your branding |
| Best For | General users and teams | General users and teams |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is HashiCorp Vault free?
Yes, HashiCorp Vault offers a forever free plan with 5 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in HashiCorp Vault's free plan?
HashiCorp Vault's free plan includes: Self-hosted deployment, Basic secrets management, Dynamic secrets, Encryption as a service, Community support. Key limits include basic usage caps.
03 What's NOT included in HashiCorp Vault's free plan?
The free plan excludes: Dedicated clusters, Development, Standard, and Plus tiers, Pay-as-you-go or annual subscription, Starting at $1.58 per hour, Enhanced performance. You'll also have HashiCorp Vault branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from HashiCorp Vault's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like Dedicated clusters or Development, Standard, and Plus tiers, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $360/month.
05 Is HashiCorp Vault's free plan really free forever?
Yes, HashiCorp Vault's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.
Get HashiCorp Vault pricing updates
We'll notify you when pricing changes or new free features are added.