Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026
Privileged access management controls who may use administrator and root accounts, records what they do and removes standing credentials. The products here range from vaults and browser gateways to endpoint tools.
This guide ranks twelve on first-ninety-day effort, price once modules are added, exit, independence from partners and fit, and says where each product falls short.
Vendors can pay for visibility on this page. It never changes what an entry
says about a product, including the criticism, and we earn nothing when you click through to a
vendor. How that works.
In short
What privileged access management software does
Privileged access management software vaults admin and service credentials, grants elevated access for limited periods, and records privileged sessions, so shared passwords and permanent admin rights stay out of use.
In this order: setup effort, what it really costs, how your data comes back out, whether
you can leave, and who each privileged access management tool is built for. One rule sits on top of those tests:
Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category, wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. Why those five, and why there is no
score out of ten, is on the how we work page.
Large enterprises already on CyberArk or Palo Alto Networks platforms
Small teams needing a quick, priced, self-service start
Country is where the vendor is headquartered or contracts from, which is a
different question from where your data is hosted. Where the two tell different stories, the
entry says so.
Start with the Community Edition on one Docker or Linux host, connect SSH, RDP, database and Kubernetes assets, and switch recording on before anyone asks for it. Move to Enterprise only when you need rotation, approval workflows or tenant separation.
Because the source is public, leaving costs a migration of accounts and recordings, not a licence negotiation. The vendor claims a thirty-minute install; treat that as a pilot target.
What stands out
Open source
Self-hosted
Asset-based tiers
Where it costs you
Password rotation and ticket approval are Enterprise features, so the Community Edition works as a session gateway rather than a full vault.
Community support runs through GitHub and a forum, and Enterprise prices are given only after contacting sales.
Right for
Teams with Linux and database admins who want to run and audit PAM themselves
Wrong for
Buyers who want a vendor-hosted service rather than their own servers
Hong KongFree Community Edition up to a set asset count; Enterprise by asset tier, quoted
PAM module inside Remote Desktop Manager, self-hosted or Devolutions Cloud
Ranked #2 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Self-hostablePublished pricingNorth America
Teams that already store connections in Remote Desktop Manager can switch PAM on inside the same entries, so the first ninety days are mostly policy work: checkout rules, MFA and rotation.
New buyers get the workspace bundled with the module. A public per-user price lets you set a budget before the first call. Check whether your privileged user count, not your server count, drives the invoice.
What stands out
Published per-user price
Self-hosted or cloud
Add-on module
Where it costs you
The price is per privileged user per year, so a large admin team costs more than under an asset-based model.
PAM runs inside Remote Desktop Manager, which ties the first deployment to that client and to a Devolutions Server or Cloud workspace.
Right for
IT teams of a few dozen admins who already juggle remote connections and passwords
Wrong for
Buyers who want PAM separate from a remote-connection client
CanadaPer user per year, billed annually, published; module can be added to an existing licence
Vault, session recording and endpoint tools sold as editions, on-prem or SaaS
Ranked #3 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Self-hostablePricing on requestNorth America
The product page lists a vault, rotation of passwords and SSH keys, launching of RDP, SSH and SQL connections, and recording and playback of privileged sessions, with vendor remote access without a VPN also listed.
Ask which edition covers your endpoints and whether vendor access is priced per user or per session. The 30-day refund gives a safety net the trial alone does not, but get its conditions in writing.
What stands out
On-prem or SaaS
Edition-based quote
Trial offered
Where it costs you
No price is published, so the first number arrives only after the quote form or a call.
Vault, endpoint privilege and vendor access appear as separate product choices in the quote, which can add up once all are needed.
Right for
Mid-size IT teams wanting a choice between hosting themselves and SaaS
Wrong for
Buyers who must compare published prices before any sales contact
United StatesQuoted per organisation by edition; 30-day trial and 30-day refund policy
Endpoint privilege and remote access from Denmark, all features on 25 seats
Ranked #4 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingEurope
Treat it as the endpoint half of a PAM programme. Users request elevation for an application or a time window, an admin or AI auto-approval decides, and every action is logged with optional session recordings.
The Free plan carries all features for 25 seats, enough for a genuine pilot, with thirty days of support included at that tier. Pair it with a vault if servers matter more than laptops.
What stands out
Free plan
Endpoint privilege
Hosted by vendor
Where it costs you
The plan table lists elevation, remote access and audit but no vault for server and service-account passwords.
Paid pricing is given by quote and varies by region, so a budget needs a sales conversation.
