Quick Overview
- 1#1: Keyfactor - Comprehensive enterprise platform for automating PKI lifecycle management, discovery, and certificate orchestration across hybrid environments.
- 2#2: Venafi - Machine identity management solution that secures, discovers, and automates PKI certificates and keys at scale.
- 3#3: DigiCert CertCentral - Cloud-based PKI platform for issuing, managing, and automating digital certificates across public and private CAs.
- 4#4: Entrust - PKI as a service and appliance-based solutions for high-volume certificate issuance and lifecycle management.
- 5#5: Sectigo Certificate Manager - Automated PKI management platform for enterprise certificate lifecycle automation and private CA operations.
- 6#6: AppViewX CERT+ - Unified platform for PKI certificate discovery, automation, and management in complex IT environments.
- 7#7: HashiCorp Vault - Secrets management tool featuring a dynamic PKI secrets engine for short-lived certificates and CA management.
- 8#8: EJBCA - Open-source PKI certificate authority software for building and managing scalable private CAs.
- 9#9: ManageEngine Key Manager Plus - Affordable PKI tool for consolidating, monitoring, and automating SSL/TLS certificate lifecycles.
- 10#10: AWS Private Certificate Authority - Fully managed private CA service for creating and managing private PKI hierarchies in the cloud.
Tools were evaluated based on functionality (including automation, discovery, and scalability), integration capabilities with hybrid environments, user experience, and overall value, ensuring a balanced mix of technical excellence and practicality.
Comparison Table
PKI management is essential for safeguarding digital trust, and choosing the right software requires comparing key tools. This table features leading solutions like Keyfactor, Venafi, DigiCert CertCentral, Entrust, Sectigo Certificate Manager, and more, outlining their core capabilities and practical uses. Readers will find a clear breakdown to select the best fit for their security and operational needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keyfactor Comprehensive enterprise platform for automating PKI lifecycle management, discovery, and certificate orchestration across hybrid environments. | enterprise | 9.8/10 | 9.9/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Venafi Machine identity management solution that secures, discovers, and automates PKI certificates and keys at scale. | enterprise | 9.4/10 | 9.7/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.9/10 |
| 3 | DigiCert CertCentral Cloud-based PKI platform for issuing, managing, and automating digital certificates across public and private CAs. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.1/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 4 | Entrust PKI as a service and appliance-based solutions for high-volume certificate issuance and lifecycle management. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 5 | Sectigo Certificate Manager Automated PKI management platform for enterprise certificate lifecycle automation and private CA operations. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 6 | AppViewX CERT+ Unified platform for PKI certificate discovery, automation, and management in complex IT environments. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 7 | HashiCorp Vault Secrets management tool featuring a dynamic PKI secrets engine for short-lived certificates and CA management. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 6.8/10 | 8.9/10 |
| 8 | EJBCA Open-source PKI certificate authority software for building and managing scalable private CAs. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.5/10 | 7.0/10 | 9.8/10 |
| 9 | ManageEngine Key Manager Plus Affordable PKI tool for consolidating, monitoring, and automating SSL/TLS certificate lifecycles. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.0/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 10 | AWS Private Certificate Authority Fully managed private CA service for creating and managing private PKI hierarchies in the cloud. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 |
Comprehensive enterprise platform for automating PKI lifecycle management, discovery, and certificate orchestration across hybrid environments.
Machine identity management solution that secures, discovers, and automates PKI certificates and keys at scale.
Cloud-based PKI platform for issuing, managing, and automating digital certificates across public and private CAs.
PKI as a service and appliance-based solutions for high-volume certificate issuance and lifecycle management.
Automated PKI management platform for enterprise certificate lifecycle automation and private CA operations.
Unified platform for PKI certificate discovery, automation, and management in complex IT environments.
Secrets management tool featuring a dynamic PKI secrets engine for short-lived certificates and CA management.
Open-source PKI certificate authority software for building and managing scalable private CAs.
Affordable PKI tool for consolidating, monitoring, and automating SSL/TLS certificate lifecycles.
Fully managed private CA service for creating and managing private PKI hierarchies in the cloud.
Keyfactor
enterpriseComprehensive enterprise platform for automating PKI lifecycle management, discovery, and certificate orchestration across hybrid environments.
