Doppler vs EnvKey: What are the differences?

Introduction

Doppler and EnvKey are both secrets management tools that are designed to securely store and manage sensitive information such as keys, passwords, and tokens. However, there are key differences between the two platforms that set them apart from each other.

1. Infrastructure:

   • Doppler: Doppler is a cloud-native service that is hosted on its own infrastructure. It provides a simple and scalable solution for managing secrets in cloud environments.
   • EnvKey: EnvKey is a tool that can be self-hosted, allowing organizations to maintain control over their secrets and infrastructure. It can be deployed on-premises or in a private cloud environment.

2. Integration:

   • Doppler: Doppler provides robust integrations with various developer tools and platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, and Kubernetes. It offers easy integration options to streamline the secret management process within existing workflows.
   • EnvKey: EnvKey also offers integrations with popular developer tools like GitHub and GitLab. However, it primarily focuses on providing a command-line interface (CLI) to manage secrets, making it suitable for developers who prefer working in terminal environments.

3. Ease of Use:

   • Doppler: Doppler offers a user-friendly web dashboard that allows teams to easily manage and organize their secrets. It provides a visual interface with features like versioning, secrets inheritance, and audit logs, making it intuitive for all team members.
   • EnvKey: EnvKey prioritizes simplicity and ease of use with its command-line interface (CLI). Developers can manage secrets directly from their terminals, which can be advantageous for those who prefer working with command-line tools.

4. Collaboration:

   • Doppler: Doppler provides built-in collaboration capabilities, allowing teams to manage secrets collectively. Users can create teams, invite team members, and assign roles and permissions to control access to secrets.
   • EnvKey: EnvKey also supports collaboration by allowing multiple team members to access and manage secrets together. However, collaboration features may be more limited compared to Doppler's offering.

5. Pricing:

   • Doppler: Doppler offers a free tier that provides basic secret management functionality. It also offers various pricing plans based on the number of team members and the level of support required.
   • EnvKey: EnvKey has a free tier that allows for limited usage and team members. Additional usage and more advanced features are available through paid plans.

6. Security:

   • Doppler: Doppler emphasizes security by encrypting secrets at rest and in transit. It provides secure access control mechanisms and allows users to define fine-grained permissions to manage who can access and modify secrets.
   • EnvKey: EnvKey also prioritizes security by encrypting secrets and access tokens. It enforces strict access control and enables users to rotate secrets periodically for better security.

In summary, Doppler and EnvKey are both secrets management tools, but they differ in terms of infrastructure, integration options, ease of use, collaboration features, pricing, and security measures. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements and preferences of the organization or development team.