Right for
Small IT teams removing local admin rights across Windows, Mac and Linux
Wrong for
Teams whose main risk is shared server and database credentials
DenmarkFree plan for 25 seats; paid tiers quoted per endpoint and term
French PAM for sessions, vaulting and OT, agentless, with a month's trial
Ranked #5 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestEurope
The product page frames PAM as account vaulting, session recording and elevation working agentless across IT and OT environments, plus a maturity checklist running from account discovery to an AI assistant.
That checklist is useful for scoping which capabilities you need before talking to sales. Request the one-month trial for the PAM and measure how many of your privileged accounts are discovered in the first week.
What stands out
Paris-based
Agentless
IT and OT
Where it costs you
No price list is shown, so a quote is the only route to a number.
Privilege elevation, remote access and web session control are named as separate capabilities, so the bundle you need changes the quote.
Right for
Organisations covering IT servers and industrial networks under one session audit
Wrong for
Teams wanting to test with self-service signup and published prices
FranceSales-led, no price list seen; one-month trial on request
Short-lived access to SSH, Kubernetes, databases and RDP, with recorded sessions
Ranked #6 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Self-hostablePricing on requestNorth America
Teleport replaces standing SSH keys and database passwords with short-lived credentials issued after sign-in, applies role and attribute rules, and records activity across SSH, Kubernetes, database, RDP and web sessions.
It supports just-in-time requests for elevated roles. Expect the first weeks to go on identity provider integration and agent rollout. Check the edition table and the Community licence limits before relying on those builds, and ask what your active user count would cost.
What stands out
AGPL-3.0 source
Short-lived credentials
Cloud or on-prem
Where it costs you
The Community Edition licence limits use to organisations under 100 employees and 10 million dollars in annual revenue.
It targets engineers reaching infrastructure rather than vaulting shared passwords, so legacy password-rotation needs are a poor match.
Right for
Platform teams running Kubernetes, Linux fleets and databases who prefer short-lived access
Wrong for
Helpdesk teams rotating shared Windows service account passwords
United StatesUsage-based on active users and protected resources, quoted; 14-day Enterprise trial
Priced per administrator, subscription or perpetual, with a free edition
Ranked #7 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Self-hostablePublished pricingAsia-Pacific
The price table runs from 10 administrators with 25 keys up to 200 administrators with 1000 keys, with one application gateway included. Beyond vaulting the page lists cloud entitlement visibility, endpoint privilege and DevOps secrets modules.
The Free Edition is a practical way to test rotation on ten resources before paying. Work out your key count first, because each key counts towards the tier you land in.
What stands out
Free Edition
Published prices
On-prem or cloud beta
Where it costs you
The cloud choice on the trial form is labelled beta, so production plans lean on the on-premises build.
Licensing counts administrators and keys, so a larger admin team moves the price into the next tier.
Right for
Mid-size IT teams wanting published prices and a ladder starting at one administrator
Wrong for
Buyers who need a fully released multi-tenant cloud service today
IndiaPer administrator and key, subscription or perpetual, published; Free Edition limited
Danish endpoint-centred PAM: elevation, session recording, application control
Ranked #8 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestEurope
Three modules matter: privilege elevation and delegation with mobile approvals, privileged account and session management that records every session, and application control that blocks unapproved software.
Safe applications are approved automatically and risky requests prompt an admin. Ask for the estimate output per module and the term discounts in writing, because the sales team sets the final price rather than the calculator.
What stands out
Copenhagen-based
Elevation and app control
Estimate calculator
Where it costs you
The pricing tool gives a range, and the final figure is set by a sales representative.
The PAM modules are sold inside a wider endpoint security platform, so PAM-only buyers should check which parts are bundled.
Right for
Small IT teams wanting elevation and recorded sessions without vault servers
Wrong for
Buyers who want PAM only, separate from an endpoint security suite
DenmarkPer endpoint and server per year; estimate tool, final price from sales
Zero standing privilege PAM, formerly SBPAM and Remediant, from Texas
Ranked #9 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Netwrix presents the product as zero standing privilege: admins hold no permanent rights, request just-in-time access, and leftover credentials are removed afterwards, with privileged activity monitored.
Start by discovering where permanent admin rights exist, then move those groups to just-in-time. The page offers a trial and a demo, with pricing only on request. Ask how it fits any other Netwrix tools you already own.
What stands out
Zero standing privilege
Just-in-time
Netwrix portfolio
Where it costs you
Prices are requested through a form, so no number is public.
Netwrix sells it among many products, so the buying process involves a wider vendor than a PAM specialist.