Universal Orchestration for automated, zero-touch certificate lifecycle management across any infrastructure or PKI authority
Keyfactor is a comprehensive PKI and certificate lifecycle management platform designed for enterprises managing machine identities at scale. It automates certificate discovery, issuance, renewal, rotation, and revocation across on-premises, cloud, and IoT environments. The platform integrates seamlessly with DevOps tools, supports standards like ACME and SCEP, and ensures compliance with rigorous security standards such as FIPS 140-2.
Pros
- Unmatched scalability for managing millions of certificates across hybrid environments
- Deep integrations with CI/CD pipelines, cloud providers, and PKI authorities
- Advanced automation and analytics for proactive identity security and compliance
Cons
- Enterprise pricing can be steep for smaller organizations
- Initial setup may require professional services and expertise
- Advanced features have a learning curve despite intuitive dashboards
Best For
Large enterprises and organizations with complex, high-volume PKI needs in DevOps, cloud, and IoT deployments.
Pricing
Custom enterprise subscription pricing starting at around $50,000/year, based on certificate volume and features; contact sales for quotes.
Venafi
enterpriseMachine identity management solution that secures, discovers, and automates PKI certificates and keys at scale.
Universal machine identity discovery and policy-based automation across on-prem, cloud, and containerized environments
Venafi Trust Protection Platform is a leading machine identity management solution specializing in PKI lifecycle automation, providing end-to-end visibility, policy enforcement, and orchestration for certificates across hybrid environments. It automates discovery, issuance, renewal, revocation, and rotation of TLS/SSL certificates from public and private CAs, preventing outages and ensuring compliance. Designed for enterprise-scale deployments, it integrates with major cloud providers, containers, and DevOps tools to manage thousands of identities securely.
Pros
- Unmatched scalability for managing millions of certificates enterprise-wide
- Robust policy engine for automated compliance and zero-trust security
- Deep integrations with 100+ CAs, clouds, and orchestration tools like Ansible and Terraform
Cons
- Complex initial setup and steep learning curve for non-experts
- Premium pricing inaccessible for SMBs
- Occasional performance overhead in very dynamic environments
Best For
Large enterprises with distributed, high-volume PKI needs in hybrid/multi-cloud setups requiring automated governance.
Pricing
Enterprise subscription pricing starts at ~$50,000/year, scales with identity volume; custom quotes required.
DigiCert CertCentral
enterpriseCloud-based PKI platform for issuing, managing, and automating digital certificates across public and private CAs.
Automated certificate discovery and inventory across hybrid environments with zero-touch renewal
DigiCert CertCentral is a cloud-based platform designed for enterprise-grade PKI and digital certificate lifecycle management, supporting public and private trust models. It automates issuance, renewal, revocation, discovery, and reporting for certificates across IT, IoT, and DevOps environments. The solution integrates seamlessly with major cloud providers, CMDBs, and automation tools, ensuring scalability and compliance with standards like ACME, SCEP, and EST.
Pros
- Comprehensive automation for certificate lifecycle management at scale
- Strong integrations with enterprise tools and hybrid environments
- Robust compliance and reporting for regulatory standards like PCI-DSS and FedRAMP
Cons
- High cost structure better suited for large enterprises
- Steeper learning curve for advanced PKI configurations
- Limited flexibility for fully on-premises deployments
Best For
Large enterprises and organizations requiring scalable, automated PKI management across multi-cloud and IoT ecosystems.
Pricing
Custom enterprise subscription pricing starting at around $2,000/year for basic plans, scaling with volume and features; contact sales for quotes.
Entrust
enterprisePKI as a service and appliance-based solutions for high-volume certificate issuance and lifecycle management.
Entrust nShield HSM-powered key management for FIPS-certified, unbreakable private key protection
Entrust offers comprehensive PKI management solutions, including on-premises and cloud-based certificate authorities for issuing, enrolling, managing, and revoking digital certificates across enterprises. The platform supports advanced features like hardware security module (HSM) integration, automated lifecycle management, and compliance with standards such as FIPS 140-2/3 and Common Criteria. It enables secure identity authentication for IoT, workforce, and customer applications at scale.
