boltenv vs Infisical
boltenv vs Infisical: GitHub access control vs custom IAM.
Infisical and boltenv both offer end-to-end encryption for secrets. The difference is complexity: Infisical has a full IAM system, web UI, and self-host option — ideal for enterprises. boltenv uses GitHub permissions you already manage, making it dramatically simpler for teams that live on GitHub.
Choose boltenv when…
- ✓Your team already uses GitHub and you don't want a second IAM system
- ✓You want the simplest possible setup — one CLI, two commands
- ✓You want zero-knowledge encryption without managing your own server
- ✓You're a startup that can't justify infrastructure complexity
- ✓You want access control that automatically mirrors GitHub repo membership
- ✓You want beautiful DX — boltenv push / boltenv pull is all you need
Choose Infisical when…
- ·You need a self-hosted option for compliance (Infisical OSS)
- ·You need per-secret access control (not per-repo)
- ·You need a web UI for non-technical team members
- ·You need SOC2 compliance documentation
- ·You need integrations beyond GitHub (AWS Secrets Manager, K8s, etc.)
- ·Your team doesn't use GitHub (GitLab, Bitbucket users)
Feature comparison
| Feature | boltenv | Infisical |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM client-side | AES-256-GCM (E2EE tier) |
| Access control | ✓GitHub repo permissions | Custom IAM (roles, groups) |
| Setup time | ✓60 seconds | 15–30 minutes |
| New account needed | ✓No — GitHub OAuth | Yes — Infisical account |
| Self-host option | No | Yes (OSS) |
| Web dashboard | None (CLI-only) | Full web UI |
| Free tier | 3 users, 5 repos | 5 users (limited features) |
| CLI DX | ✓boltenv push / pull | infisical secrets / run |
| Version history | 50 versions (Team) | Unlimited (paid) |
| Conflict resolution | ✓Three-way merge | None (last write wins) |
| CI/CD integration | 3 env vars | Infisical CLI or token |
| Access revocation speed | ✓Instant (GitHub check per request) | Near-instant |
Encryption
boltenv
AES-256-GCM client-side
Infisical
AES-256-GCM (E2EE tier)
Access control
boltenv
GitHub repo permissions
Infisical
Custom IAM (roles, groups)
Setup time
boltenv
60 seconds
Infisical
15–30 minutes
New account needed
boltenv
No — GitHub OAuth
Infisical
Yes — Infisical account
Self-host option
boltenv
No
Infisical
Yes (OSS)
Web dashboard
boltenv
None (CLI-only)
Infisical
Full web UI
Free tier
boltenv
3 users, 5 repos
Infisical
5 users (limited features)
CLI DX
boltenv
boltenv push / pull
Infisical
infisical secrets / run
Version history
boltenv
50 versions (Team)
Infisical
Unlimited (paid)
Conflict resolution
boltenv
Three-way merge
Infisical
None (last write wins)
CI/CD integration
boltenv
3 env vars
Infisical
Infisical CLI or token
Access revocation speed
boltenv
Instant (GitHub check per request)
Infisical
Near-instant
Pricing
boltenv
$0–$8/user/mo
boltenv free tier supports 3 users, Team at $8/user. Infisical free supports 5 users but with limited features; Pro starts at $18/user/month.
Infisical
$0–$18/user/mo
boltenv free tier supports 3 users, Team at $8/user. Infisical free supports 5 users but with limited features; Pro starts at $18/user/month.
Migration
Migrate from Infisical to boltenv.
- 01
Export your secrets from the Infisical dashboard or CLI as a .env file.
- 02
Install boltenv globally and authenticate with your GitHub account.
- 03
Push your .env — boltenv encrypts locally before transmitting.
- 04
Export the encryption key and securely share with teammates.
- 05
Update your CI/CD pipelines to use boltenv environment variables.
# Export from Infisical infisical export --format=dotenv > .env # Install and set up boltenv npm install -g @boltenv.dev/cli boltenv login boltenv push # Share access boltenv key export # → Send this securely to teammates # Teammates run: boltenv key import <base64-key> boltenv pull
Verdict
Infisical is powerful and flexible, especially if you need self-hosting or a complex IAM system. But that power comes with complexity. boltenv is designed for teams who want the simplest possible secure workflow: use GitHub as your identity layer, encrypt locally, and share with two commands. If your team is on GitHub and values developer experience above all, boltenv is the better fit.