Teleport vs CyberArk

Teleport takes a fundamentally different approach from CyberArk by providing identity-based, zero-trust access to infrastructure without traditional credential vaulting. While CyberArk excels in comprehensive PAM for regulated enterprises, Teleport appeals to cloud-native organizations that want to eliminate standing credentials entirely and provide developers with seamless access.

Updated Feb 2026

SplitSecure

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Distributed secrets management. No vault, no vendor dependency

Pricing: Free ($0) for orgs under $10M revenue; Starter $149/mo (5 seats); Enterprise custom

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Summary

Teleport is the top alternative for cloud-native and engineering-driven organizations that want modern, zero-trust infrastructure access without traditional PAM complexity. CyberArk remains essential for enterprises needing comprehensive credential management, deep compliance, and broad identity governance.

Choose Teleport if:

  • You need comprehensive privileged credential vaulting and rotation
  • Traditional PAM compliance requirements drive your decision
  • You require deep identity governance and certification workflows
  • Your environment includes significant legacy or on-premises systems
  • You need the broadest enterprise integration ecosystem

Choose CyberArk if:

  • You want to eliminate VPNs and shared credentials entirely
  • Your infrastructure is primarily cloud-native and Kubernetes-based
  • Developer experience and self-service access are top priorities
  • You prefer open-source solutions with community transparency
  • You need fast deployment without complex infrastructure setup

Feature Comparison

FeatureTeleportCyberArk
Access ModelCredential vaulting and checkoutCertificate-based zero-trust
SSH AccessPSM proxy-based SSH sessionsNative SSH with short-lived certs
Kubernetes AccessK8s access via Conjur and PAMNative K8s RBAC integration
Database AccessDatabase credential managementDirect DB access with auto-auth
Session RecordingAdvanced PSM recording and replayBuilt-in session recording
DeploymentWeeks to months for full deploymentMinutes to deploy, single binary
Open SourceProprietary closed-sourceApache 2.0 licensed core
Identity GovernanceFull identity security platformBasic RBAC and access requests

Sources

Related

Full Privileged Access Management guideTeleport AlternativesCyberArk AlternativesTeleport OverviewCyberArk Overview