Pros
- Highly scalable for large enterprises with millions of certificates
- Robust security including HSM integration and post-quantum readiness
- Flexible deployment options (on-prem, cloud, hybrid)
Cons
- Complex initial setup and configuration
- Premium pricing not ideal for SMBs
- Steeper learning curve for non-experts
Best For
Large enterprises and government agencies needing enterprise-grade, compliant PKI at massive scale.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing; typically $50K+ annually for mid-scale deployments, scaling with volume and features.
Sectigo Certificate Manager
enterpriseAutomated PKI management platform for enterprise certificate lifecycle automation and private CA operations.
Unified multi-CA management console for overseeing public and private certificates from one dashboard
Sectigo Certificate Manager is an enterprise-grade PKI management platform designed to automate the full lifecycle of digital certificates, including issuance, renewal, revocation, and discovery across public and private infrastructures. It supports integration with multiple certificate authorities, enterprise directories, and DevOps tools for seamless automation. Ideal for organizations managing large-scale certificate deployments, it ensures compliance with standards like ETSI and ensures high availability through scalable architecture.
Pros
- Robust automation for certificate lifecycle management reducing manual errors
- Supports hybrid PKI environments with multiple CAs and integrations
- Comprehensive discovery and inventory tools for full visibility
Cons
- Complex initial setup requiring technical expertise
- Pricing can be opaque and scale with volume
- User interface feels dated compared to newer competitors
Best For
Large enterprises with complex, distributed infrastructures needing automated PKI management at scale.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting at around $5,000 annually, scaling based on certificate volume and features; contact sales for quotes.
AppViewX CERT+
enterpriseUnified platform for PKI certificate discovery, automation, and management in complex IT environments.
Agentless rogue certificate discovery and automated remediation across any PKI or infrastructure
AppViewX CERT+ is a robust PKI and certificate lifecycle management platform that automates the discovery, issuance, renewal, revocation, and compliance monitoring of digital certificates across hybrid, multi-cloud, and on-premises environments. It provides enterprise-grade visibility into machine identities, supports integration with over 20 PKI vendors including Microsoft CA and Entrust, and leverages no-code automation to reduce manual interventions and security risks. Ideal for organizations seeking to streamline PKI operations at scale, it emphasizes governance, analytics, and zero-trust security postures.
Pros
- Agentless discovery of certificates across diverse infrastructures
- Broad multi-vendor PKI support and no-code automation workflows
- Advanced analytics, compliance reporting, and risk scoring
Cons
- Steep initial setup and configuration for complex environments
- Enterprise pricing lacks transparency and may be high for mid-sized firms
- Limited community resources compared to more established competitors
Best For
Large enterprises managing extensive hybrid PKI deployments with a need for automated lifecycle governance and compliance.
Pricing
Custom enterprise subscription pricing based on assets managed; typically starts at $50,000+ annually, contact sales for quote.
HashiCorp Vault
enterpriseSecrets management tool featuring a dynamic PKI secrets engine for short-lived certificates and CA management.
Dynamic, lease-based short-lived certificates that auto-expire and revoke, eliminating manual renewal and reducing exposure windows
HashiCorp Vault is a widely-used open-source secrets management platform that includes a dedicated PKI secrets engine for managing certificate authorities, issuing, renewing, and revoking X.509 certificates dynamically. It supports root and intermediate CAs, CRL distribution, OCSP responding, and integrates with Vault's robust access controls, auditing, and lease-based secret lifecycles for secure PKI operations. Ideal for enterprises needing scalable, automated PKI without relying on external CAs, Vault enables short-lived certificates tied to authentication policies.
Pros
- Comprehensive PKI engine with full CA hierarchy, CRL/OCSP support, and dynamic issuance
- Lease-aware short-lived certificates for automatic revocation and zero-trust security
- Seamless integration with Vault's ACLs, auditing, and ecosystem (e.g., Consul, Terraform)
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring strong DevOps/Infra knowledge for setup and ops
- Resource-intensive for high-scale deployments without clustering expertise
- CLI/API-focused with limited intuitive UI for PKI workflows
Best For
Enterprise DevOps and security teams handling large-scale, dynamic infrastructure who need integrated secrets management alongside PKI.
Pricing
Open-source Community Edition is free; Enterprise Edition and HCP Vault (managed) start with custom pricing based on nodes/usage, often $0.03–$0.10 per core/hour or contact sales.
EJBCA
specializedOpen-source PKI certificate authority software for building and managing scalable private CAs.