Right for
Security teams aiming to remove permanent admin accounts before an audit
Wrong for
Buyers who want a published price and a self-service start
United StatesQuoted per organisation; trial available
Zero-knowledge vault, gateway and session tools from a password-manager vendor
Ranked #10 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Deploy the Keeper Gateway to discover machines, databases, directories and accounts, then import them into the vault as managed resources. Connections run end to end encrypted in a zero-knowledge design, and just-in-time access can be granted.
The pricing page also describes volume tiers for non-human identities, starting at 25 to 99. Ask whether your service accounts and workloads count towards those tiers.
What stands out
Zero-knowledge
Gateway access
Quote with volume tiers
Where it costs you
Pricing is by quote, with non-human identity volume tiers that add a second counting unit.
The product grew from a password manager, so PAM-only buyers should check which parts of the platform they must license.
Right for
Organisations already using Keeper for passwords that are adding sessions and rotation
Wrong for
Buyers wanting a published price before speaking to sales
United StatesQuoted per organisation; trial offered; volume tiers for non-human identities
Secret Server vaulting and session management, now with StrongDM
Ranked #11 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Secret Server is described as password vaulting with automation for discovery, rotation and session monitoring, and the trial page offers separate trials for Secret Server, Privilege Manager, Cloud Entitlements, Identity Threat Protection and Server PAM.
Decide which of these you need before asking for a quote, and ask what the StrongDM integration means for the product roadmap. The page promises deployment in weeks; test that in a pilot.
What stands out
Secret Server
Several products
Owns StrongDM
Where it costs you
Pricing is by contact, and each product (Secret Server, Privilege Manager, Server PAM) has its own trial and quote.
StrongDM now sits under Delinea, so independence from a larger portfolio vendor is lower than with a standalone product.
Right for
Established IT teams wanting vaulting plus endpoint and server privilege from one vendor
Wrong for
Buyers wanting one inclusive price or an independent single-product vendor
United StatesQuoted per organisation by product; trials offered
CyberArk's PAM, now Idira under Palo Alto Networks, bought through a demo
Ranked #12 of 12 in Best Privileged Access Management Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
The vendor frames modern PAM as vaulting plus zero standing privileges: ephemeral access for cloud engineers across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Kubernetes, local admin removal on Windows and macOS, and recorded, isolated sessions for vendors.
For a team replacing a legacy CyberArk estate, the page says existing customers keep using the platform and see a new logo. Ask about integration timelines inside Palo Alto Networks.
What stands out
Palo Alto Networks
Vault and zero standing privilege
Demo-led
Where it costs you
The page shows no prices, so budgeting starts with a demo request.
The product sits inside a broader Palo Alto Networks platform strategy, and the rename means documents and contracts may carry both names.
Right for
Large enterprises already on CyberArk or Palo Alto Networks platforms
Wrong for
Small teams needing a quick, priced, self-service start
How to choose privileged access management software
Privileged access management software vaults admin and service credentials, grants elevated access for limited periods, and records privileged sessions, so shared passwords and permanent admin rights stay out of use. The differences that matter are rarely in the feature list, so this is
the order we would work through them.
01
Decide whether you need a published price
4 of the 12 tools here publish what they cost; the other 8 quote per organisation. The ones you can compare without a sales call: JumpServer, Devolutions PAM, Admin By Request, ManageEngine PAM360.
02
Decide how much the jurisdiction matters
These 12 vendors are established in 6 countries across 3 regions (North America 7, Europe 3, Asia-Pacific 2). That decides whose disclosure law applies to what the vendor holds, wherever the servers are.
03
Consider whether you want the source
1 of these are open source: JumpServer. Hosting one yourself trades a subscription for maintenance.
Decide between a vault, a gateway and an endpoint tool first
Privileged access management covers three different jobs, and the products here lean towards one of them. Admin By Request removes standing local admin rights on laptops and desktops. Teleport issues short-lived credentials for servers, Kubernetes and databases. JumpServer is a session gateway with recording, while Securden and ManageEngine PAM360 add a vault and rotation for shared accounts.
A team that buys the wrong type ends up running two products anyway. List the accounts that worry you most (local admins, root on servers, database logins, vendor access, service accounts) and rank them by how much damage one stolen credential would do. The product that covers your top two entries is the real shortlist, whatever the category label says.
Which three account types cause the most risk today?
Does the product record sessions itself or hand off to another tool?
Is access brokered through a gateway, or does the user still see the password?
Price by the unit each vendor counts
Vendors count different things, so headline prices cannot be compared directly. Devolutions PAM is published per user per year, which punishes a large admin team. JumpServer Enterprise is priced by asset tier of 50, 500, 5,000 or unlimited assets, which suits many admins on few machines.
