dotenvx

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hostedWindows

What dotenvx is

dotenvx encrypts secrets in .env files, then decrypts and injects them when an application runs. It is free and open source, with a free plan and paid plans from $5/mo. The encryption uses a secp256k1 public-key pair, keeping the private decryption key apart from the encrypted file. During development, that key can be kept in an operating system secret store such as macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager, or Linux Secret Service. Features include environment selection and composition, validation, pre-commit leak prevention, Docker image protection, key/value operations, and runtime log redaction. Its maker says encrypted files can travel with code and be decrypted using a private key provided in the deployment environment, without an application secrets service on the critical path. Guides cover developer tools, languages, and deployment services, while installation options include CLI, npm, winget, Homebrew, Docker, and package managers. Armor adds team access controls, approval before decryption, enclave-based decryption, and audit records. The paid product has a 14-day free trial.

Who it suits

It suits software developers and teams managing application secrets across development and deployment. Its integrations and installation options cover a range of programming languages, developer tools, and deployment platforms.

What it does well

Free and open source, with a free plan.
Keeps the private decryption key separate from encrypted files.
Includes validation and pre-commit leak prevention.
Guides cover developer tools, languages, and deployment platforms.

What to know first

Member costs $5 a month.
Business costs $90 a month.
SOC 2 Type 2 observation is in progress.
GDPR data processing agreement is in preparation.

Limits

The free Dotenvx User plan includes CLI, SDKs, and secret encryption. Member is limited to one seat, includes 250,000 audit events and five days of audit retention; Business includes ten seats, 1,000,000 audit events, and 90 days of retention.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Dotenvx User	CLI · SDKs · encrypt secrets · GitHub Issues support	Free
Member	Monthly · 1 seat · unlimited keys · 250,000 included audit events · 5 days audit retention · $10/mo per additional seat	$5 a month
Business	Monthly · 10 seats · unlimited keys · 1,000,000 included audit events · 90 days audit retention · $90/mo per additional 10 seats · Enterprise SSO listed as coming soon	$90 a month

As dotenvx.com lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the dotenvx website.
Choose an installation route such as the CLI, npm, winget, Homebrew, Docker, Ruby gem, or Python pip.
Use the free Dotenvx User plan or review Member and Business plans.
Encrypt secrets in an .env file and keep the private decryption key separate.
Provide the private key in the deployment environment for runtime decryption.

Verdict

dotenvx combines encrypted .env files with runtime decryption and a broad set of development and deployment integrations. The free plan covers CLI, SDKs, encryption, and GitHub Issues support; paid tiers add defined seat, audit, and support allowances.

Questions

Is dotenvx free?

Yes. The Dotenvx User plan is free and includes CLI, SDKs, secret encryption, and GitHub Issues support.

What do the paid plans cost?

Member costs $5 a month. Business costs $90 a month.

Is there a free trial?

The paid product has a 14-day free trial.

Which platforms does dotenvx support?

The listed platforms are Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted deployment.

Is dotenvx open source?

Yes. The maker describes it as free and open source.

What integrations are covered by official guides?

Guides cover developer tools and languages including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Node.js, Python, Ruby, Rust, PHP, Go, Java, Kotlin, Clojure, and .NET. Deployment guides include AWS Lambda, Cloudflare, DigitalOcean, Fly, Heroku, Netlify, Railway, Render, Vercel, Docker, Docker Compose, and GitHub Actions.

Facts from dotenvx's own pages

Armor access controls: Armor lists team access without sharing private keys, human approval before decryption, software-enclave decryption, and auditing of decryptions. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Armor trial: The Armor FAQ states that the paid product has a 14-day free trial. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Compliance status: The trust page says SOC 2 Type 2 observation is in progress and a GDPR data processing agreement is in preparation. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Deployment integrations: Official guides cover AWS Lambda, Cloudflare, DigitalOcean, Fly, Heroku, Netlify, Railway, Render, Vercel, Docker, Docker Compose, and GitHub Actions. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Developer integrations: Official guides cover Claude, Codex, Cursor, 1Password, Bitwarden, Node.js, Python, Ruby, Rust, PHP, Go, Java, Kotlin, Clojure, and .NET. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Encryption: Dotenvx uses public-key encryption with a secp256k1 key pair, keeping the private decryption key separate from the encrypted .env file. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Headquarters: Santa Monica, California, United States · dotenvx.com, 28 Sept 2026
Install options: The install documentation lists CLI installation, npm, Windows winget, Homebrew, GitHub releases, Docker, Ruby gem, and Python pip. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Intended audience: The maker describes Dotenvx as being built for software developers and teams, including humans and coding agents. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Key storage: For development, the private key can be stored in the operating system’s secret store, including macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager, and Linux Secret Service. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
No central runtime dependency: The maker says encrypted files travel with code and can be decrypted at runtime using a private key supplied in the deployment environment, without a secrets service in the application’s critical path. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Open source: The maker describes Dotenvx as free and open source. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Purpose: Dotenvx encrypts secrets in .env files and decrypts and injects them at runtime for applications. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Support: The pricing table lists GitHub Issues for the free user tier, ticket support for Member and Business, and Slack support for Business. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026
Workflow features: The feature list includes environment selection and composition, validation, pre-commit leak prevention, Docker image protection, key/value operations, and runtime log redaction. · dotenvx.com, 4 Oct 2026

Where dotenvx stands on Freedom251

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