Multi-CA hierarchy support with end-to-end entity lifecycle management across diverse protocols and security modules
EJBCA is a mature open-source PKI management platform developed by PrimeKey, enabling organizations to deploy and operate their own full-featured Certificate Authority (CA) for issuing, managing, and revoking digital certificates at scale. It supports comprehensive certificate lifecycle management, including protocols like ACME, EST, CMP, SCEP, and integration with HSMs, OCSP responders, and CRLs. Available in community (free) and enterprise editions, it powers mission-critical PKI for governments, banks, and telecoms worldwide.
Pros
- Highly scalable and performant for enterprise PKI deployments
- Extensive protocol support and HSM integration
- Open-source core with no licensing fees for community edition
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- Requires Java expertise for customization
- Enterprise features and support require paid subscription
Best For
Enterprises and organizations needing a robust, customizable open-source PKI solution without vendor lock-in.
Pricing
Community edition: Free; Enterprise edition: Subscription-based, starting around €5,000/year for support and advanced features.
ManageEngine Key Manager Plus
enterpriseAffordable PKI tool for consolidating, monitoring, and automating SSL/TLS certificate lifecycles.
Automated private key discovery and secure vaulting across multi-platform environments
ManageEngine Key Manager Plus is a centralized platform for automating the lifecycle management of digital certificates, SSH keys, and private keys in hybrid IT environments. It enables automated discovery, issuance, renewal, deployment, revocation, and monitoring of certificates from multiple CAs, while also handling secure key backup and rotation. Designed for enterprises seeking to mitigate SSL/TLS expiration risks and enhance security posture, it integrates seamlessly with Active Directory, LDAP, and various OS platforms.
Pros
- Intuitive web-based console with agentless deployment options
- Comprehensive automation for cert lifecycle and SSH key management
- Cost-effective with free edition and strong ROI for mid-market
Cons
- Scalability limitations in very large deployments without add-ons
- Advanced reporting and custom workflows require Enterprise tier
- Limited native support for some niche CA integrations
Best For
Mid-sized enterprises and IT teams needing affordable, user-friendly PKI automation without enterprise-scale complexity.
Pricing
Free edition for up to 25 certificates/nodes; Standard starts at $595/year, Professional at $1,195/year, Enterprise custom pricing based on nodes/certificates.
AWS Private Certificate Authority
enterpriseFully managed private CA service for creating and managing private PKI hierarchies in the cloud.
Seamless, automated integration with AWS services for zero-touch certificate deployment across EC2, ALB, and CloudFront.
AWS Private Certificate Authority (PCA) is a fully managed service that allows organizations to create and operate private certificate authorities (CAs) in the AWS cloud for issuing digital certificates to secure internal applications, VPNs, and workloads. It handles the full lifecycle of certificates, including issuance, revocation, and renewal, with support for root and subordinate CAs. PCA integrates seamlessly with AWS services like ACM, CloudFront, and EC2, providing automated deployment and high availability without requiring on-premises infrastructure.
Pros
- Fully managed service eliminates need for CA hardware and maintenance
- Deep integration with AWS ecosystem for automated certificate provisioning
- Strong compliance features including FIPS 140-2 validation and CloudTrail auditing
Cons
- High base cost makes it less viable for small-scale or low-volume use
- Vendor lock-in limits flexibility outside AWS environments
- Limited customization options compared to self-hosted PKI solutions
Best For
Organizations heavily invested in AWS infrastructure needing scalable, managed PKI for internal certificate management.
Pricing
$400 per private CA per month (pro-rated hourly) plus $0.75 per active private certificate per month; additional costs for connectors and HSM integration.
Conclusion
After evaluating the landscape of PKI management software, Keyfactor emerges as the top choice, offering a robust, enterprise-focused platform for automating every stage of the PKI lifecycle across hybrid environments. Venafi follows closely, excelling in machine identity management and scaling to meet large-scale needs, while DigiCert CertCentral stands out as a leading cloud-based solution for issuing and managing certificates across public and private CAs. Each tool brings unique strengths, ensuring there’s a fit for diverse organizational requirements.
Ready to elevate your PKI management? Start exploring Keyfactor today to experience its comprehensive capabilities in streamlining certificate lifecycle orchestration and boosting security.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