ManageEngine PAM360 publishes a table by administrators and keys, and its Free Edition stops at one administrator and ten resources. Securden and Netwrix Privilege Secure quote after a form. Build one sheet with your privileged users, servers, databases, vendors and service accounts, then ask every vendor to price that same sheet, including the modules for sessions, endpoints and vendor access that are often separate.
How many privileged users, assets and keys will exist in year two?
Which modules are separate line items?
What changes when the term is three years instead of one?
Run a pilot that tests recording and rotation, not the demo path
Most products here offer a trial: Securden gives 30 days without a credit card, ManageEngine PAM360 gives 30 days, WALLIX offers a month, Teleport Enterprise 14 days, and JumpServer Enterprise 14 days. Use that time on the unglamorous parts. Onboard a real domain admin account and a service account that other systems depend on, rotate its password, and see what breaks.
Record an RDP and an SSH session and try to find a specific command afterwards. Then test the failure case: switch the vault or gateway off and check how admins reach a system during an incident, because break-glass access is the step that pilots tend to skip when time runs short.
Did a rotated service account password break a dependent job?
Can you search recorded sessions for a command or a file name?
What is the documented emergency route if the product is down?
Plan the exit before the first account is vaulted
A PAM product holds credentials, policies and session recordings, which are expensive to move later. Self-run products such as JumpServer Community Edition, Devolutions PAM on Devolutions Server and Teleport keep that data on servers you control, but you still own the backup and upgrade work. Vendor-run services such as Admin By Request and KeeperPAM remove that work and move the data to the vendor.
Delinea and Idira PAM (formerly CyberArk) now sit inside larger vendors that are folding acquisitions into platforms, so product names, bundles and contract terms can change between renewals. Ask in writing how vault contents and recordings are exported, in what format, and whether export is included in the subscription or billed separately.
Can vault contents and recordings be exported in a documented format?
Who holds the encryption keys, you or the vendor?
What happens to your licence if the vendor is acquired?
What goes wrong most often when buying privileged access management software
Buying an endpoint privilege tool and expecting it to rotate server and database passwords, or the reverse.
Comparing a per-user price with a per-asset price without first counting both users and assets.
Vaulting accounts but leaving local admin rights and old shared passwords in place, so the vault is bypassed.
Treating a trial as a feature check and never testing break-glass access or a rotated service account.
07
Frequently asked questions
8 answers
What is the best privileged access management software in 2026?
JumpServer leads our ranking of 12. The Community Edition is GPL-3.0 code you install and run yourself, free for up to 5,000 assets, with session recording, command filtering and LDAP or AD sign-in.
Password rotation, just-in-time approval, multi-tenancy and single sign-on sit only in the paid Enterprise Edition, priced by asset tier on request. Community support is GitHub and a forum, and the commercial arm is registered in Hong Kong.
Which privileged access management tools publish their pricing?
4 of the 12, with the pricing model each one publishes:
JumpServer: Free Community Edition up to a set asset count; Enterprise by asset tier, quoted.
Devolutions PAM: Per user per year, billed annually, published; module can be added to an existing licence.
Admin By Request: Free plan for 25 seats; paid tiers quoted per endpoint and term.
ManageEngine PAM360: Per administrator and key, subscription or perpetual, published; Free Edition limited.
The other 8 quote per organisation.
Is there a free privileged access management tool?
JumpServer, Admin By Request offer a free tier or a free self-hosted edition.
Where are these privileged access management software vendors established?
In 6 countries across 3 regions: North America 7, Europe 3, Asia-Pacific 2.
JumpServer: Hong Kong.
Devolutions PAM: Canada.
Securden: United States.
Admin By Request: Denmark.
WALLIX: France.
Teleport: United States.
ManageEngine PAM360: India.
Heimdal: Denmark.
Netwrix Privilege Secure: United States.
KeeperPAM: United States.
Delinea: United States.
Idira PAM (formerly CyberArk): United States.
Which privileged access management tools are open source?
JumpServer.
Which privileged access management tools can you host yourself?
JumpServer, Devolutions PAM, Securden, Teleport, ManageEngine PAM360. The other 7 are hosted by the vendor only.
What should you use instead of JumpServer?
Devolutions PAM and Securden are the next two on this page. Devolutions PAM is for IT teams of a few dozen admins who already juggle remote connections and passwords; Securden is for Mid-size IT teams wanting a choice between hosting themselves and SaaS.
Who should not buy JumpServer?
Buyers who want a vendor-hosted service rather than their own servers. Password rotation and ticket approval are Enterprise features, so the Community Edition works as a session gateway rather than a full vault..
If your privileged access management software product belongs among these 12, tell us what it does and who it is for. Inclusion is an editorial call; what a listing is and is not is set out under software advice.
